4 ms·

Mushrooms all taste the same to me. People go crazy "hunting" morels, keeping their locations secret, etc. I've tried them, they are nothing special.

giantg2 5y ago
I'll admit, they didn't really live up to the hype for me either. They were good, but I think they were just hyped to the point they could never live up to it. I think my favorite so far was chicken of the woods. Maybe I'll try cultivating them this year.
- Wingman4l7 5y ago
  I wouldn't bother -- I tracked reports of amateur cultivation for Laetiporus sulphureus in past years, and did not see much success. If there is any to be had, it's likely outdoor-only.
  - giantg2 5y ago
    Yeah, I would be following Field and Forest's method. Their process is supposed to have a decent success rate.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
14 5y ago
I have the same sentiment for the Chanterelle mushrooms. Apparently they are popular in Europe and are very common to the woods of British Columbia where I live. . I’ve picked thousands of them. We used to go out as teens and pick enough to get some weekend drinking money. I’ve tried a few different ways of cooking them but they just are not good. I would literally have to be in a survival situation before I would seek them out for food. But you can get $2-$5 a pound selling them so I do like them for that fact. It seems like such a poor mans food like something from the past that people ate because they had to the taste is just not good but people buy them. I don’t understand but have to guess some people’s taste is just different then mine. Or maybe it’s not special because I can go out pick them 3-4 months a year.
- steve_adams_86 5y ago
  Not this year though! I’ve barely seen any all season. I guess the heat dome did a number on the trees and they aren’t sharing as much sugar with the mycelium? Or so I’ve read in a few places. Maybe it’s more complicated than that. I love all kinds of mushrooms, and to me they do have distinct textures and flavours. Something like a porcini or a morel has a flavour I can pick out fairly easily amongst other stronger flavours. Shiitake might be one of my favourite things to eat in general. I’ve wondered if it might be a genetic thing. Kind of like cilantro tastes awful to some people and great to others for whatever genetically determined reason. Maybe I’m a mushroom person and you’re not.
  - poulsbohemian 5y ago
    > I guess the heat dome did a number on the trees I’m in Eastern WA / OR, and the heat made our mushroom season garbage this year… it’s generally not great to begin with, but even the pro foragers were awfully quiet this year. Very concerning.
    - encryptluks2 5y ago
      Come to Western Washington. It is generally harder to find mushrooms in a desert climate.
      - poulsbohemian 5y ago
        Completely true - though I’m generally looking in the Blues, Wallowas, or occasionally the east side of the Cascades.
- maxerickson 5y ago
  Mushrooms aren't worth seeking out in a survival situation, they don't have nearly enough calories to return the cost of picking them (of course if you came across them that can be a bit different).

giantg2 5y ago

I'll admit, they didn't really live up to the hype for me either. They were good, but I think they were just hyped to the point they could never live up to it. I think my favorite so far was chicken of the woods. Maybe I'll try cultivating them this year.

Wingman4l7 5y ago
I wouldn't bother -- I tracked reports of amateur cultivation for Laetiporus sulphureus in past years, and did not see much success. If there is any to be had, it's likely outdoor-only.
- giantg2 5y ago
  Yeah, I would be following Field and Forest's method. Their process is supposed to have a decent success rate.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

14 5y ago

I have the same sentiment for the Chanterelle mushrooms. Apparently they are popular in Europe and are very common to the woods of British Columbia where I live. . I’ve picked thousands of them. We used to go out as teens and pick enough to get some weekend drinking money. I’ve tried a few different ways of cooking them but they just are not good. I would literally have to be in a survival situation before I would seek them out for food. But you can get $2-$5 a pound selling them so I do like them for that fact. It seems like such a poor mans food like something from the past that people ate because they had to the taste is just not good but people buy them. I don’t understand but have to guess some people’s taste is just different then mine. Or maybe it’s not special because I can go out pick them 3-4 months a year.

steve_adams_86 5y ago
Not this year though! I’ve barely seen any all season. I guess the heat dome did a number on the trees and they aren’t sharing as much sugar with the mycelium? Or so I’ve read in a few places. Maybe it’s more complicated than that. I love all kinds of mushrooms, and to me they do have distinct textures and flavours. Something like a porcini or a morel has a flavour I can pick out fairly easily amongst other stronger flavours. Shiitake might be one of my favourite things to eat in general. I’ve wondered if it might be a genetic thing. Kind of like cilantro tastes awful to some people and great to others for whatever genetically determined reason. Maybe I’m a mushroom person and you’re not.
- poulsbohemian 5y ago
  > I guess the heat dome did a number on the trees I’m in Eastern WA / OR, and the heat made our mushroom season garbage this year… it’s generally not great to begin with, but even the pro foragers were awfully quiet this year. Very concerning.
  - encryptluks2 5y ago
    Come to Western Washington. It is generally harder to find mushrooms in a desert climate.
    - poulsbohemian 5y ago
      Completely true - though I’m generally looking in the Blues, Wallowas, or occasionally the east side of the Cascades.
maxerickson 5y ago
Mushrooms aren't worth seeking out in a survival situation, they don't have nearly enough calories to return the cost of picking them (of course if you came across them that can be a bit different).