What's the largest organism on the planet? Hint: it's not a blue whale...
I found this mystery mushroom in the river field near a grove of birches. Just in case it turned out to be edible, I cooked it in butter and thyme and froze it in anticipation of a future stew. There was just something tasty-looking about it. See?
Oh, and the answer to my question posed at the start: it's a 2,384-acre honey fungus in the Blue Mountains of Oregon. It's thought to be over 2,000 years old.
I found this mystery mushroom in the river field near a grove of birches. Just in case it turned out to be edible, I cooked it in butter and thyme and froze it in anticipation of a future stew. There was just something tasty-looking about it. See?
Following some investigations with mycologist friends, it was successfully identified as a Brown Birch Bolete (Leccinum Scabrum). It's about 15cm high by 12cm at its widest point, had a shiny chestnut-coloured top and an unusual spongy layer on the underside of the cap. Most mushrooms have gills, but Boletes have tiny tubes instead. They're really quite beautiful up close.
I haven't actually eaten it yet - it's still in the freezer - but I will update soon with a taste test! And if you're interested, this is a very good podcast on the wondrous world of fungi.
Oh, and the answer to my question posed at the start: it's a 2,384-acre honey fungus in the Blue Mountains of Oregon. It's thought to be over 2,000 years old.
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