Mushroom recognition

[KARL]

I am duplicating this under Animals and Nature (Environment) because my quation seems to fall between at least two different topics. I have a very healthy looking clump of large mushrooms growing by an old conifer stump in my garden and I think I have identified them as Melanoleuca Cognata. My only reservation about tucking into what is supposed to be a good tasting fungus is that my lack of knowledge might have resulted in misidentification. Is there a harmful mushroom that looks like it - 10-15cm flat cap with slightly raised centre and edges turned under (rounded and convex while young, smaller and still growing), pale to yellowish ochre discolouring of tight gills, stem is straight 2-4cm and thicker than my book says, smell not unlike the meal suggested in the book ? There are some signs of insect(s) eating small bits of it.

[Frank97]

Can you put up a picture? Might help people with identification.

[Wrongn3mber]

"I think I have identified them as Melanoleuca Cognata. " Think is not good enough, you have to be 100% sure as many can kill you. It's not worth the risk just for a snack/meal.

[rsvp]

it's interesting that this post is just above an ad for life insurance.!
under no circumstances should you eat fungi that hasn't been positively identifie by an expert. 'Think' is not good enough.

[KARL]

The Health and Safety mentality clearly reigns but my motivation was more along the lines of giving someone who perhaps picks mushrooms (very few of whom would refer to themselves as experts but they still pick them, usually sticking to familiar types with just the odd foray into something new) a chance to comment - I simply want to find out if anyone knows a similar and harmful mushroom because my book does not mention one. All I want is to invite the advice of someone knowledgeable, if AB harbours such an individual. I already know a few harmful fungi are to be found and there are certain mushrooms that exist whereby it is difficult to tell the really good ones from the almost identical really bad ones. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a book that lists edible fungi and contrasts them with those "not to be confused with" harmful or simply inedible ones. The books mostly seem to be a botanist's type of species collection rather than a truly useful practical guide - to me fungi are first and foremost of interest for eating. Perhaps know of a good book then ?

[KARL]

Sorry D97, mine looks very much like many of the images one can google - especially the larger chestnut coloured ones.

[tamborine]

I'm no expert but have been eating my field mushrooms all week....am still living :) I go for white thick short stalks with flat or round heads. Pinch off root dirt ball to check if they are fly-blown (maggoty).

Puffballs are good too now, sliced & fried in lard.

[didoatwork]

In France you take the mushroom (fungi) to the pharmacist and he can identify it. Are you going to France soon? :)

[rsvp]

point - this is an international forum with a UK bias - I'd be aware of overseas advice

[Rapunzel61]

But Tamborine, you can eat 'dodgy' mushrooms, be violently ill for a few days, and then be okay again, then drop dead a fortnight later because your liver has packed up

[tamborine]

wipe the tops with sponge to remove soil. Rapz...I've been eating them for 30y+ and I like living dangerously.

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2i111t1&s=7

[rsvp]

and Trim - why is my post not acknowledged? :-)

[tamborine]

There's a glut in UK presently due to rain after hot sunny days.

[rsvp]

Trim XXX

[KARL]

rsvp, I welcome non-UK input - I do not look upon the UK as being the only source of useful information. I have often eaten common field mushrooms picked in the wild because they are far better than the cultivated supermarket buttons - but I have yet to find a puff ball which I used to kick as a boy but now know is apparently excellent food. If only there were French facilities available in the UK to help confirm identification of mushrooms (what a luxury, how civilised).

[rsvp]

Karl - happy mushroom eating - I have friends who wish they never encountered fungi - (no-one died but they were very sick bunnies) -as I say, enjoy but..... - (I repeat, if you don''t know get it checked by an expert)