MSSF Meetings
On the third Tuesday of each month from September thru May, the Mycological Society of San Francisco has a General Meeting at the Randall Museum in San Francisco.
The highlight of each meeting is a speaker with slides on some aspect of mycology and mushrooming: ecology, taxonomy, mycophagy, sociology, etc. Before each meeting members bring collections which are put on display and identified. Refreshments are served before the meeting.
- Doors open and identification starts at 6:30 pm.
- Announcements begin at 7:30 pm, followed by the presentation.
- Note: General Meetings are open to the public.
- If a meeting is expected to be so popular that attendance would exceed room capacity in the Randall Museum Theater, reserved seating is instituted and there may be an admission fee for non-members.
- Meetings will also be available via Zoom
- Randall Museum Map & Directions
Maria Finn
- Talk Title: Truffle Lust & Puppy Love
- Meeting date and time: 7:30 pm PST, Tuesday, November 19th, 2024
- Individuals may attend in-person, beginning at 6:30pm, for mushroom ID, refreshments and social interaction in the Buckley Room of the Randall Museum
- Virtually: At 7:30pm, you will be able to join the group for the evening's presentation virtually. Join the Zoom Meeting
- Meeting ID: 891 8438 9640
- Passcode: 608192
Description:
Truffle Lust & Puppy Love:
The first time I smelled a truffle, it reached inside me and
made me want it more than anything in the world. With that first whiff, it was
as if the entire forest opened and invited me into its deepest, most profound
essence. Yet once a truffle is unearthed, it only has a short window before it
becomes a scentless lump. Truffles are a living metaphor for desire: rare,
mysterious and ephemeral. That first whiff led me to my truffle dog, Flora
Jayne, an Italian Lagotto Romagnolo, that’s born and bred for truffle
hunting. Flora Jayne and I have been exploring forests in search of this
seductive tuber and underground driver of forest ecosystems. She’s got a
talent, and I have an obsession.
Truffles exist – wild and cultivated - on every continent except Antarctica.
This talk and visual presentation will briefly trace the history of truffles, from
manna from heaven in the Bible – which were most likely desert truffles –
to their roles as sacred, outlawed, and hyper valued. The truffle’s vital role
in the forest ecosystem will be discussed, along with how the planting of
truffle orchards makes them a regenerative species. I’ll also speak about
the Renaissance they are currently enjoying. We’ll then segue into a talk
about culinary techniques for truffles and if appropriate, Flora Jayne can
come along and do a truffle hunting demonstration.
Biography:
MARIA FINN is an author, chef, speaker and maker who lives on a
houseboat in Sausalito, CA. with her truffle dog, Flora Jayne, two tabby
cats Spike and Ariel, and a native oyster garden collectively named Billy.
Her cookbook, Forage. Gather. Feast. was published in April 2024 by
Sasquatch Books. She creates food, art and storytelling experiences
inspired by ecosystems like kelp forests in crisis and salmon and
redwood watersheds; her work explores themes like love, awe, desire
and grief in regard to our relationships with the natural world. In 2024,
she launched, The Institute for Ecosystem Based Living that produces
events combining science, art and food. Maria has told stories for The
Moth Mainstage at the Museo del Barrio in New York City and the
Castro Theater in San Francisco. She has given talks at the SOCAP
Conference, the California Academy of Sciences, and SXSW, among
many other places.
She was a fellow in the first creative cohort in the Design Science Studio
and Living Systems Collaboratory, as part of the Buckminister Fuller
Society. She created an augmented reality menu that expresses her
lockdown experience. It's online now as a website, Pandemic Menu
from Spaceship Earth. As Artist-in-Residence at Autodesk, Pier 9 maker
space, Maria created an edible map of the San Francisco Bay that is on
display at the San Francisco Exploratorium. She was chef-in-residence
for Stochastic Labs, a residency for artists, scientists, and tech
innovators in Berkeley. She is also the founder of Flora & Fungi
Adventures, where she hosts wild food-centric adventures from
California all the way north to Alaska.
Links:
2024 Meetings
- Tuesday, November 19, 2024
- Tuesday, October 15, 2024
- Tuesday, September 17, 2024
- Tuesday, April 16, 2024
- Tuesday, March 19, 2024
- Tuesday, February 20, 2024
- Tuesday, January 16, 2024
2023 Meetings
- No meeting in December - Fungus Fair [date to be determined]
- Tuesday, November 21, 2023
- Tuesday, October 17, 2023
- Tuesday, September 19, 2023
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 16, 2023
- Tuesday, April 18, 2023
- Tuesday, March 21, 2023
- Tuesday, February 21, 2023
- No meeting in January - Fungus Fair on January 29
2022 Meetings
- Tuesday, November 15, 2022
video
- Tuesday, October 18, 2022
video
- Tuesday, September 20, 2022
video
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 17, 2022 video
- Tuesday, April 19, 2022 video
- Tuesday, March 15, 2022 video
- Tuesday, February 15, 2022
- Tuesday, January 18, 2022
2021 Meetings
- Tuesday, December 21, 2021
- Tuesday, November 16, 2021
- Tuesday, October 19, 2021
- Tuesday, September 21, 2021
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 18, 2021
- Tuesday, April 20, 2021
- Tuesday, March 16, 2021
- Tuesday, February 16, 2021
- Tuesday, January 19, 2021
2020 Meetings
- Tuesday, December 15, 2020
- Tuesday, November 17, 2020
- Tuesday, October 20, 2020
- Tuesday, September 15, 2020
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 19, 2020
- Tuesday, April 21, 2020 - cancelled due to COVID-19
- Tuesday, March 17, 2020
- Tuesday, February 18, 2020
- Tuesday, January 21, 2020
2019 Meetings
- No meeting in December, Fungus Fair on Sunday, December 8, 2019
- Tuesday, November 19, 2019
- Tuesday, October 15, 2019
- Tuesday, September 17, 2019
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 21, 2019
- Tuesday, April 16, 2019
- Tuesday, March 19, 2019
- Tuesday, February 19, 2019
- Tuesday, January 15, 2019
2018 Meetings
- No meeting in December
- Tuesday, November 20, 2018
- Tuesday, October 15, 2018
- Tuesday, September 17, 2018
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 21, 2018
- Tuesday, April 17, 2018
- Tuesday, March 20, 2018
- Tuesday, February 20, 2018
- Tuesday, January 16, 2018
2017 Meetings
- No meeting in December
- Tuesday, November 21, 2017
- Tuesday, October 17, 2017
- Tuesday, September 19, 2017
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 16, 2017
- Tuesday, April 18, 2017
- Tuesday, March 21, 2017
- Tuesday, February 21, 2017
- Tuesday, January 17, 2017
2016 Meetings
- No meeting in December
- Tuesday, November 15, 2016
- Tuesday, October 18, 2016
- Tuesday, September 20, 2016
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 17, 2016
- Tuesday, April 19, 2016
- Tuesday, March 15, 2016
- Tuesday, February 16, 2016
- Tuesday, January 19, 2016
2015 Meetings
- No meeting in December
- Tuesday, November 17, 2015
- Tuesday, October 20, 2015
- Tuesday, September 15, 2015 2015 video
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 19, 2015
- Tuesday, April 21, 2015
- Tuesday, March 17, 2015
- Tuesday, February 17, 2015
- Tuesday, January 20, 2015
2014 Meetings
- No meeting in December
- Tuesday, November 18, 2014
- Tuesday, October 21, 2014
- Tuesday, September 16, 2014 video
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 20, 2014
- Tuesday, April 15, 2014 video
- Tuesday, March 18, 2014 video
- Tuesday, February 18, 2014 video
- Tuesday, January 21, 2014 video
2013 Meetings
- No meeting in December
- Tuesday, November 19, 2013 video
- Tuesday, October 15, 2013 video
- Tuesday, September 17, 2013 Talk "&" Slides
- No meetings June-August
- Tuesday, May 21, 2013 video
- Tuesday, April 16, 2013 video 1 video 2
- Tuesday, March 19, 2013 video
- Tuesday, February 19, 2013
- Tuesday, January 15, 2013
