March Speaker
Mike McCurdy  Ishan Bhatia Speaking on:
Cordyceps militaris
Friend to Humans, Bane to Pests
We need food to survive. But as agriculture expands to feed a rapidly growing global population, we face a problem: pests. They relentlessly attack our crops, threatening the stability of our food supply. Even worse, while the age-old solution to this problem, pesticides, are effective at warding off damaging insects, their widespread use harms our health and the environment, eventually causing insects to develop genetic resistance. In his speech, Ishan will discuss his experiments using the mushroom Cordyceps militaris as an effective alternative to toxic commercial pesticides — how he planned his experiment, the results of his experiment, and potential implications to the field of agriculture.
Ishan Bhatia (17) is a senior at Lynbrook High School. Through his research on Cordyceps militaris he's developed a passion for microbiology, biochemistry, and biotechnology. In his free time, he likes to hang out with friends, sing, play the French Horn, and play video games.
President's Message
Natalie Wren Friends,
I hope all of you are safe and healthy. Recent weather in the Bay Area and beyond has put a bit a of a damper on local foraging and has caused hazardous conditions for many people in
California. Even though there isn’t as much to pick now, staying active is important....this the
time to get our bodies and minds conditioned for the fire morel season! In my experience, this is much more physically and mentally demanding and challenging foraging than for other types of fungi. Not only are we climbing over and around downed trees in burn zones, we have a lack of forest canopy to protect us from the elements. Plus these fires usually occur at higher elevations. Ya gotta work harder for morels! Let’s get ready!
As we are all well aware, California has experienced a period of record breaking drought for the last two plus decades and that has led to extreme loss of life and property due to wildfire. This loss suffered by our fellow citizens is hard to process and easy to forget about when it’s ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ Please, let’s all try to be mindful of the loss that brings the fungal bounty of morel season.
In other news, we are starting to plan our next fungus fair and working on creating programming to make the world of mycology accessible for as many people as possible, both at our annual fungus fair and to members year-round. . I have been working toward establishing an Arts committee to help foster mycological learning though art. I am a strong believer that the arts facilitate learning....our distant ancestors knew that, too. Singing and visual art was something that took the place of formal schooling and has worked for millennia to bring wisdom forward to new generations. Art is the universal language that can unite us all.
If you’re interested in joining the potential Arts committee or volunteering in other ways, please reach out. We want and need you to participate to keep the future of the MSSF vibrant and viable.
Lastly, please read on to learn about MSSF’s years-long effort to bring a vote at the State
Legislature to designate a California State Mushroom. This effort started approximately 8 years ago with the MSSF and has involved many people in our club and other mycological clubs and the folks at The California Institute for Biodiversity.
Natalie
California Is Getting a State Mushroom
It took more than seven years, but the campaign begun in 2015 by a small but enthusiastic group of amateur mycologists in Northern California to designate a flagship mushroom for the State is now poised (with the help of local, national - and even international - environmental champions) to come to fruition!
Why does California Need a State Mushroom?
California has a state bird, a state tree, a state dinosaur … and even a state lichen, so why not a State Mushroom? California is home to an uncounted diversity of mushroom species. New species are constantly being discovered, even as many others are threatened by habitat loss and climate change … and also by lack of public awareness and appreciation.
It has long been understood by many that recognition of a California State Mushroom would honor the manifold cultural, economic, and ecological roles that mushrooms play in the State, and promote public awareness, knowledge, appreciation, and study of mushrooms. Additionally, the recognition of living species elevates the importance of biodiversity, and advances conservation and habitat protection. Having a State Mushroom, fungophiles and their supporters began to realize, would showcase the critically important role that fungi play in the State’s ecology, history, and future.
Environmental Benefits
Mushrooms are members of the fungi kingdom, one of the primary kingdoms of life on Earth, and are studied by mycologists the world round. A mushroom is the fruiting body (usually comprising a stem and cap) of an often much more extensive organism that consists primarily of an underground network of connecting fibers known as “mycelium.” Fungi are everywhere, some the tiniest residents on or in other organisms, and some among the largest organisms on the planet.
Mushrooms are real heavyweights when it comes to serving our planet and people. Fungi sequesters carbon, provides nutrients in the soil taken up by plants, absorbs and cleans water, and provides food for wildlife, plants, and people.
Mushrooms play an integral role in our ecosystem by providing roughly 80% of the nutrients used in plant growth. Mushrooms are decomposers like other fungi because they break down dead organic matter to produce their own food. They make a network of mycelium that expands deep into the soil to decompose decaying organic matter using their special enzymes. This recycles nutrients and makes them usable. Through mycelium, mushrooms help other plants share nutrients and communicate through chemical signals. Amazing but true! Their extensive below-ground networks nourish forests and grasslands through mutually beneficial (symbiotic) connections with plant roots. Together with bacteria, fungi are responsible for breaking down organic matter and releasing carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus into the soil and the atmosphere.
Increasingly scientists and policymakers are looking to mushrooms and fungi for innovative environmental solutions, ranging from the creation of sustainable materials and food sources to the bioremediation of toxic waste and contaminated soils (basically breaking down and neutralizing pollutants). For example, research has shown that some species of fungi can break down and neutralize crude oil in soil, allowing the polluted soil to once again support plant life.
Human Connection
Fungi are very deeply intertwined with Californian history — starting with the earliest Californians who used mushrooms for food, medicine, pigments, and many other purposes. And mushrooms remain deeply intertwined in California life today; just ask the millions of Californian cooks who creatively utilize mushrooms in their cuisine, the California artists who employ mushroom fibers, dyes and patterns, and the amateur mycologists who enjoy finding, photographing, identifying, and studying mushrooms all around our state!
The California Golden Chanterelle is a commonly collected edible mushroom found beneath California oak trees. Long loved by Californians, scientists recently recognized it as a unique endemic species. This chanterelle is a symbol of the rich and special biodiversity of California and it forms symbiotic relationships with the oak trees living along the State’s coastline. It’s also a popular edible mushroom amongst foragers. But no, it is not a psychedelic or “magic” mushroom (and no it is not poisonous)!
Support the New Mushroom Bill
Californians of all walks of life love mushrooms — but it takes a village to name a State Mushroom, so, after working with mycological organizations throughout California in the process of selection, MSSF partnered with a seasoned and effective educator/advocate - the California Institute for Biodiversity (CIB; see Cal Live) - in order that the California Golden Chanterelle’s designation could become official.
CIB was founded in 1995 by scientists and educators who recognized that California was at risk to lose much of its remarkable biodiversity. To turn the tide, CIB initially focused on helping invigorate K-12 science education by providing California teachers with field-based, hands-on, environmental education, delivering classes that awarded academic credit in relevant fields to teachers from diverse communities far and wide. CIB has continued to identify opportunities for transformational change in biodiversity education, research, and action - and one of these is the project to designate a California State Mushroom
MSSF and CIB worked initially on the idea of a State Mushroom Bill with a former member of the California Assembly who left office before the project was complete. CIB now is working with California Assemblyman Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) to finalize the work by passing AB 261, which designates the California Golden Chanterelle as our State Mushroom. Please consider adding your name to the campaign to designate the new California State Mushroom. Use this link so that your support can be counted. Thank you for adding your voice!
Culinary Corner
Pat George (Repost from March 2011) Not long ago we had a Spring teaser of beautiful days and balmy weather, but February did not give up easily so we are assuredly back to winter weather. Perhaps fooled by the lovely weather, the more often pastel-colored but sometimes white, Springtime Amanita, A. velosa, made an appearance. Eyes lit up and culinary dreams came alive. However, a secure knowledge of just what this mushroom looks like, experience finding it and a knowledgable identification must be the rule before even the slightest nibble. Toni Kiely found and brought to the ID session before our last MSSF general meeting three impressive, large white Amanitas she found deep under oak trees. They were most definitely NOT velosas. They were Amanita ocreata, aptly named “Destroying Angel.” The bad guys are out there and can look like good guys to the novice. Best to enjoy other genera at the table whilst learning your Amanitas.
With that admonition and without choosing a specific mushroom to highlight in a recipe here’s something simple to serve that is nice for a cool night.
Spoon Bread Custard with Mushrooms
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of butter
1/2 pound of fresh, wild mushrooms, wiped clean and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped into small pieces
2 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup buttermilk
4 well beaten eggs salt and pepper to taste
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 2 quart casserole.
Melt the butter in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms soften and onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Place in casserole.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan and add the salt. Put the cornmeal in a small bowl and add the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Stir to dampen the cornmeal and then add it to the boiling water. Cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or two, until the cornmeal gets thick.
Add the buttermilk and blend well. Stir in the eggs. Season with salt and pepper then stir into the mushrooms and onion in the casserole.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Serves 4.
This recipe can be tweaked by adding herbs, etc. I repeat the wise words of Madame Jehane Benoit, “I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation”.
Pat
Culinary Group News
The MSSF Culinary Group is a participatory cooking group open to all MSSF members who are interested in the gastronomical aspects of mushrooming.
Gatherings are generally held on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the San Francisco County Fair Building, "Hall of Flowers" in Golden Gate Park; - at 9th and Lincoln. Members of MSSF and the Culinary Group, and their guests, are invited to attend.
In February, the Culinary Group gathered for a potluck featuring "The Legendary Mushroom Pizza Battle", March will feature "Mushrooms Popular in Asian Cuisine" - Come enjoy deliciously-prepared shiitake, snow mushrooms, enoki, king trumpets, oyster mushrooms, wood ear, shimeji ... and more! (Dinner Captain: Elizabeth Simonson; Monday 3/6/23 - 6pm). Arrive at 6:00 p.m., eating begins at 7:00 p.m. Registration is required, and the fee will be collected at the event.
Any MSSF member may register to attend a Culinary Group dinner in the "Members Only" area of the Society's website, www.mssf.org .
( Covid protocol: please do not register or attend if you are not fully vaccinated for Covid 19, or if you are feeling unwell or experiencing any covid or cold symptom).
The Great Candy Cap Cookie Taste Test
by Carter Jessop (repost from April 2016) The 2015/16 season had a tremendous fruiting of candy cap mushrooms in Northern California. Given the abundance, there was a lot of discussion online about the differences between the two Lactarius species commonly called “candy cap” - Lactarius rubidus and Lactarius rufulus. In these discussions, many folks said that L. rufulus was not only inferior on the plate, but perhaps not worthy of harvest. So, one evening, I decided to put the “conventional wisdom” to the test with a candy cap mushroom side-by-side taste test. L. rubidus vs. L. rufulus - the “true” candy cap vs. the “poor man’s” candy cap.
I prepared two batches of cookies according to David Arora’s recipe from All that the Rain Promises and More. In one I used L. rubidus and in the other L. rufulus. I took care to prepare both batches of cookies as similarly as I could reasonably manage. I also doubled the amount of candy caps the recipe calls for to maximize their flavor and hopefully
highlight any differences.
And the findings? Both species result in delicious mapley-butterscotchy-earthy cookies! Hot out of the oven, I found them nearly indistinguishable from one another when prepared according to DA’s simple sugar cookie recipe. The following day, however, I subjected three unbiased coworkers (and myself again) to my little experiment.
None of my coworkers knew which cookie was which species nor had they been exposed to any species bias to begin with. All three stated that both cookies were delicious and enjoyable, but that the L. rufulus cookie tasted a little bit more “mushroomy” than the L. rubidus cookie, which tasted more like “maple syrup”. I found that I agreed. In my experience, the candy cap flavor in my confections often intensifies if given a bit of time. In this case, that intensification made the difference in flavor between the species more discernible. However, all three coworkers said that if I hadn’t given them the cookies side by side, they would have thoroughly enjoyed either cookie and would have happily eaten
seconds of both types. Given the two for comparison, though, all three indicated a slight preference for the L. rubidus cookie.
So, while some taste buds slightly prefer Lactarius rubidus, by no means is L. rufulus worthy of the “poorman’s” moniker so cruelly applied to it by some. In fact, its easy to imagine that in some applications, their slightly earthier flavor might even be preferred! Regardless, when in season in years to come, you can be sure that both species will continue to find their way into my basket.
MSSF at the 2023 San Francisco Middle School Science Fair
At the Randall Museum On Saturday, March 4th from 10-2 at the Randall Museum in San Francisco, the MSSF will be hosting an educational table as well as a cultivation table highlighting DIY mushroom grow kits.
Hope to see you and your kids there!
Randall Middle School Science Fair
Fungus Fair Forays, and Miscellaneous Thank You's
Mike McCurdy This year’s Fungus Fair was a smashing success, thanks in part to the wonderful mushroom displays. Thank you, J.R. Blair, and all those who helped assemble such great display tables, and to Ginny Garrett for creating the beautiful woodland display. Also, thank you to the DVC crew who arranged the tables for the displays, and supplied material used for ground cover. We owe a great deal of thanks to DVC for supplying the venue, and for the huge amount of help they provided leading up to, and the day of the fair.
The mushrooms came from a total of 9 locations. Some were typical forays with up to 25 participants like the San Francisco Watershed, Huddart and Wunderlich Parks in San Mateo, Point Reyes, and the BAAM foray in Orinda. Maria Pham spearheaded an effort to collect mushrooms in Mendocino, and enlisted the help of members of the Mendocino Club to collect and donate the mushrooms to the cause. Many thanks to Mendocino Coast Mushroom Club, and BAAM for making a special effort to help supply mushrooms for our fair. Mino from BAAM not only delivered mushrooms but spent a great deal of time sorting mushrooms for identification. It is greatly appreciated. The remaining mushrooms were collected by individuals who generously found a way of delivering their finds to the fair.
If you collected mushrooms from a location and see fewer mushrooms than you think should be on the list, it should be noted that not all mushrooms were identified. Unfortunately, the ID table was shorthanded and overworked this year. We have 3 forays for which are obligated to provide a species list in exchange for the privilege of collecting mushrooms at those locations, so identifying the mushroom from those forays have priority. They are the San Francisco Watershed, and the two San Mateo County Parks, Huddart and Wunderlich.
Many thanks go out to Else Vellinga, Brian Perry, Cat Adams, Norm Andresen, Jonathan del Rosario, and Acorn Steed, our identification team who logged many hours identifying mushrooms for this fair. We know that you all have busy schedules, yet make time to help us, and we can’t thank you enough. Brian had spent Saturday helping at the Tilden Park mushroom event before coming to DVC that evening and Sunday, and Else and Cat had spent the day at the San Francisco Watershed, then worked Saturday evening and Sunday, so long days for all concerned.
The following is a list of the forays and the number of species collected by each. Keep in mind that there is a certain amount of overlap of species on these lists. The total number of species from all forays is 201.
Mendocino Foray: 92 species
San Francisco Watershed Foray: 67 species
The BAAM Foray in Orinda: 41 species
Wunderlich Park Foray: 28 species
Huddart Park Foray: 20 species
San Pedro Valley: 16 species
Skyline College: 4 species
Monterey: 3 species
Daly City: 2 species |
