September Speaker - Noah Siegel
Mike McCurdy 
Meeting returns to the Randall Museum
Refreshments begin at 6pm prior to talk
Presentation will be via zoom in the auditorium
Noah’s field mycology skills are extensive – he has spent over three decades seeking, photographing, identifying, and furthering his knowledge about all aspects of macrofungi. He has hunted for mushrooms throughout the United States and Canada, as well as on multiple expeditions to New Zealand and Australia and Cameroon. He is one of the premier mushroom photographers in the nation, having won numerous awards from the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) photography contest. His technique and attention to detail are unrivaled, arising from a philosophy of maximizing utility for identification purposes while maintaining a high degree of aesthetic appeal.
His photographs have appeared on the covers and have been featured in articles of multiple issues of FUNGI Magazine, the primary mushroom enthusiast magazines in the United States, numerous mushroom books, as well as many club publications. He authored, along with Christian Schwarz, Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast, a comprehensive guide for the northern California coast, and a Field Guide to the Rare Fungi of California's National Forests. Noah travels and lectures extensively across America, following the mushrooms from coast to coast, and everywhere in between.
Links:
Spring Morel & Porcini Foray
Maria Pham MSSF 2023 Spring Morel & Porcini Foray in the Sierra Nevada 06/03/23
Many MSSF members met in the Sierra for the day to seek their luck finding mushrooms. Main target, morels and porcini. With snow still on some parts of the mountains some members got delayed by closed roads, but in the end everything worked out. 40 plus members arrived, the same 40 plus members left with some mushrooms. We had our communication chair Stephanie Wright as base camp, checking in participants as they arrived.
Mike McCurdy showing different mushrooms
collected the day before. Explaining the game plan.
With the trusted guidance of foray leaders Mike McCurdy, Elizabeth Simonson, Pascal Pelous, Natalie Wren, and Sarah Ruhs everyone found mushrooms and got some helpful tips on how and where to look for morels and porcini. A special thank you to Virgilio Cordona-Sanchez, Mickey Zeif and Paul Luftkin who found a nice area for morels and shared this hot mushroom intel with the group. Another special thank you to Jonathan Jeager. He picked a bag of morels and donated them to a foray participant who had not been so lucky that day. And the thanks goes on, thank you to Henry Shaw for helping ID mushrooms, and thanks to all the foray participants for their pleasant company and for donating a small part of their mushrooms haul to base camp. It was a wonderful day, filled with comradery. As the day came to an end we were all moved by a full strawberry moon rising in the sky and hail promising more good times on the mountain.
Culinary Corner
Hanna Docampo Pham I remember the first time I saw someone scoring food on T.V. A monk in a remote monastery was preparing fresh shiitake by cutting flower-shaped indentations into the caps of the mushrooms. I later learned he was preparing shiitake hanagiri, a popular way of cutting shiitake in Japan. The six petal like cuts he made are one way of preparing the mushroom, but there are actually many different ways you can score the shiitake to still get the mushroom to better absorb the flavor of the other ingredients it’s cooked with. He then sauteed the shiitake with oil, garlic, and green onions.
It’s very common to find shiitake hanagiri in hot pots because not only does it look pretty, but it improves the texture and flavor of the mushrooms. This works for any dish where the mushrooms are sauteed or cooked in a sauce or broth, like stew or soup. It you want to cut your own shiitake hanagiri, simply cut a flower, star, or x shape on the cap of a shiitake by making two cuts at about 45 degrees for each line.
Cutting Shiitake Hanagiri
  
Shiitake hanagiri is a special way of scoring, or making shallow cuts on the surface of ingredients before they are cooked. Bread is usually scored to prevent it from cracking or baking in a misshapen form, and some bakers go an extra step to score their bread with elaborate patterns of flower, leaf, and abstract shapes.
The most common way of scoring food is by making uniform crosshatch cuts into its surface. A lot of different meats are scored this way, because it allows more of the meat to be exposed, allowing more marinade to be absorbed and making it easier to get a crisp crust to the meat, whether you’re cooking a slab of steak or a leg of ham. Similarly, this same scoring technique can be applied giving the mushrooms more flavor and getting a crispy crust to the mushrooms. Scoring also helps excess fat in meat to cook out, while with mushrooms this same technique allows excess water cook to cook out. So not only can mushrooms taste like meat, mushrooms can also cook like meat!
The trick to scoring mushrooms with a crosshatch pattern is to make sure you’re making shallow, even cuts into the surface of the mushroom. It’s important that all the cuts are the same depth for all the mushrooms, otherwise the mushrooms will be cooking at different rates. If you are using whole mushrooms, like Portobello or shiitake, it’s best to lightly score the caps of the mushrooms before roasting or sauteing. For scoring thick slices of mushrooms, score both sides of the mushroom slice, making the cuts are only about ¼ inches deep.
This month I tried scoring and sauteing king trumpets (Pleurotus eryngii). I was skeptical that they wouldn’t turn golden brown on the outside when I fried the mushrooms, but they actually became browned and slightly crisp.
Sauteed King Trumpets With Mashed Potatoes
Adapted from Yunhyeon Jang
Ingredients:
5 large king trumpets
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon pepper
Lemon
2 tablespoons butter, plus some extra
2 sprigs thyme
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup cream
¼ cup white wine
1 sprig of sage
For serving:
Mashed potatoes
Fresh parsley, chopped
Slice the mushrooms into ¾ inch slices. Score both sides of the mushroom slices with ¼ inch cuts.
 
Sliced king trumpet mushrooms before and after being scored
Place the slices on a tray and sprinkle salt, garlic powder, and a little bit of pepper over one of the scored sides. Sprinkle some fresh lemon zest over the mushrooms and lightly pat the slices so that the seasoning is less likely to be brushed off the mushroom.
In a pan on medium heat, place the mushrooms one by one into the pan in a single layer, with the seasoned side of the mushroom facing up. Once all the mushrooms are in the pan, put a few clicks of butter into the pan around the mushrooms.
 
Sautéing the king trumpets
After a few minutes when one side of the mushrooms are golden brown, flip the mushrooms in the pan. Place a spring of thyme into the pan with the mushrooms, and stir it around so the flavor is distributed to all the slices. Once the other side of the mushrooms turns golden brown, turn the pan off and move the mushrooms to a bowl.
In another pan, place the chopped shallot and garlic with a little bit of butter. Once it begins to caramelize, add the cream, wine, and a few drops of lemon juice to the pan. Stir the sauce.
 
Cooking the cream sauce
Add a sprig of sage, a sprig of thyme, and pepper to taste to the sauce. Stir the sauce for about a minute or two more, then remove the herbs and take the sauce off heat.
Serve the mushrooms on top of some mashed potatoes, and put a little bit of the sauce over the mushrooms. Garnish with some chopped parsley. Enjoy!
MSSF Culinary Group September Dinner (Planning Pot Luck)
Monday, September 11, 2023 (6:00pm)
Hall of Flowers (County Fair Building)
9th Avenue & Lincoln Way; Golden Gate Park; San Francisco
(Register in the "members only" area of www.mssf.org.)
The MSSF Culinary Group's September 2023 Dinner event will be a pot-luck dinner shared among Culinary Group members and their guests. Bring a dish to share. We will dine at the Hall of Flowers (County Fair Building; 9th Avenue & Lincoln Way) in Golden Gate Park. Please arrive between 5:30pm and 5:45pm to help set up tables and chairs.
This first dinner of the season is a potluck -- and, as usual, BYOB. You will also need to bring your own tablecloth, glassware, place settings, napkins, etc. We will conduct a short business meeting (bring your fun fungal ideas!) at 6pm; potluck follows immediately. Everyone will be asked to help break down and clean up at the end of the evening ...since we need to be out of the building by 9:30 pm.
Covid protocols: In light of SF's current Covid surge, please do not attend this event if you are not feeling well, if you have any cold or flu symptoms, any symptoms of Covid-19, or if you are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19. ( Masking is optional and masks will be provided for those who wish to use them when not actually seated and eating.) Thank you very much for your cooperation!
Registration is required to attend, but there is no registration fee. Only MSSF members whose dues are current may join the Culinary Group, however...so please make sure your MSSF dues are paid up before registering for this dinner. Questions? Problems registering? Call Paul 415-515-1593 or Maria 415-305-3316 (Culinary Group co-Chairs).
MSSF Mendocino Woodlands Camp
David Gardella
We’re Back!
MSSF MENDOCINO WOODLANDS CAMP
“A Return to Food - Forays - Fun”
November 10-12, 2023
Deep in the Mendocino Woodlands, MSSF members, friends and family, gather once again for our annual north coast fungal rite of autumn. This weekend-long spectacular mycological event includes great mushroom themed dinners, guided forays, fun informative presentations, and plenty of mushrooms!
After a 3-year hiatus we’re back and returning to our “3- F’s” Mendo roots, (Food-Forays-Fun). This year we’ll having another line up of fabulous Mendo Camp experiences including: A diverse selection of mushroom forays with experienced MSSF foray leaders. Saturday afternoon appetizer cooking demos featuring multi-mushroom soups, grilled fresh breads and mushrooms, plus other surprise delectables. Saturday and Sunday mushroom table discussions. A couple of creative mushroom art and cultivation pop ups. The Good Thyme Catering crew cooking fabulous meals to keep us all satiated throughout the weekend. And the unofficially official late Saturday night mushroom cooking skillshare shebang “MycoMendoMondo” which comes with a reminder to bring your own fermented concoctions to share and add to the group fun.
We are excited to have two excellent speakers at camp this year, Stephanie Jarvis of Pacific Truffle Growers and Maria Morrow, Professor of Botany & Environmental Science at College of the Redwoods. Both presenters will also be participating on forays.
All on-site meals and lodging (Friday night through Sunday lunch) are included in the basic $320 dollar per person member rate. To become a MSSF member, go to: http://www.mssf.org/membership/join.html
Please leave enough time to apply for your Jackson Demonstration State Forest Mushroom Permit! Here’s the link to the mail in application form on the JDSF Cal Fire Website: JDSF Mushroom Picking Permit
NOTE: A $20 processing fee will be applied to any cancelation requests made prior to Monday 11/6. Any cancelation requests made after Monday 11/6 will only receive a partial refund.
*REGISTRATION FOR CAMP WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE MSSF WEBSITE*
Event details and sign up are on the MSSF website in the member’s only section under events. The link to register is: https://mms.mssf.org/members/members.php
The schedule of events and all required information for camp will be sent to registered participants in October. For more information about camp, visit http://mssf.org/mendo/
For registration questions, please e-mail Stephanie Wright at: mendoregistrar@mssf.org or call (510)-388-5009. For general camp questions, please email David Gardella at: mendodirector@mssf.org or call (602)-617-0150. The above e-mail addresses can also be used if you need help with the online reservation process.
MSSF Mendocino Camp always sells out quickly, so don’t wait to sign-up for camp, you might miss out! This year; camp sign-up on the website will begin at 9:00am on Saturday, September 30th, 2023. Foray sign-up choices will be available during the registration process. Foray selection choices will be first come first served during the registration process.
IMPORTANT NOTES: We are at our usual location in Camp #1 this year. Anyone who would like to bring a camper or RV instead of utilizing a cabin is welcome to do so. (Please tell us if you would like to bring a camper or sleep in a vehicle instead of a cabin when you register for camp). The cabins are rustic but have fireplaces and limited wood is available. We suggest you bring a couple of presto logs if you plan to make a fire in your cabin, (much less smoke and much easier). You can also bring fire starters which help greatly in getting fires started. As we want to limit fire usage in the cabins this year, we encourage all campers to enjoy the group fires with your camping friends in the dining halls and dance hall after dinner and until you return to your cabin at bed time. If you would like an alcoholic beverage with your dinners on Friday or Saturday night it will be BYOB. Also, please note that it is very important that every camper bring a flashlight to safely get back and forth to the cabins after dark. A complete list of what to bring, and directions to the camp will be sent to registered attendees in October.
Additional information about the Mendocino Woodlands Camp can be found at: www.MendocinoWoodlands.org (FAQS, MAPS & DIRECTIONS).
Avoid foraging books that appear to be written by AI
The Guardian
Mushroom pickers urged to avoid foraging books on Amazon that appear to be written by AI
Sample of books scored 100% on AI detection test as experts warn they contain dangerous advice~
Some of the books refer to smell and taste as ways to identify mushrooms, which experts say ‘should absolutely not be the case’.
...The AI mushroom books were first reported by the 404 Media site. The AI-generated works had also been highlighted by the New York Mycological Society, which posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “@Amazon and other retail outlets have been inundated with AI foraging and identification books. Please only buy books of known authors and foragers, it can literally mean life or death.”
Amazon said it was reviewing the books brought to its attention by the Guardian.
An Amazon spokesperson said: “We take matters like this seriously and are committed to providing a safe shopping and reading experience. We’re looking into this.”
See the full article here.
Art Poster Contest
Curt Haney MSSF “2023” FUNGUS FAIR ARTWORK CONTEST
The 51st Annual MSSF Fungus Fair is scheduled to be held on Saturday December 16th 2023 at the First Unitarian Universalist Church & Center in San Francisco.
This year we are holding a contest for the artwork needed for the fair posters and t-shirts.
The art should include Fungi and include all or part of the following wording:
The Mycological Society of San Francisco Presents
The 51st Annual Fungus Fair 2023
A Celebration of Wild Mushrooms
At the bottom: Art BY (your name) and WWW.MSSF.ORG below your name.
(Additional wording will be added later for the advertising posters).
On the MSSF website homepage under (FUNGUS FAIR) is a link to past Fungus Fair posters, and the artwork that was used in the past.
The winner of the contest will receive free attendance at the Mendocino Woodlands Camp Foray in November, or the cost to attend the camp if unable to attend.
Submit your digital art entry no later than October 1st to Maria Pham at: MissMariaPham@gmail.com
The winning artwork will be used for the fair posters, t-shirts, and for use in advertising the upcoming fungus fair.
Last year’s winning art piece~!~
The MSSF Fungus Fair Committee needs your involvement.
The upcoming Fungus Fair is scheduled for December 16 th, 2023 and if you are interested in volunteering for the fair please send an email to fungusfairVC@mssf.org. There are benefits in volunteering!!!
If you want to contribute to the society in a meaningful way, please contact us as soon as possible.
Thank You in advance for your involvement,
Elizabeth Simonson |
