Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-08-04
MANY WIDELY ACCEPTED METHODS
OFjDISTTNGUiSEiiNG MUSHROOMS

TWO varieties ct the
prepared b. the United States Depart
ment, OF Agr.cnitnrel
Mushrooms and some other fungous
growths afe highly priced as articles
OF food by many people. The nu-
trttiye value " mushrooms Is losv. but
they may BE- prepared In various ways
which rend3' them delicious. More
people donlfiess would seek wild
muslTooms tnd other fungi II hey
were 4 sutsscitutiy Informed to d.stin-
gulsh betws the edible and the
deadly poisoI NJ growths. Some very
erratic and Werons ideas concern
TwW1 fniilsse tlae edible from
the h6kzH growths are altogether
too commHly believed. Mushrooms
are freaueAtly thought OF as edible
asdt toausttols as poisonous. As a
matter OF fact, the United States De-
partment Agriculture states. the
words "muthroom' and ''toadstool" are
used UNFORTUNATELY and do not in
dictate wsASer the plants are edible
or poisonous.
Silver Coin TIES. 90 VaiueIess.
a test for poisonous mushrooms
often recommended Is based ON the
belief that IL silver coin placed In
the utensil In which mushrooms are
cooked furnishes, the mushrooms are
poisonous. Absolutely no reliance can
be placed on this test, as both poison
Gus and edible kinds may turn silver
dark. Equally baseless Is the belief
hat a mushroom Is shown to be edi-
bic IL the skin can be peeled from
the cap readily, because peelIng Is
possible with many poisonous species.
The notion that soaking or boiling
poisonous mushrooms I'm salt water
will render them harmless has no
foundation, In fact. Some people
have thought that the presence of in
sects OH mushrooms Is n proof of their
edibility. This is dangerous suppo-
sition, because insects infeSt the NEST
poisonous as well as the best edible
species OF fungi
The collector OF mushrooms cannot
depend upon any simple test. II he
intends To use them for food, lie must
know what he is gathering. Ii Is n
comparatively simple matter to learn
10 recognize few kinds Of deadly
mushIpOms ana certain edible ones
IL he will gather only the kinds that
are we'll known to him. a careful col
leCl5r need not be afraid to gather
Wild fungi for food. He should not
be mlsled by attractive colors or pleas
ant odOrs. In Farmers Bulletin 100.
Some Common and Poisonous Mush-
rooms, directions for identifying the
poisonous and edible kinds are given
Recipes for Cooking Mushrooms.
According to the views of many per-
SONS, mushrooms are best cooked sim
ply, with no seas1i'inG but butter, pep
per, and salt. The addition of vnrI-
Gus other seasonings impa!rs the del
60. Mushroom flavor. However.
SchosEs OF expeqqfanthe 2plortQgity Of
The lrecipes which follow:
Tie caps should be carefully
wa Ised. gill side down. hut peeling
is rot always necessary and involves
a considerable waste OF time and loss
OF Afyor. Unless the stems are ex-
treIaely tough they can be used after
being cut into small bits and stewed.
or, even II tough. after long boiling
they can be run through sieve and
made into a soup or sauce.
Wild mushrooms should he cooked
soon after collecting, as they are then
preserved much better than If kept
unlocked. even In refrigerator.
Fried Mushrooms.
Heat the yolk of an egg with a table
spoonful Of water and season with
pepper and salt. Dip each cap In this
and then dip into fine cracker crumbs
or corn meal. Have butter or cooking
oiiivery hot in a frying pan. Fry slow
ly on each side for five minutes. A
sauce can be made by thlckening with
-four and adding milk or cream. If
desired, serve ON toast. A smooth
tomato sauce Is also excellent.
Mushrooms Baked With Tomatoes.
In baking dish arrange small round
slices of buttered toast; upon each
piece place a rather thin slice of peeled
torlato. sailed and peppered; upon
eath slice Of tomato place fine, thick
Mushroom. gill side up: in the center
Of each mushroom put a generous
piece OF butter; season with pep2er
and salt. Cover the dish and bake In
a hot oven for ten minutes; then I'M
eoser and bake for an additional to
III minutes, rs the mushrooms appear
to require.
Dreamed Mushrooms.
Cut the mushrooms into small pieces,
stew slowly In butter until tender, add
cream or milk, pepper, and salt, and
thicken with -four.
Peppers Stuffed With Mushrooms.
Cut the stem end OF the peppers and
carefully remove all seeds and the
white membrane; chop or break the
seShrooms into small pieces, season
VI pepper and salt, press firmly into
apeppcrs. and put goOd-sized lump
OF hptter on top Of each. The water
asAAxing 20 the mushrooms after wash
I'LL To ar