The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-05
HELPFUL HINTS
GIVEN HUNTERS
OF MUSHROOM
Know Them When You See
Them Is Safest, State
Journal Says.

To the hundreds of Hoosiers who
are spending their leisure hours
these early spring days hunting
through the lowlands for mush-
rooms, the State Conservation De-
partment gave advice today.
In its monthly publication, Out
eoor Indiana. the department
warned that popular remedies for
detecting poisonous fungi are not
-OCG4aSe OF dependable.
The fungi thrive in warm, moist
places and IN sandy localities.
Mushrooms have been gathered
very early in the spring, often i'm
mediately following the last light
SHOWS. Many Indiana sportsmen
begin their search early in the
southern part of the state, working
north as the season progresses" the
article states,
Ordinary Tests Ignored
The best way TO detect poisonous
fungi Is to learn TO recognize the
various species by sight. The seas
oned gatherer dismisses as wholly
unfounded the ordinary tests made
by the layman, such as the asser-
ton that mushrooms that peel
easily are edible, that soaking or
boiling IN salt water will render
them harmless and that poisonous
species change color and turn a sill
yer spoon black.
'Morels, or sponge mushrooms.
can be eaten without fear. They
are comic or cylindric to ovate in
shape and vary in size Specimens
have been found which weighed
nearly a pound. They are buff vel
low tinged with brown when young.
but become darker later. Thev
should be searched for during wet
weather early IN the season.
Dangerous fungi almost in
variably breed in leafmold on the
ground. 1t is not safe to collect
young unopened mushrooms COM
monty known as buttons since it
Is often difficult to distinguish be-
tween poisonous and edible species
in the early stage.
Here Are Few DOn'ts
Never use specimens which are
decomposed in the slightest degree.
Never use those which are at all
burrowed by insects. Never use
fungi with swollen bases surround
ed by Sac-like or Scaly envelopes.
Never use fungi with milky juice
unless the juice is reddish.
Never use fungi with caps thin
In proportion to the width of the
gills when the gills are nearly all
of equal length. especially if the
caps are brightly colored.
Never use for food tube bearing
fungi in which the flesh changes
color when cut or broken, nor those
with reddish tubes. Be very cautious
with all f1eshy tube bearing fungi.
Never use for food fungi with a web
like ring around the upper part of
the stem.
Safe for the Novice
"The novice may safely expert
ment with Clavsrias, coral fungi,
morels and puffballs; these speci-
mems have been repeatedly tried
without i'll effects. Famous chefs
say that mushrooms are highly
delectable, easy to prepare and offer
a wide variety of f1avors.
They should be cooked soon after
being gathered, but can be kept In
a cool place for short time. To
keep ushrooms temporarily,
cleanse. remove the parts to be re-
jected, rinse in cold water the parts
to be used, dry with a cloth, then
put in boiling water and keep boil
ing for five or 10 minutes, drain ana
wipe dry.
To prepare the edible agarics for
cooking cleanse, cut off the stems
and throw them away, rinse the
caps in cold water, drain and place
in cold water calculated with lemon
or vinegar until just before using.
They may be toasted, baked, fried
boiled or stewed."