To eat or not to eat?

[baps]

Hey folks,

Just lost an hour looking at mushrooms online. I seriously didn't know there were so many edible mushrooms!

Anyway, I'm still not entirely clear if this is a field mushroom or a yellow stainer. Wouldn't eat it if I can't tell the difference, but I appear to have a bunch growing. Any mushroom gurus? The differences I've found described online are pretty vague.

Thanks,

Baps.

[Penellype]

Personally if I wasn't 100% sure I knew what it was I would not eat a mushroom. Some are very poisonous and for me it is not worth risking it.

[Newbiegrower1970]

Yellow stainer show a strong yellow colour when cut.

[baps]

Personally if I wasn't 100% sure I knew what it was I would not eat a mushroom. Some are very poisonous and for me it is not worth risking it.

I'm with you there. Be a shame to throw them away if there is a way I can be sure though.

Yellow stainer show a strong yellow colour when cut.

Cut where? There's no yellow on the stalk which is what one site said would be a tell-tale sign. Cut the shroom in half? Do I need to leave it for a while to see if yellow appears? Also, could it be any other type of nastyshroom? That's just the one I come across as most likely double-agent-shroom.

Thanks,

Baps.

[Newbiegrower1970]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agaricus_xanthodermus

[veggiechicken]

Its not wise to try to identify a mushroom from a photo.
There's a lot more information needed - photo of cap, where and how it grows, how it emerges from the ground, spore prints, smell.........
Sorry and all that but I'm not prepared to hazard a guess at whether or not its edible.

[nickdub]

Best bet would be a local mushroom expert you could show it to - I'm not sure how to find someone like that - Facebook perhaps ?

[baps]

Not sure where I'd find a mushroom expert, not a facebook fan! I guess I'll bin it to be sure.

Thanks guys!

Baps.

[veggiechicken]

Better safe than dead, baps.
Where do you live? There are several foraging experts around.

[baps]

Better safe than dead, baps.
Where do you live? There are several foraging experts around.

Belfast. Honestly never thought there were so many mushrooms you could munch on. I do wonder if said mushy experts spend some time in the bathroom by mistake.

Baps.

[veggiechicken]

Edible and Poisonous Fungi

[baps]

Edible and Poisonous Fungi

I've seen loads of puffballs. Wouldn't have thought to chow down on one!

Baps.

[Mr Bones]

There are about 3,500 fungus species said to grow in the UK but I've also heard of exotic species arriving on wood, bark mulch etc. so there could be more. There's also the possibility that separate local tribes will develop within a species, adding their own characteristics and further confusion.
It's not just a case of how the shroom looks, it's colour, size, smell, habitat, time of year, host species, spore print or texture, but can also include which parts of an edible mushroom are actually edible. Some parts of some edibles have caused me to feel pretty rough and even throw up so it can be a very individual learning curve too.
That said, it's a fascinating subject with some great culinary dishes to be made. I initially read and studied every book I could lay my hands on for a whole year before going out into the field (join the library) and even then it was a case of starting off with very obvious species only.
During 24 years of foraging wild mushrooms I've found allsorts including poisonous ones that for a couple of days of growing looked like edibles, large horse-type mushrooms that I just could not fully identify either in books or on the net and while gathering Miller mushrooms inadvertently picked and popped into my basket the deadly Clitocybe Dealbata (good reason for doing extra checks).

In short it's a great hobby but not one to be casually dabbled with.

[Nicos]

****Sorry, but we really can't let people give to advice on whether it's edible or not...if YOU aren't absolutely sure then you MUST get expert advice.
You need to presume it's poisonous.
There are some interesting links on here but even looking at pictures of edible ones isn't safe...some poisonous ones look almost identical.

I need to close this thread now.
So....if in doubt...do NOT eat it unless an expert advises you accordingly !