Bitter Bolette

Monday Mushroom #42

This is the bitter bolette - it is a large, robust mushroom that looks rather like a cep, but the flesh is nauseatingly bitter.

Boletus albidus - Bitter Bolette

Boletus albidus - Bitter Bolette

The pale greenish patch in the center is the bitemarks of a mouse or other small rodent - perhaps it tastes better to rodents than to humans...

Boletus albidus - Bitter Bolette 

Amethyst Deceiver

Monday Mushroom #35

Had a great foray in the heaths and woodland around Worplesdon on Saturday. One of the stars of the show was a broad flush of amethyst deceivers - beautiful colours.

Laccaria amethystea - Amethyst Deceiver

They are often listed as a good edible mushroom, but contain unusually high concentrations of arsenic for a foodstuff.  Arsenic is a chemical that accumulates in the body, so ingesting small amounts over a long periodof time can lead to physical and mental degeneration, and while they do add a novel splash of colour to one's plate, they are not so remarkable on the palate.

Laccaria amethystea - Amethyst Deceiver

I met a couple of men with baskets in the woods - they were foraging for mushrooms, but - quite sensibly - were sticking to ceps.

Boletus edulis - Cep

Everyone's Favourite

Monday Mushroom #6

Cep or Penny Bun - Boletus edulis

The Cep seems to be everyone's favourite mushroom...

...in fact, it's hard to find one that hasn't already been riddled with wrigglers, hollowed out by gastropods and nibbled by rodents!