On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 Sacha wrote:

I would love to be able to go out and pick my own mushrooms but I don't
think I (or my wife) would ever have the confidence to know which are
the good ones. I've got illustrated books on the subject but I would
still rather not risk it.

I feel rather the same. But in France there are all those dear little
herbalist and chemist shops with signs up saying they identify fungi for
you! Can't you use one of those?

Actually we did last year. We had some ordinary mushrooms growing in the
grass outside our back door. They were what the French call "champignons
de Paris". At least, we were pretty sure that's what they were so we
took one down to our local pharmacie and the pharmacist did identify it
for us. And we were right!

But we still don't have any self-confidence in identifying others. So,
as a result, we never go on mushroom-finding expeditions. Mind you, if
we lived further south I think I would make an effort for cèpes.

A few years ago I asked in here about giant puff-balls and I almost got
to the point of wanting to try them. But since then we haven't had any,
although last year we had one or two but I saw them too late to do
anything with them. So I kicked them around a bit to spread the spores.
Maybe this year ........

David

--
David Rance http://www.mesnil.demon.co.uk
Fido Address: 2:252/110 writing from Caversham, Reading, UK