The Cook wrote:
On Sat, 12 May 2012 07:41:18 -0400, "Steve Peek"
wrote:


"David Farber" wrote in message
...

"Frank" wrote in message
...
On 4/30/2012 4:54 PM, Steve Peek wrote:
wrote in message
...
In articlea4WdnVLkQ6loPQPSnZ2dnUVZ_rmdnZ2d@earthlink .com,
"Steve wrote:

wrote in message
...
In ,
"David wrote:

Pat Kiewicz wrote:
David Farber said:


I found these mysterious things growing in my garden. The
internet says they're Morel mushrooms and they may be safe
to eat. I would definitely like a second opinion about
that. I found this webpage with some information about that.

And the photo of the ones in my garden is he
http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite.../Mushrooms.jpg


Morels are the easiest mushroom to properly identify, and
yes, they can sometimes be found growing in a back yard.
Your mushrooms do, indeed,
look like edible morels, but a full ID would require looking
at the stem and cutting one in half.

True morels have hollow stems that connect directly to the
cap.

False morels either do not have hollow stems or the cap
hangs down over
the stem.

Check out these links:

http://thegreatmorel.com/falsemorel.html
http://thegreatmorel.com/falsemorel2.html

A couple of years back we had a prolonged cool, wet spring
and a couple of dead or dying fruit trees in the back yard,
which resulted
in a spectacular crop of extremely delicious morels.

Here is the mushroom sliced open.

http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite...orel-slice.jpg

It looks like the good, hollow kind, right?

Thanks for your reply.

Don't be a fool. Take it to Cal Poly.



Don't be a fool, it's a clump of morels!!!!! I've been picking
them for
over
40 years, I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE!!!!!

You'd bet his life on it? He is 18 min. from Cuesta College, and
25 min.
from UC Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Seems a small price for an
expert's
opinion, who would be in the presence of the mushroom, rather
than someone who is simply looking at a picture of it.

This isn't about your pride. Mushroom pickers die every year from
mistaken identity. Why shouldn't David avail himself of the very
best best advice?

Of course one should avail themselves of the best advise
available, always.
There is ABSOLUTELY no other fungus that looks like that. Some are
close,
but not like that. I've been picking them for over 40 years!
Would you like
to wager that I'm wrong? I can't bet my life on it (I'm on the
other coast)
but I'll cover anything up to a million or so (US, in cash of
course).


From stuff I read and all the utubes online, I would not be afraid
to try them without going to the trouble of seeking out local
experts first.

I finally found an expert. He came by the house and inspected them.
After giving me a thorough disclaimer about following his expert
advice, he consulted two reference books (both written by David
Arora) and said they were edible mushrooms.

If he had to consult a reference for morels he is NOT an expert!!!!!


I would assume he brought the book to show David a reliable reference
and used it to point out important things to look for. As a teacher,
not just an "expert."

Bingo!

He was explaining the difference between the edible and false Morels.

--

David Farber
Los Osos, CA