We had about 275 varieties in the show at the end of October; only a few that would give you a trip, though. We stay busy all the weekend, identifying what people bring in to complete our inventory list.
It never really stops. Here's one that we still find in winter - wild 'enoki' mushrooms. Yes, edible.
Next thing you know it will be time for the morels.
Oh, yes, I'm supposed to rant! I don't know why I can never find as many edible ones as everyone else! I always get carried away with the little oddball things. You'd think I'd catch on!
Yes, they are Flammulina velutipes. Perfectly safe, no muscarine. Notice that they are fawn colored with a dark brown or beige velvety stem, not orange and glow-in-the-dark.
As a responsible mycologist (rant starts here) I refuse to encourage any consumption of fungi which can damage the health of the idiots who choose to screw around with them. You need to know WTF you are doing if you want to try it, and be prepared to deal with the consequences, short or long term, to your health, if you choose to consume toxic materials to get a buzz on. (Of course that goes for all of it, and who listens?)
Even perfectly innocent mushrooms, like morels and a number of others, can be toxic in a very insidious way if consumed when raw or improperly cooked. You can risk long-term cumulative damage to liver, kidneys, or blood cells. The worst of it is that these intoxications are often not even discovered as such; because they take so long to develop, the connection is not always made, even after the autopsy.
And to think I envisioned you and some close friends just going out and picking mushrooms, pausing occasionally to partake of wine and continuing on. This is much more in depth than I had thought. Very interesting, Chez.