Page 235 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods
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Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus
ostreatus (PLEUROTACEAE)
OYSTER MUSHROOMS occur throughout most of the SPORES: 7–11 x 2–4 µm, oblong to elliptical, smooth,
northern hemisphere, fruiting on stumps, logs, and nonamyloid; Spore print: white to pale lilac, or faintly
injured trees. They favor hardwoods, including alder, yellowish
cottonwood, and sycamore. Appearing from spring to EDIBLE PARTS: cap
late autumn following rainfall, these mushrooms of-
KEY MEDICINAL USES: This species is used for mus-
ten grow in overlapping clumps or shelves.
cle and joint relaxation in traditional Chinese medi-
CAP: The cap is 0.8-11 inches (2-30cm) wide, broadly cine. It shows evidence of anticancer activity.
convex, and becoming bracket-shaped to fan-shaped,
HOW TO EAT: Oyster mushrooms are earthy, aro-
or occasionally funnel-shaped. Its margins, which be-
matic, slightly sweet, and all-around delicious. When
gin inrolled, are lobed or wavy. The cap’s surface is
cleaning them, check the flesh and gills for beetles,
bald and slightly clammy when fresh, though not vis-
larvae, and eggs. Remove the tough stem.
cid. Mushrooms begin pale to medium brown with
BUTTERMILK FRIED OYSTERS: Ingredients: 2 cups
tinges of gray, pink, or yellow. They fade to pale buff
mushrooms, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 ½ cup flour, 1 tbsp.
in age. The thick, whitish flesh does not change color
oil, 1 tsp. each: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion pow-
when cut. Its taste and scent are mild.
der, paprika. Toss mushrooms in buttermilk and mar-
GILLS: The broad gills are close to subdistant and inate for 15 min. Mix four and spices in a bowl. Coat
whitish, becoming dingy with age. They run down the mushrooms in flour. Fry until golden.
stem when one is present. POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Angel’s Wings, Pleuro-
STEM: When present, the tough, dry stems are 0.2-1.6 cybella porrigens - white when fresh; smaller caps;
inches (0.5-4cm) long and 0.2-1.2 inches (0.5-3cm) thin flesh; no stem; white spore print; grows on coni-
thick. They may be off-center, lateral, or, less frequent- fer wood; Ivory Funnel, Clitocybe dealbata - slender
ly, central. Their whitish surface is hairy to downy. central stem; white spore print; grows on grassy soil.
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