Conk art

Artist Corey Corcoran uses Ganoderma applanatum as the canvas for his etchings.

Done with your artwork and want to send it? Send a postal conk!

Mushroom basket?

When you dream of mushrooms, you see mushroom baskets everywhere...





 From the local market in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Fresh straw mushrooms. Volvariella volvacea.

Several mushroom poisoning cases in Norway have involved Asian immigrants mistaking Amanita phalloides (Death Cap, grønn fluesopp) for Volvariella volvacea, delicious straw mushrooms.


Fresh straw mushrooms at the local market, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Global warming and....truffles

According to the New York Times, 

global warming may seem to have negative consequences for truffles too.

New procedure saves dog from the Death Cap

The Death Cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides) is aptly named. The mushroom's deadly toxins take the lives of animals and humans every year. Dogs who eat these mushrooms are expected to die, as veterinarians have little in the way of treatment options. That is, until this week, when veterinarians tried a new experimental procedure on a dog and saved her life. Can the procedure save the lives of unlucky humans too?

Dog in illustration above has no connection with the tale told here.

Glow-in-the-dark mushrooms

Apparently, there are  71 known species of bioluminescent mushrooms.

So next time you need some light in your life...

Research on bioluminescent fungi at Cornell University.

Collection of photographs of bioluminescent fungi

Discovery of rare glow-in-the-dark fungi in Brazil. Another article about the same find.

Mushroom timer

Cold, pressed meat with mushrooms

I added a mushroom twist to a traditional Norwegian Xmas dish, "ribbesylte", a cold cut of spiced pressed meat (and fat). Check the step-by-step photos in the Norwegian link.

1. Crush dried mushrooms.
Make a spice mixture of crushed mushrooms, fennel, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper.
Powdered ginger is also traditionally used.
I left out the ginger as I though the other spices went better with the mushrooms.

2. In a casserole, simmer pork (e.g. a side of ribs, including skin)
in water with bay leaves, Szechuan pepper and star anise.
You need to be patient. Wait until the pork is cooked, about an hour or so.
Let the meat cool.

3. Cut the cooked pork skin and leave it aside.
Then separate the meat from the fat. 

Cover a bread tin with a clean kitchen towel.
Place a layer of cooked pork skin at the bottom of the tin.
Sprinkle mushroom spice  mixture
as you layer and pack pieces of meat and fat.
.

Tie tightly with string.
Return to casserole with stock and simmer for a further hour.

Remove from casserole and weigh it down.
Ideally, 6 kg or so.
Finally, you get to put your dumbbells to use.
A couple of bread tins will complete the trick.

After a day in the fridge, slice and eat with mustard, horseradish or wasabi sauce.
A side dish of pickled red beets or sauerkraut made from red cabbage would also be a good match.

The verdict: delicious, but double the amount of dried mushrooms next time for more
mushroom omph.

I have once made a halal/kosher version with turkey/chicken,
layering with meat from the thigh and breast.

Fresh shitake

At 309 kr/kg at the new gourmet market, Maschmann's,
West Oslo's answer to the Food Hall in East Oslo.