Dear Mycophile:

The NEMF 2010 Website is up and running at:

http://nemf.org/files/2010/2010.html

The site is where you can find out the latest developments in the planning of
this event.

Presently, we have Accommodations, Faculty and Foray Committee pages done.
Information in other areas will be posted as it becomes available.

Paul Sadowski

Congratulations to Joyce Gross, the newly elected Vice President of the Western
PA Mushroom Club.  The North American Mycological Association, at their annual
meeting that was held last week in Lafayette, LA, awarded her the prestigious
Knighton Award.  Elsie and Harry Knighton founded the North American Mycological
Association.  An award has been given every year since 1989 to the person who
has contributed most to their mushroom club on the North American continent for
the year the award was given.

The North American Mycological Association has two major awards.  One is for the
person who has contributed most to the advancement of amateur mycology in the
country.  The Knighton Award is given to the person who has contributed most to
their club, plus or minus the 80 clubs that belong to NAMA.

This is quite an honor.  For all of you who know Joyce, you know all that she
has contributed to the Western PA Mushroom Club.  She most certainly deserves
this award.   Joyce, being awarded the Knighton Award of NAMA establishes, yet
again, how good a job that all of you do.  We could think of another half dozen
people in the club that would be potential candidates for the award.  We are
truly blessed with a lot of people who are willing to give their time and talent
to the club.

It brought tears to our eyes to know that in 2003, John Plischke III won the
Knighton Award.  In 2006, Dick Dougal won the award and in 2009, Joyce Gross won
the award.  That is quite a record.

Once again, CONGRATULATIONS to Joyce.  By the way, because she won the award,
she gets a free one year membership to the North American Mycological
Association and free registration for next year's NAMA Foray in Colorado and
publicity in the NAMA newsletter.

OHH, I just bought the North American Truffle book, I suppose another would not
hurt, not that I have a nose for it.

--- In wpamushroomclub@yahoogroups.com, "Becky" <sable_bp@...> wrote:
>
> John III has found a free USDA book on truffles.  We know several of the
authors and they are experts in the field.  The book is 8 � X

That's funny Randy, thanks, at least that is funnier then the person deleting my
post!

--- In wpamushroomclub@yahoogroups.com, randy danielson <rgd1856@...> wrote:
>
> I measure them by the buckets and pounds,� I'm no metric Dandy!
>
>
> Randy Danielson
>
> --- On Sat, 10/31/09, solarpowerfan <powerbysun@...> wrote:
>
>
> From: solarpowerfan <powerbysun@...>
> Subject: [wpamushroomclub] MEASURING MUSHROOMS
> To: wpamushroomclub@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Saturday, October 31, 2009, 12:27 PM
>
>
> �
>
>
>
> Excuse me, Do you not MEASURE your MUSHROOM FINDS? HOW DO YOU MEASURE IT?
>
> http://socialentrep reneurship. change.org/ actions/view/ twenty-first_
century_metric_ america#
>

Hey, I just found Wildman Steve, and I see he at least was a member here, who
has last posted back in 2001. Pretty cool site he has, foraging NY Park, once
arrested for picking and eating a dandelion. He just kills me. :J

http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/

The link did not display correctly. I will try again and just use
http://www.wimp.com/moldmushrooms/

This is a neat time lapse video...http://www.wimp.com/moldmushrooms/

John Stuart

All who attended our last meeting of the year on Nov 17 now know a lot more
about sauces thanks to Jim Tunney. The roux, equal parts fat(butter)/oil(olive,
etc) mixed with flour heated only until just starting to bubble forms the base
for basic sauces, white, brown, and red. White made from chicken broth plus half
and half mixed with roux with some added seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic). This
can be a sauce if more half and half is used or a soup if more broth is used.
Saute mushrooms before adding to the mix. The brown sauce makes a roux using
beef fat melted in a microwave then adding flour until creamy then adding it to
shallots sauteed in olive oil plus chopped celery,onion, carrots and mushroom
juice from reconstituted dry mushrooms or mushroom powder made with a coffee
grinder. To thicken add more roux or cook longer. The red sauce from diced
tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, pepper, olive oil simmering for 10 minutes. I
forgot if the roux goes in here too. Adding some wine to these also is
permitted. Jim made it look easy and a lot  was based on his years of experience
but he encouraged us to experiment and you never know what will result. Usually
a mess when I do it.
   Thanks Jim for a very entertaining evening.

     John Stuart

For those of you who missed last night's club meeting, let me tell you that you
missed a good one.  Jim Tunney is one of our top identifiers, supurb
cultivationist who writes for Fungi Magazine, takes the club on a good many
walks, and he is also a chef at a downtown Pittsburgh restaurant.  He taught us
many of his techniques for cooking with mushrooms.  Thanks Jim, for a job well
done.  We are going to try that red sauce with wild mushrooms from our freezer.

John  & Becky

Truffles, or “hypogeous fungi”, are the spore-bearing structures of fungi that mature completely underground. Although many people think of the well-known edible genus Tuber when referring to a truffle, hundreds of species of fungi from more than 75 genera fruit beneath the soil of North America. Most are symbiotic with woody plants, forming mycorrhizae (mutualistic associations between fungi and plant roots). Because truffles live belowground, they have developed a unique strategy for spore dispersal; they have evolved powerful scents that attract animals. Different truffles produce different odors, ranging from pleasant (garlic, musky) to highly unpleasant (old milk, rotting onions). Animals seek out the truffles, dig them up, and eat them. Truffle spores have thick walls that protect them as they pass through animalsʼ digestive systems and are dispersed in scat. Truffles come in a wide array of colors, ranging from bright red to yellow to black, and some may bleed latex or stain colors. In the past, most hypogeous fungi were thought to be closely related to one another because they all look somewhat alike, consisting of an outer rind and spores inside. However, we now know that truffles have evolved many times in several unrelated groups of fungi. Through the selective forces of evolution, unrelated truffles have come to look alike – a process called convergent evolution. So far, only a few hundred truffle species have been described, but many more await discovery!

Only toward the end of the 10- to 14-day development of a morel sporocarp do their spores become mature, and only then are they released (Pilz and others 2004, Weber 1988, Winder 2006). Like many Ascomycete fungi, morel spores are forcibly ejected from their asci. If the morel is not disturbed in any way, spores can simply be released over time as the sporocarp dries. Often however, when the spores are ready to be released, disturbances such as puffs of wind, raindrops, bumps by animals, or even harvesting can trigger simultaneous ejection of spores in large numbers. So many spores can be released so rapidly and forcibly, that this phenomenon can be both visible and audible (Weber 1988) even though each individual spore is tiny (about 8/1000th of an inch in length). Schmidt (1979) described a hiss that can last 2 to 4 seconds.

John III has found a free USDA book on truffles.  We know several of the authors
and they are experts in the field.  The book is 8 � X 11 in size and has 194
pages and is full of color photographs, keys, descriptions and other
information.  The Pacific Northwest is the epicenter for truffles and truffle
research with over 350 species in 55 genera.  We are in the belief we have some
truffles and false truffles in our area, but nothing like what they have in the
Pacific Northwest.  There is very little available to help to put names on what
we find.

John has been extremely busy working on collaborating on a book that will
include mushrooms of the VA Beach area, as well as, preparing for his faculty
duties at the North American Mycological Association foray which is coming up
very soon.  Therefore, he asked me to notify our members of the books
availability.  Both John and I have hunted truffles in the Pacific Northwest,
but neither of us can say we know a whole lot about then.  This book will be a
great aid to us.

I called Jim Trappe, one of the authors; he told me there were only 500 books
printed.  In our conversation Jim reminded me that there is very little
information on Eastern truffles.  Are they the same or are they different? 
Although John III has sent him several truffles before, Jim is requesting that
we send him truffles or false truffles that we find in the East.

It is important that we not send him potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, golf balls,
etc., so I suggest you have one of our club mycologists or identifiers look at
what you find before you send it.  Include a description of the mushroom
complete with colors you observe.  An accompanying picture of the fresh mushroom
would be of benefit as well as information about the trees most adjacent to the
truffle that was found.  The mushroom should be cut at least in half, but if
large could be cut as thin and quarter inch thick.  If there is accompanying
mycelium, please dry and send that as well.  Absolutely no fresh specimens
should be sent.  Specimens should be sent to:
Jim Trappe, US Forest Service, Forestry Services Lab, 3200 Jefferson Way,
Corvalles, OR 97331

You can get your free copy by calling     1-503-808-2106    or by emailing  
pnw_pnwpubs@...         You need to request:  General Technical Report
PNWGTR772, Diversity, ecology, and conservation of truffle fungi in forests of
the Pacific Northwest.  You need to call or email right away.

As a bonus, the book comes complete with a supplement on CD-ROM which has photos
for 111 species of truffles and a short movie featuring Jim Trappe on a truffle
hunt.

John & Becky Plischke

i went out sunday and found some very "hardy slippery jacks:..they were
small but still fresh.
donna

Hi Mary Joe Now is the time to find Chaga. Easier to see with the leaves all
gone. Look on Birch. and as far as winter goes and your obsession with
mushrooms, well you will have to go to California now for the winter because
mushrooms seasons is starting in full swing there.  and just come back east n
April for the moral season. Yes its been a great year for mushrooms in West
Virginia too made lots of $$$$  Eddee
--- In wpamushroomclub@yahoogroups.com, underwoodia <underwoodia@...> wrote:
>
> H all.
>
> I found some brick caps last week and had them in soup last night!
> First time I was sure enough about what I had to go ahead and eat them.
>
> I also found a nice chunk of Winter or green oysters yesterday.
>
> I think I will need MHA  (mushroom hunters anonymous) pretty soon
> here!  Oh my, it has been such a great mushrooming year! I learned so
> many new ones and had so much fun being obsessed and entertaining my
> friends!   What will I do all winter?? Oh maybe I will get down to
> making that "mushrooms I know" list.
>
> BTW, I won the Chaga powder at  Mushroom mania. I have been enjoying
> it. I have yet to find any myself. pout.  What is the similar looking
> stuff that happens on Oak trees?
>
> Anyway. I should be at the meeting. Does anyone have some Chaga they
> want to give, trade or sell to me? I have lots of dried hen of the
> woods and chanterelles. Lots frozen too, but that might be
> difficult.  Local is great, could bring to the meeting.  if local, i
> could also trade for Massage for yourself or gift
> certificate.   ....insert shameless plug here....
>
> contact me at above address or cmtpt@...    put "mushrooms" in
> the subject so I dont miss it!
>
>
> Thanks all for making a great mushrooming spring, summer and fall!
>
> Mary Jo
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was
> more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much--the
> wheel, New York, wars and so on--while all the dolphins had ever done
> was muck about in the water having a good ...time. But conversely,
> the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent
> than man--for precisely the same reasons. -Douglas Adams
>

The final WPMC meeting of the year is November 17, 2009 at 7pm at Beechwood
Farms Nature Reserve. Our own chef Jim Tunney will present "How to Prepare and
Cook Mushrooms". Pick up some new recipes and techniques. Learn how to make a
white sauce, red sauce, or tomato sauce and just add mushrooms to turn a hum
drum piece of chicken, old  hunk of beef or bland pasta into a culinary delight.
     Bring any interesting specimens in for identification and feel free to add
your own cooking expertise to the mix. Hope to see you there.

John Stuart  --  President, WPMC