Mushrooms are beautiful little things, until you discover how many can actually poison you. The curiosities of wild food, and mushrooms in particular, is really new to me, so airing on the side of caution is always a good plan – rule 1 is ‘don’t die’ after all. With every walk in the woods, the words ‘ooh, that’s pretty’, quickly followed by ‘don’t know if it’s edible’ were often spoken.
We took the picture (it lasts longer) and moved on. I thought I’d quickly share some fun facts about two mushrooms we could identify, which have one thing in common – the Birch tree, which Nova Scotia is teeming with:
First up, Strop Mushroom:
I found out that the Strop Mushroom grows exclusively on Birch trees and monogamy is a good thing. But, the story gets dark and twisty – they start to grow on weakened Birch like a parasite and thrive when the tree eventually dies. In conclusion, gold diggers exist in the plant and fungus world, too.
Uses:
- You can sharpen your knife like a honing rod. That’s why it’s also known as ‘razor strop’.
- If you cut a thin sliver, the First Nations would use it as the ultimate bush Band-Aid. It’s literally anti-fungal (which is funny because it’s a fungus) and antiseptic, too.
- Although it is edible, it’s supposed to be bitter. Think of it as an edible non-desirable mushroom. But, I haven’t tasted it myself yet and I’m sure I have a spice blend to fix that.
Chaga:
Chaga is found on older (living) Birch trees which makes sense because it takes so long to grow (like 10 to 80+ years). It doesn’t really look like a typical mushroom; it’s like a heap of burnt charcoal instead with this striking orange core. You’d need a strong knife to pry it off and you want to start outside in, but if it’s mushy you don’t want to harvest it.
Uses:
- Packed with antioxidants and other health benefits to do with your immune system, it’s commonly used as a herbal tea. Just so you know, you’re not supposed to drink high doses of it – everything in moderation works well as a general rule with wild foods, as well.
- Random fact: 150g or so will make you 80 or more cups of tea.
- I recommend using only a toonie-sized chunk at a time with 750 ml of water (ish). Boil, lower to a simmer and then let steep. The liquid will become this reddish colour and the Chaga will slowly get smaller and smaller. If you keep on topping the pot up with water and simmer again, Chaga will keep on giving – you should have enough tea for a week’s worth that way.
- Flavour profile wise: it’s smooth and rich like coffee but without the caffeine. Vanillin undertones mingle with its discrete natural sweetness, ending with a silky mouthfeel. It also keeps you warm during fall camping sessions as you explore all things Nova Scotia!
Tip:
- One thing I’ve experimented with is turning Chaga into Chai-ga – I added some chai spices just before about to serve, then strain. I find it gets a little bitter when you start with the spices.
General Mushroom Tip:
- Having spoken to loads of mushroom people (well, not actual people who are mushrooms, but people who know a lot about mushrooms), they’ve each shared how we shouldn’t eat raw mushrooms (like ever). Always cook them simply harvest what you know is non-toxic and edible.
Wild things are pretty cool, hey?
Aman
