A pocket reference for woodland wanderers
Golden, funnel-shaped, with false gills that fork and run down the stem. Smells faintly of apricots. Found near oaks and conifers, summer through fall.
Thick, meaty stem with a small cap. The umami powerhouse of the oyster family. Slices like scallops when seared in a hot pan with brown butter.
Overlapping gray-brown fans at the base of oaks. Can grow massive. Tears into satisfying chunks. Roasts beautifully with olive oil and salt.
Honeycomb cap, hollow from tip to stem. The false morel (Gyromitra) has a wrinkled, brain-like cap and is toxic. Always slice in half to confirm hollow interior.
Responsible for most fatal mushroom poisonings worldwide. Greenish-yellow cap, white gills, a skirt on the stem, and a bulbous base hidden in soil. No antidote.
Pure white and elegant. Same toxins as the death cap. Symptoms delayed 6 to 12 hours, then liver failure. If it's all white with a sack at the base, walk away.