Cook's Corner

In the kitchen with the awesome Stump Blossom

Story and photos by Mike Snyder

Well fellow mushroom enthusiasts, here we are slogging through the coldest part of the year, nary a tasty edible mushroom in sight. During the winter is when I like to look back on the previous year of mushrooming adventures and reminisce, until the Spring thaw finally arrives, and our fungal friends reawaken to entertain us with their fantastically formed fruiting bodies.

I thought it would be fun to share an experience I had with a mushroom that most of us have encountered but few have given much attention beyond admiration of its often-gargantuan proportions. My subject is the Berkeley’s Polypore (Bondarzewia berkeleyi). This is a saprobic fungus that fruits any time from late Spring to early Fall, usually at the base of dead or dying hardwood trees. It is often found on huge rotten stumps (like the one shown), which is why another common name for this large, showy polypore is Stump Blossom. Interestingly, this fungus is in the Russulales, meaning it is more closely related to gilled Russula species than it is to other polypores.

Most field guides dismiss the Berkeley’s Polypore as a mushroom fit for nothing but making a rich and tasty broth, but I discovered this Summer that there are many other delicious uses for these common and enormous fungi. In almost fifteen years of foraging, I have never bothered to harvest one and use it, despite seeing them at least once each year. That changed this year when I found this beautiful specimen and decided to give it a go. Wow, am I glad I did! Using tips that I found online in various places on how to prepare tougher polypores to make them more eatable, I tried this mushroom six different ways! If you want to try this mushroom, be sure and only collect those which are still actively growing. You can discern this by examining the edges of the mushroom. If the edges are still blunt and rounded, they are still growing and will have a great deal of tender portions to eat. If they are thin and starting to get wavy, the mushroom is fully mature and will be very much on the tough side. I got lucky finding one this large that was not fully mature, so it had a firm but still chewable texture, especially after cooking well.

First, I trimmed the outer edges and sauteed them up in some butter. This was my first taste of this mushroom, and I was impressed. The growing edges were nice and tender and had a very pleasant, nutty, sweet flavor. I was encouraged to continue!

Next, it was time for mush-burgers! I cut the rest of the mushroom up, separating the less-tough middle parts of the fronds from the very tough inner parts and core. The middles are where the magic happens! I took these middle portions and pressure cooked them in an Instant Pot for fifteen minutes. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you could also boil in plenty of water for a half hour or so. This step is really important for cooking tougher polypores like this one because it breaks down the tough fibers and makes them chewable. After draining and cooling, I popped the cooked pieces in the food processer and blitzed them until they were about the size of cooked, crumbled ground beef.

I mixed these Stump Blossom crumbles with some chopped onion, egg, breadcrumbs, and seasonings and formed them into patties. Go a little heavy on the egg so they stick together pretty good. Then I just cooked them in a hot iron skillet, turning carefully as few times as possible without scorching. These mush-burgers packed some serious umami flavor!

I had a lot of crumbles left over from cooking these patties and I didn’t want them to go to waste, so I made some grilled cheese sandwiches the next day for lunch and added lots of them before cooking. This was seriously delicious, and it made me wish I had just made the entire mushroom into crumbles to add to grilled cheese sandwiches!

It turns out one can only eat so many grilled cheeses, so I used the rest of the crumbles as a topping for some homemade pizzas. These pizzas were also piled with chanterelles and black trumpets, but the Berkeley’s flavor still came through nicely.

The lower portions of the fronds (not the very inner core) were boiled, marinated, and dehydrated to create some seriously flavorful jerky. This is my go-to way to preserve large amounts of foraged fungi, and it worked well with Berkeley’s Polypore. Word to the wise – only make jerky with these types of tougher polypores if they are actively growing! Otherwise, you will likely end up with unchewable results.

Well, I still had a huge core to contend with and was determined to extract as much of this mushroom’s deliciousness as possible, so I made what is usually the only thing most sources recommend doing with this under-loved mushroom – broth. I know it sounds kind of boring, but if you try Stump Blossom broth you will fall in love. It has such a rich and unique flavor but is also incredibly versatile. I used the broth in lots of recipes, but my favorite was a Thai soup with veggies and Wood Ear mushrooms. It was quite memorable, and I can’t wait to make it again.

All the ways I prepared this mushroom can also be applied to the Black-Staining Polypore (Meripilus sumstinei). It tends to be encountered a bit more often than the Berkeley’s and has a similar but unique and delicious flavor.

I hope my adventures with the Berkeley’s Polypore will inspire you to do some experimentation of your own with some of our lesser-utilized Missouri fungi. Surely there must be many amazing flavors and preparations yet to be discovered!

MOMS Research Corner

By Trevor Rodgers

Greetings fellow mushroom lovers!

It has been quite some time since MOMS has done anything on the research side of things. The Times They Are A-Changin'!

First, the club’s herbarium collections will now be at Illinois Natural History Survey. The collections were previously at New York Botanical Garden. Having the collections much closer to home will be of great benefit to the club! The move will make it much easier for MOMS to add to their collections, perform microscopy, and get specimens' DNA sequenced. This will include opportunities for members to submit their own specimens to add to the collections.

There is also a presentation in the works on how to use iNaturalist to document fungi. iNaturalist is a very powerful tool for both amateur and professional mycologists. It can be used in many ways such as seeing what mushrooms are in your area or getting an identification on fungi you find. If you are interested in learning more about iNaturalist, keep an eye on the calendar for this presentation.

With all this collecting and vouchering, help will be needed. This could include things like helping teach others how to voucher a find or mailing-in specimens found on forays from your area. If you are interested in helping with MOMS research or are just wanting to learn more about it, feel free to email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Incurable Epicureans 2022 in Review

By Linda Rolby

The Incurable Epicureans are a culinary group of MOMS members who love to cook and to eat. There are three to four dinners a year. Each dinner has a specially planned theme and menu where the group may explore various regions of the world, culinary époques, intriguing chefs or whatever else they think of that sounds intriguing. Usually, the group gathers in the home of a member, but they also have used park shelters, working studios, and rentable venues that allow self-catering.

The club’s 2022 schedule highlighted three American Chefs — Indigenous American, African American, and Celebrity American. Our first dinner of the year honored Native American Sean Sherman, an Oglala Lakota Sioux chef, cookbook author, and promoter of indigenous cuisine. Sherman founded the indigenous food education business and caterer The Sioux Chef, as well as the nonprofit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems. He received a James Beard Foundation Leadership Award and his 2017 cookbook, The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen won the 2018 James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook. The club truly enjoyed experimenting with the likes of Venison Pemmican, Cedar Braised Bison, Beans with Juniper, Polenta Cake with Sumac and Cider Glaze, and Maple Wild Rice Cookies as part of an extremely interesting indigenous menu.

Our summer event was inspired by the cookbook Afro-Vegan: Farm Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Cooking created by renowned chef and food justice activist Bryant Terry. His cookbook reworks and remixes the favorite staples, ingredients, and classic dishes of the African Diaspora to “present more than 100 wholly new, creative culinary combinations that have amazed vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike”. His book was named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks of all time by Bon Appetit. For the IE’s, fantastic appetizers were followed by Berber Spiced Black-eyed pea sliders, Dirty Millet with Tempeh and assorted mushrooms, Fresh Corn Grits with Chard and Tomatoes, and Chocolate Spice Cake which used avocado for a fat, luscious quality.

In December the IE’s met at the lovely new home of MaryKaye and Bill May to follow the book Appetites: A Cookbook by Anthony Bourdain. As most know, Bourdain was an American celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian, who starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the human condition. In doing so, he introduced America to its immigrant roots by showcasing foods from around the world. In an assessment of Bourdain's life for The Nation, David Klion wrote that, "Bourdain understood that the point of journalism is to tell the truth, to challenge the powerful, to expose wrongdoing. But his unique gift was to make doing all that look fun rather than grim or tedious.” According to Klion, Bourdain's shows "made it possible to believe that social justice and earthly delights weren't mutually exclusive, and he pursued both with the same earnest reverence."

Next year’s menus are being planned, the club will welcome Spring and Cherry Blossom Time in Japan, perhaps celebrate a Canadian Christmas meal. Our summer get together menu is yet to be determined. We are a group always willing and able to try new experiences in the realm of incredible epicureanism.

Because we meet most often in member’s homes, the club must limit membership to 35, with each being a member of MOMS. Dues are $15 per person payable the first of each year. The Incurable Epicureans group is open to all MOMS members. The first 35 to pay their dues form the group for that year. Prior to each dinner a menu is e-mailed and every member who plans to attend signs up to bring one of the menu’s dishes. They each research and prepare their chosen item as a means of learning more about the world of food.

Please send your membership dues with your check made out to The Incurable Epicureans for $15.00 per person, and mail to:
Linda Rolby 649 North Harrison Ave. Kirkwood, MO 63122 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Myce's Inheritance

A column by Joey Hafley

I thought today would be as good a day as any to discuss the origins of this column’s name and one of my favorite things aside from fungi (though still, in this case, related), etymology. Not to be confused with entomology, a discipline with which many of us are familiar (specifically regarding entomopathogenic fungi). I refer to the study of the meanings and origins of words. This leads me to the name "The Myce's Inheritance". When you investigate etymology, you find all sorts of intriguing aspects as I did when looking into words related to fungi and, separately, into Greek history and mythology — Perseus in particular. In Greek mythology, Perseus slew Medusa and founded the first true Greek city-state. He named it Mycenae, from which we get the root of the word mycology. Both words are derived from the Greek prefix myce- meaning fungus or mushroom. In Greek, myce is pronounced "mykēs", like the English word meek with a slight “u” sound. The day I learned this I knew I had to use it in reference to the Biblical phrase "the Meek shall inherit the earth." It doesn't end there however! After more digging I learned that the term "Greek" is not what the Greek people called themselves, but instead what neighboring civilizations called the new people they were encountering. The word Greek roughly means "those who speak in an unintelligible language". Thus, the term “Mycenaean Greeks”—the people considered historically to be the original Greeks — could be translated as "The Unintelligible Mushroom People." I know this is relatable for myself as I'm sure it is for many readers. When talking to our uninitiated friends and family about arcane mycological concepts, they all give us that look like we are ... well, unintelligible mushroom people.

I hope you all have learned from and enjoyed this brief dive into myco-centric etymology and weren't left scratching your heads saying: "It's all Greek to me."

Expect more articles like this and other varied topics from The Myce's Inheritance Column in future issues of The Earthstar Examiner.

Mycelially Yours,
Joseph "Mycæl" Hafley

Events

March Fourth into Spring: Seed & Plant Swap

When: March 4, 2023, 2-6pm

Where: Point Labaddie Brewery, 1029 Thiebes Rd, Labadie, MO 63055

Come join us for this free event at the "March Fourth into Spring Seed & Plant Swap" and share your passion about Mycology and Food Sovereignty. We are hosting a seed and plant swap to promote the individual's right to food sovereignty by growing, foraging and harvesting from your own back yard and local areas. If you have some seeds to share, please bring them as the main focus of a seed swap is to share seeds, plant them, grow them and preserve seeds to share next year!

We will have live music and food for you and there may even be some vendors as well. So grab a beer, share some seeds, knowledge, passions, and ejoy the afternoon with us at Point Labaddie Brewery.

Also, if you would like to be a presenter, vendor or share your knowledge in some other way by doing a class or workshop, please contact Sabra Duffiney at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (314) 917-2920. We are hoping to fill up a few open spots with presenters/teachers in the Mycological field as well as intro to home gardening and basic foraging.

I hope to see you there!

MOMS Winter Luncheon

When: March 5, 2023, 12:00-4pm

Where: 1918 Exchange Building, Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO

Come enjoy the afternoon with some fungi friends, tasty potluck, silent auction, and an excellent speaker. Bring a dish to share and don’t forget to make a label listing all ingredients to alert people with dietary preferences. Alcoholic beverages will not be provided but feel free to bring your own. The club will provide coffee and tea. Ice and water will also be available. Don’t forget to bring your own place settings!

Cici Tompkins will be organizing our Silent Auction. Please consider donating items to the silent auction, one of the highlights of the day. Highest bidder wins so don’t forget to bring cash or a check. Space is limited to 100. Registrations after February 28th will be assessed a late fee of $5.00 per adult. March 3rd is the final day for online registration. To attend after the deadline, you must contact the registrar, Stephanie Keil, to check on availability. No one will be admitted without a reservation. At the luncheon, check in and grab a name tag when you arrive. Volunteers will be needed to set up at 11am and clean up afterwards. If you’d be so kind, on the registration form, please indicate your willingness to help.

And now, a little about our speaker for the day:

Biography:
Kerri McCabe is a native Arkansan born and raised in the Arkansas River Valley, and she now resides in the Ozark Plateaus along the Buffalo National River. She went to the University of Central Arkansas for undergraduate/graduate school, and she studied Plant Science and Ecophysiology, respectively. She works for the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality – Office of Water Quality. She’s an avid amateur mycologist and she is an active member of Arkansas Mycological Society and Missouri Mycological Society. She’s never met a Cortinarius, Lactarius, or lepiotoid that she didn’t like.

Presentation:
Myco Tour 2022: A MOMS Mycophile’s Review of Mushroom Forays and Festivals.This presentation will showcase the various mushroom forays and festivals Kerri attended in 2022. It will highlight those events that are MOMS related and/or attended by fellow MOMS members. It will also preview the Myco Tour 2023.

Please contact Stephanie Keil if you have any questions.

Morel Madness Camping Weekend

When: April 14, 2023, 4:00pm-April 16, 2023, 12:00pm

Where: H Roe Bartle Scout Reservation, Osceola, MO

Details and registration coming soon.

MOMS Mushroom ID Classes

Have we got a deal for you!

As a member of MOMS you can go to all mushroom ID classes...FREE.

Check out the calendar on our website and sign up. After you sign up you will be registered and will get a notice a couple days before the class with the Zoom info. All classes are on Zoom. Here's the schedule:

10 Poisonous Mushrooms of Missouri: Thursday, 3-30-23, 6:30
10 Common Mushrooms of Missouri, Part 1: Thursday 6-29-23, 6:30
10 Common Mushrooms of Missouri, Part 2: Thursday 8-31-23, 6:30
10 Edible Mushrooms of Missouri: Thursday,10-26-23, 6:30

These classes are fun, and you can take them over and over...FREE. There is optional homework but its optional and valuable. Questions? Contact Maxine Stone, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Calendar:

To see the full calendar of events please click here: https://momyco.org/events/calendar