Adventures in Mycology

When shopping for some brandywines at the Santa Fe farmer's market, I noticed something funky, perhaps even revolting, resting beside the baskets of tomatoes:



I think you can click on these pictures and they enlarge or something.
A better picture can be found here: http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Heri ... aceus.html

Naturally, I bought it. Perspective can be tough with these pictures--it was about the size of a shrunken baby's head, if that.

The lady at the stall informed me that it was a Lion's Mane mushroom (also sometimes called a Monkey Head mushroom), and that it tasted exactly like scallop when sauteed with some butter, which is what I did.





It does not taste exactly like scallop, but it does have a disturbingly oceanic aura about it, in part, I'm sure, on account of the not-altogether-pleasant texture, which is sort of like eating something raw and meaty from the sea, a sea slug perhaps.

But, after you get used to that, it's really quite addictive in its uniqueness.

Anyways, just thought I'd share.
-parker

Are these things grown commercially or wild?

From the looks of the link picture, I would say mostly wild, but the woman from whom I bought them also had other, cultivated mushrooms, so I'm guessing this one in particular was cultivated.

"Not altogether pleasant texture."

The link describes this interesting looking fungus as being "tough," and I wonder if it might be more pleasant/edible in soup.

I would disagree that it is tough. It's just that it gives a more gelatinous bounceback than you'd expect from a mushroom--like lobster.
It probably would be good in soup--but there'd be chewing involved, I imagine.
Many websites cite the heavy use of Lion's Mane mushroom in the times of old for its anti-dementia and anti-ageing properties.
Perhaps my Cleveland Tribe's K-Lo had a pre-game meal of them--Lofton looked like anything but a 40-year-old playing in his 16th season: 3 for 4 with 4 RBIs.

HI,

FYI - the eating of mushrooms, especially wild, is referred to as mycophagy.

Regards,