Part 58
Select those that are spread open and keep the unopened for other styles of serving. Cut off the stems close to the tops. Baste well with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with pepper and salt. Heat the broiler very hot, lay the caps upon it with the gills up and broil over a clear fire, turning the broiler first on one side and then on the other. As soon as tender, which will be in about five minutes, open the broiler, remove the caps with care, and place on well-buttered slices of the toast which have been previously prepared. Pour over the whole a sauce made of drawn butter, or hot water thickened with flour to the consistency of cream.
FRIED TOADSTOOLS.
Take the caps only—one pint—well drained and carefully seasoned with one teaspoonful of salt, one-half teaspoonful black pepper. Place in a pan with one ounce of butter (a lump the size of a small egg). Fry slowly for ten minutes. Add a little milk or cream thickened with flour. Serve on hot toast.
TO COOK HYDNUM.
In cooking Hydnei care must be taken to cook slowly and well.
Use the tender parts only of stems and caps of the capped species, and soft, fresh parts of the maned species; cut into small pieces of similar size, stew slowly in covered saucepan for from thirty to forty minutes, season with butter, pepper and salt. Serve.
Or, after stewing for forty minutes as above, drain off the water, chop fine, make into croquettes or into pâtés.
A HUNTER'S TOAST.
Carry a vial of olive oil or a small can of butter, some pepper and salt mixed. An edible toadstool found, collect a few dry twigs, fire them. Split a green stick (sassafras, birch or spice-wood best) at one end; put the toadstool in the cleft, hold it over the fire; oil or butter, season. Eat from the stick.
_McIlvaine._
TO COOK HYPHOLOMAS.
TO STEW.—Wash the caps, stew slowly in the water which the gills retain, for half an hour, keeping dish covered. Add plenty of butter, pepper and salt to taste, add cream or milk with a little thickening.
The Hypholomas have a slightly bitter taste, of which most persons become very fond; if it is objectionable, add a small amount of lemon juice or sherry.
_McIlvaine._
H. PERPLEXUM.—Put one dessertspoonful of vinegar in a quart of water. Soak the caps in this mixture twenty minutes. Then take them out and stew slowly for half an hour in a covered vessel, adding butter, pepper and salt to suit the taste. A small quantity of onion is thought by some to improve the flavor, and a thickening of flour and milk just before serving is an improvement.
_Prof. C.H. Peck._
The above is given as recipe for cooking H. perplexum. It answers equally well for the many Hypholomas resembling it.
_McIlvaine._
TO BAKE.—Wash caps, remove stems, let drain for a few minutes, place gills upward in a pan, place on gills a small-sized lump of butter, season with pepper and salt, cover pan, and place in oven to bake for one-half hour.
_McIlvaine._
TO COOK LACTARII.
The rich juices of the Lactarii are best retained by baking. The species grow hard and granular if cooked rapidly. Baked they are excellent. This method is preferable to stewing, but no one will despise a properly made stew of them.
TO COOK MARASMIUS OREADES.
Remove the stems, wash the caps, place in a covered saucepan and simmer for thirty minutes, adding sufficient water to prevent scorching; add a little milk or cream, butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Or, simply fry in butter, make a gravy and season to taste.
TO DRY.—String the caps on threads and loop up in a dry place, and when thoroughly dry place in tight glass jars or tin cases.
TO COOK THE MORELL—MORCHELLA (from Persoon).
1. Having washed and cleansed them from the earth which is apt to collect between the plaits or hollows of the plant, dry thoroughly in a napkin and put them into a saucepan with pepper, salt and parsley, adding or not a piece of ham. Stew for an hour, pouring in occasionally a little broth to prevent burning. When sufficiently done, bind with the yolks of two or three eggs and serve on buttered toast.
2. MORELLES A L'ITALIENNE.—Having washed and dried, divide them across, put them on the fire with some parsley, scallion, chevril, burnet, tarragon, chives, a little salt, and two spoonfuls of fine oil. Stew till the juices run out, then thicken with a little flour; serve with bread crumbs and a squeeze of lemon juice.
PÂTÉS.
The toadstools good for croquettes and pâtés are such as the Puff-balls, Lactarii, Gomphidius rhodoxanthus, Fistulina hepatica, Tricholoma personatum and many others of the meaty kinds. Cut the toadstools into small pieces, cook slowly until tender, adding butter, pepper and salt. Let them cook almost dry, then add cream or milk and thickening. Fill pastry shells and serve.
_McIlvaine._
A pretty effect is produced by dipping the rims of the shells in partially beaten white of egg, then in finely-chopped parsley before filling.
TO COOK PLEUROTUS OSTREATUS.
Remove tough stem-part, if any, and use only such parts of the plants as seem fresh and tender.
TO STEW.—Cut in small pieces across the grain. Stew twenty minutes over slow fire with a little water. Add cream or milk with a little thickening; season with butter, pepper, salt.
TO FRY.—Cut into pieces about the size of a medium-sized oyster, dip in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in hot butter or oil, as oysters are fried.
_McIlvaine._
WITH CHEESE—_au gratin._—Cut into medium-sized pieces. Stew slowly, rather dry, for fifteen minutes. Pour off liquor; save it. Place in baking dish (or in individual dishes, clam shells, etc.) a layer of ostreatus, buttering and seasoning each layer, sprinkle with bread crumbs and grated cheese and so on until dish is filled, placing cheese on top. Pour liquor over the dish. Place in slow oven and bake until well browned.
This manner of cooking is a favorite. Any toadstool may be cooked in this way.
_McIlvaine._
Wash. Put them into a chafing dish with one ounce of butter to each half pound of plant. Sprinkle over half a teaspoonful of salt, cover the dish and cook slowly for five minutes. Beat the yolks of two eggs with one gill of good milk, lift the lid, add the mixture of eggs and milk; when smoking hot serve. Do not allow the mixture to boil or the eggs will become curdled.
RECIPE NO. 2.—Wash. Dust with salt and pepper, dip in egg, then in bread crumbs and fry quickly in smoking hot olive oil.
The following recipe was given me by a chef:
“Put into the saucepan a tablespoonful of butter, add a clove of garlic, a thin slice of onion, stir until slightly brown and add a tablespoonful of flour. Mix carefully, add a quarter of a teaspoonful of beef extract dissolved in half a cup of water and the same quantity of cream. Bring to boiling point, add a tablespoonful of chopped carrot, a bay leaf, and a blade of mace. Stand the mixture on the back part of the stove where it will scarcely boil, for ten minutes. Strain and add half a pound of ostreatus. Cover and cook for ten minutes. Serve on toast.”
_Mrs. S.T. Rorer._
TO COOK PUFF-BALLS.
TO FRY.—Remove the thin outer rind, slice, dip in egg and bread crumbs, and fry as egg-plant; serve without tomato sauce.
TO STEW.—Cut in dice-shaped pieces, stew for fifteen minutes in a little water, pour off the water, dust with a little flour, add a small quantity of milk or cream, butter, pepper and salt and a little parsley. Stew slowly for five minutes. Serve. These also may be served in pâtés. When these are broken open they should be perfectly white inside; any stains or yellow part should be removed, otherwise they will be bitter.
_McIlvaine._
SALADS.—Cut into strips, mingle with mustard and cress, or with blanched dandelions, scallions and hard-boiled egg, and dress as ordinarily for a salad. Or, amalgamate with potato salad a l'Allemande.
_Hay._
TO COOK TRICHOLOMA PERSONATUM.
TO STEW.—Wash and cut into small pieces. Stew for thirty minutes. Pour off the water, add milk slightly thickened, butter, pepper, salt and a little chopped parsley.
_McIlvaine._
TO STEW THE TOUGHER TOADSTOOLS.
(Hydnaceæ, Polyporaceæ, Etc.)
Cut into small pieces of even size. Soak for half an hour in tepid water. Remove from water, do not drain; place in covered pan and simmer for forty minutes. Add proper proportion of thickened milk or cream, butter, pepper, salt.
Those who like may add parsley or nutmeg, or beef gravy; in fact, any flavoring.
_McIlvaine._
SALADS.
Many species of fungi make good salads. The best of these are, Russulæ when young, fresh and firm; either sliced raw or stewed and drained; Clitocybe multiceps stewed and drained; Tricholoma personatum, raw or stewed; Clitopilus prunulus, raw or stewed; Coprinus comatus, C. micaceus, atramentarius, raw; Clavaria, fresh, young, brittle, either raw or stewed; Fistulina hepatica, raw; any of the edible Polyporaceæ, after stewing; any of the edible Hydnaceæ after stewing; the puff-balls, raw or stewed. Any favorite species will make a salad.
After cooking allow to drain and cool; then mix with mayonnaise dressing, or make a dressing to taste of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve on lettuce.
SOUP.
Dame Nature never made a soup. Soup is a human invention of more or less distinctiveness. Usually it is a successful disguise or covering of invisibility for something which furnishes the name.
To make two quarts of a distinctly fungoid soup take one quart of any edible toadstools, carefully cleaned. Put in a well-covered boiler with three pints of water, and boil slowly for one hour. Rub the whole through a colander. Reject that which does not rub through readily. Add one-half pint of milk thickened with one tablespoonful of flour, one ounce of butter, a dessertspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of pepper. Bring to a boil. Serve.
Any chosen thing or things may be added to the above—the toadstools can not resent it.
_McIlvaine._
TOADSTOOLS WITH CHEESE.
Several varieties of fungi are delicious when baked with a small quantity of cheese grated upon them; notably Clitocybe multiceps, the Hypholomas, Armillarias, Pleurotus ulmarius and ostreatus, Lentinus lepideus and many Boleti. See recipe for baking. When several layers of plants compose the dish, cheese should be grated on each layer.
_McIlvaine._
BAKED TOADSTOOLS OF ANY GILLED KIND.
Wash, place the caps in a tightly covered dish or pan after dipping them in bread crumbs. Lay them in layers, with a small piece of butter on each toadstool, as well as the proper amount of pepper and salt. Bake from twenty to forty minutes as suits the consistency of the species. Serve on toast.
Or, the caps prepared as above, may be laid upon pieces of toast and placed in the pan. If this plan is adopted the lower pieces of toast become saturated with the liquor; therefore, in serving, cut from top to bottom of dish.
See To Cook Clitocybe Multiceps.
_McIlvaine._
A CAMP BAKE.
Cover the bottom of a tin plate with caps, spore surface up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, place a bit of butter on each. Put another tin plate on top. Set on coals or a heated stone for fifteen minutes. Eat. No better baking will result in the best oven.
_McIlvaine._
GLOSSARY
A-, prefixed signifies absence; as _aseptate_, without septa.
ABBREVIATIONS: cm. = centimeter.
mm. = millimeter.
µ = micron.
in. = inch.
´ = inch or inches.
″ = line(1⁄12 inch) or lines.
nov. gen. = new genus.
n. sp. = new species.
× _between_ two figures signifies by; 2×4 = 2 by 4.
- between two figures = to; 2–4 = from 2 to 4.
ABER´RANT (_aberran(t-)s_, ppr. of _aberrare_, stray from, < _ab_, from, + _errare_, to stray), differing in some of its characters from the group in which it is placed, said of a plant, species, genus.
ABJEC´TION (_abjectio(n-)_, act of casting away, _abicere_, _abjicere_, < _ab_, away, + _jacere_, throw), throwing off with force, as spores or seeds; expulsion.
ABJOINT´ (_ab_, from, + _junctus_, adjoining), to joint off or delimit by septa or partitions.
ABNOR´MAL (_abnormis_, deviating from a fixed rule, irregular, < _ab_, from, + _norma_, a rule), not conforming to the usual type; irregular, unnatural.
ABOR´TIVE (_abortivus_, born prematurely), imperfect or wanting.
ABRUPT´ (_abruptus_, steep, disconnected, < _ab_, off, + _rumpere_, break), terminating suddenly.
ABSTRIC´TION (_abstrictus_, ppr. of _abstringere_, < _abs_, from, + _stringere_, bind), separation of one part from another by constriction, especially of spores from their hyphæ.
ACAULES´CENT, ACAU´LINE, ACAU´LOSE, ACAU´LOUS (_caulis_, a stem or stalk of a plant), having a very short stem or none; stemless.
AC´EROSE (_acerosus_, chaffy), narrow, stiff and pointed like spruce needles; intermediate in form between acicular and subulate.
ACETAB´ULIFORM (_acetabulum_, a cup-shaped vessel; _forma_, form), cup-shaped, having the form of a shallow bowl.
ACH´ROOUS (_Gr_—priv. + _Gr_—color), colorless, achromatic.
ACIC´ULA (pl. ACICULÆ)(a needle, a small pin, dim. of _acus_, a needle), a needle-shaped spine, prickle or other body.
ACIC´ULAR, ACIC´ULATE, AC´IFORM (_acicula_, a small pin or needle), needle-shaped, having a sharp point like a needle, as pine leaves.
AC´ROGEN (_Gr_—at the top, + _Gr_—born, produced), a cryptogam which increases by development [of an apical cell] at the summit of an axis, having a true stem, leaf-like appendages, etc., as ferns, mosses, etc.
ACROG´ENOUS (as _acrogen_ + _ous_), (a) produced at the apex, as some spores from the apex of a hyphal branch; (b) of the nature of or pertaining to acrogens.
ACROP´ETAL (_Gr_—the top, + _L._—_petere_, seek), developing from below upward, or from the base toward the apex.
ACU´LEATE, ACU´LEATED (_aculeatus_, furnished with prickles or stings), slender-pointed.
ACU´LEUS (pl. ACU´LEI) (a sting, prickle, spine, dim. of _acus_, a needle), a prickle.
ACU´MINATE (_acumen_, a point or extremity), terminating in a long drawn point.
ACUTE´ (_acutus_, sharp), sharp, applied to gills having sharp edges or pointed at either end.
AD´NATE (_adnatus_, grown to, pp. _adnasci_, to grow to), growing into or fast to; of gills, _e. g._ closely attached to the stem.
ADNEXED´ (_adnexus_, connected), of gills attached to the stem, but not adnate to it.
ADPRESSED´ (_adpressus_, pp. of _adprimere_, < _ad_, to; _premere_, to press), pressed in close contact but not adherent.
ADVENTI´TIOUS (_adventitius_, prop. _adventicius_, coming from abroad, < _adventus_, pp. of _advenire_, come to, arrive at), appearing casually, or in an abnormal or unusual position or place.
ÆRU´GINOSE, ÆRU´GINOUS (_æruginosus_, < _ærugo_, rust of copper), verdigris-green.
AFFIN´ITY (_affinita(t-)s_, < _affinis_, neighboring, related by marriage), morphological relationship; resemblance in general plan of structure.
AGAM´IC, AG´AMOUS (_Gr_—unmarried + _ic_), sexless.
AG´AMOGEN´ESIS (_Gr_—unmarried, + _Gr_—production), non-sexual reproduction.
AGAM´OSPORE (_Gr_—unmarried, + _spora_, spore), spore formed without fertilization.
AG´ARIC (_agaricum_, a kind of tree-fungus used as tinder, named, according to Dioscorides, from the country of the Agari in Sarmatia, where this fungus abounded), any gill-bearing fungus; formerly applied only to members of the genus Agaricus.
AGAR´ICIOID, of the nature of an agaric; mushroom-like.
AGGLOM´ERATE (_agglomeratus_, pp. of _agglomerare_, _adglomerare_, wind into a ball, < _ad_, to, + _glomerare_, wind into a ball), (a) clustered densely, but not connected together; (b) gathered into a rounded mass or into a compacted heap or pile.
AGGLU´TINATED (_agglutinatus_, pp. _adglutinare_, paste to), glued to a surface; grown together fast; applied to fungi that are firmly attached to matrix.
AG´GREGATE, AG´GREGATED (_aggregatus_, pp. _adgregare_, lead to a flock; add to), collected together but not cohering.
ALBU´MINOID (_albumen_ + _oid_), an organic substance containing nitrogen in its composition, as proteids.
ALLAN´TOID (_Gr_—a sausage, + _Gr_—form), sausage-shaped; narrowly oblong.
ALLIA´CEOUS (_allium_, garlic, + _aceous_), having the odor of onions.
ALUTA´CEOUS (_alutacius_, < _aluta_, soft leather), having the quality or color of tanned leather; leathery.
ALVEO´LATE (_alveolatus_, hollowed out, < _alveolus_, a small hollow), with small depressions like a shallow honeycomb, pitted.
AMOR´PHOUS (_Gr_—without form, shapeless, misshapen), without definite form, structure or position.
AM´PHIGEN (_Gr_—around, + _Gr_—produce), a thallogen; a name applied to a cryptogam which increases by development of cellular tissue in all directions and not at the summit of a distinct axis. See ACROGEN.
AMPHIG´ENOUS (_Gr_—about; _Gr_—to beget), not confined to one surface, growing all around; _e. g._, hymenium of Clavaria.
AMYG´DALINE (_amygdalinus_, < _amygdala_, almond), resembling the almond.
AMYLA´CEOUS (_amylum_, starch, + aceous), composed of, containing or resembling starch.
AM´YLUM (_Gr_—starch), starch.
ANAL´OGY (_Gr_—equality of ratios, proportion), superficial or general resemblance, without structural agreement; physiologically or functionally alike, morphologically unlike.
ANAS´TOMOSING (_Gr_—an opening, outlet, discharge), united by running together irregularly; intercommunication of vessels, lines, gills or veins with each other.
ANGIOCAR´POUS (_Gr_—a capsule, case, vessel of any kind), having the hymenium developed in a closed receptacle.
ANGUS´TATE (_angustatus_, pp. of _angustere_, straiten, narrow, < _angustus_, narrow), narrow.
AN´NUAL (_annualis_, a year old, < _annus_, a year), completing growth in one year or season.
AN´NULAR (_annularis_, relating to a ring, < _annulus_, a ring), ring-shaped.
AN´NULATE (See ANNULAR), having a ring.
AN´NULUS (See ANNULAR), the ring on the stem of a mushroom formed by the separation of the veil from the margin of the cap.
ANOM´ALOUS (_anomalus_, irregular, uneven), deviating from a general rule, method or analogy.
ANOM´ALY (_anomalia_, irregularity, unevenness), any deviation from the usual character.
ANTE´RIOR (as if from _anterus_, < _ante_, before), in front; denotes a position on the under side of the pileus adjacent to the margin; thus the end of a lamellæ next the margin is called the anterior end.
APARAPH´YSATE (a + _Gr_—an offshoot), without paraphyses.
A´PEX (pl. API´CES)(_apex_, the extreme end), in mushrooms the extremity of the stem nearest the gill; the end furthest from the base or point of attachment.
AP´ICAL (_apex_, the extreme end, point), relating to the apex or top.
AP´ICES, plural of apex.
APIC´ULATE (_apiculatus_, dim. of _apex_, a point), terminating in a short, abrupt point.
APIC´ULUS (pl. APIC´ULI) (dim. of _apex_ (_apic-_), a point), a short, sharp point.
APOTHE´CIUM (pl. APOTHE´CIA), (_Gr_—a storehouse), in Ascomycetes, an open cup-shaped fructification with the hymenium on its upper concave surface; cup.
APPENDIC´ULATE (_appendiculatus_ < _appendicula_, appendix, an appendage), hanging in small fragments; having an unusual appendage.
AP´PLANATE (_applanatus_ < _ad_, to, + _planus_, flat), flattened out or horizontally expanded.
APPRESSED´ (_appressus_, _adpressus_, pp. of _adprimere_, press to, < _ad_, to, + _premere_, press), applied closely to the surface or to each other; adpressed.
APPROX´IMATE (_approximatus_, pp. _approximare_ < _ad_, to; _proximare_, to approach), of gills which approach but do not reach the stem.
_A´queous_ (as if _aqueus_, < _aqua_, water), watery; nearly colorless; hyaline.
ARACH´NOID (_Gr_—a spider’s web; + _forma_, form), like a cobweb.
ARBO´REAL, ARBOR´ICAL (_arboreus_, pertaining to trees), tree-inhabiting.
AR´CUATE (_arcuatus_, pp. _arcuare_, to bend like a bow, < _arcus_, a bow), bow-shaped.
ARENA´CEOUS, ARENA´RIOUS, ARE´NOSE (_arenaceus_, _harenaceus_, sandy, < _arena_, _harena_, sand), sandy; growing in sandy places.
ARE´OLATE (_areola_, dim. of _area_, a plot), divided into little areas or patches.
ARGILLA´CEOUS (_argillaceus_ < _argilla_, white clay), resembling or like clay.
AR´ID (_aridus_, dry, < _arere_, be dry), dry.
ARIS´TATE (_aristatus_ < _arista_, awn or beard), having a pointed beard-like process as in barley.
ARMIL´LA (_armilla_, a bracelet, armlet, hoop, ring, dim. prob. of _armus_, shoulder), a plaited frill hanging from the apex of the stem.
ARTE´RIOLE (_arteriola_, dim. of _arteria_, artery), a small artery.
ARTIC´ULATE (_articulatus_, pp. of _articulare_, divide into joints or members, < _articulus_, a joint, etc.), jointed.
ASCEND´ING (_ad_, to, + _scandere_, to climb), inclining or growing upward; applied to a lamella where its edge forms a line ascending in the direction from the margin of pileus toward the apex of the stipe; as in conical shaped pilei; applied to the partial veil when in the young stage its stem-attachment is below the level of its marginal one; in this case a ring formed from it is called inferior.
AS´CI (_Gr_—a leathern bag, bladder), spore cases of certain mushrooms, in which a definite number of spores are enclosed in a sac.
ASCIF´EROUS, ASCOPH´OROUS (_ascus_ + _ferre_, bear), ascus-bearing.
ASCIG´EROUS (_ascus_ + _gerere_, bear), bearing asci.
AS´COCARP (_Gr_—a bag, + a fruit), in Ascomycetes, sporocarp producing asci and ascospores.
ASCOG´ENOUS (_Gr_—a bag, + producing), producing asci.
ASCOMYCE´TES (_Gr_—a bag, + _Gr_—a mushroom), group of fungi in which the spores are produced within little sack-like cells, called asci.
ASCOMYCE´TOUS, of or pertaining to the ascomycetes.
AS’COPHORE (_Gr_—bearing wine-skins; _Gr_—a bag), sporophore bearing an ascus or asci.
ASCOPH´OROUS, bearing an ascus or asci.
AS´COSPORES (_Gr_—a bag, + _Gr_—seed), one of a number of spores formed within an ascus.
AS´CUS (pl. AS´CI) (_Gr_—a leather bag, bottle, bladder, etc.), microscopic sack-like cells in which spores, generally eight in number, are developed.
ASEP´TATE (_Gr_—without, + _L._—_septum_, a fence), without partitions or septa, said of hyphæ and spores.
ASH COLOR (See CINEREOUS).
AS´PERATE, AS´PERATED (_asperatus_, pp. of _asperare_, roughen, < _asper_, rough), having a rough, uneven surface.
AS´TICHOUS (_astichus_, < _a_ + _Gr_—row), not arranged in rows.
ASTO´MATOUS (_astomatus_, mouthless), without a mouth or aperture; without stomata.
AS´TOMOUS (_astomus_, mouthless), without a stoma or mouth.
AT´OMATE (_Gr_—an atom), sprinkled with atoms or minute particles.
A´TRO (_ater_, black), in composition “black,” or “dark.”
A´TROPURPU´REOUS (_ater_, black, + _purpura_, purple dye, + ous), dark purple.
A´TROSANGUIN´EOUS (_ater_, black; _sanguineus_, blood, bloody), dark purple; dark blood color.
ATTEN´UATE (_attenuatus_, pp. of _attenuare_, make thin, weaken, lessen, < _ad_, to, + _tenuare_, make thin), becoming gradually narrowed or smaller.
AURANTI´ACEOUS (_aurantium_, an orange), orange-colored.
AUR´EOUS (_aureus_, of gold, golden, < _aurum_, gold), golden-yellow; yellow with a slight tinge of red.
AURIC´ULATE, AUR´IFORM (_auriculatus_, < _auricula_, the external ear), ear-shaped.
AUTO-BASID´IUM (_actus_, an act, dim. of _Gr_—a base, + basidium), an unseptated basidium giving rise at the apex to four slender sterigmata (sometimes fewer, sometimes more), each bearing a spore.
AUTON´OMOUS (_Gr_—independent; of one’s own free will; _Gr_—self, + _Gr_—hold sway), said of plants that are perfect and complete in themselves; not forming part of a cycle; independent.
AX´IS (_axle_, axis, pole of the earth), the central line of growth; stipe, stalk, etc.