Chicken of the woods

[Jimmy Bojangles]

Hi all

The other day driving along a country lane, I saw a large..... Clump? Of chicken of the woods growing on an oak tree. I pulled over and cut a decent portion off and took it home, just short of a Kilo. We were pretty busy that day, so I diced, bagged and froze it. The following Sunday morning I defrosted a bag and had it with my full English. Half An hour later I (much to my wifes amusement) took a stroll upstairs and spent some time with my head down the loo.

I have read that some people struggle with the protein in this fungus, but I'm usually pretty strong stomached. I just wondered if anyone else had had a similar experience.

Cheers

Mat

 

[slowworm]

CotW tends to grow more in spring/summer, are you sure it's what you found? I have read references of it causing upsets in some people, have you eaten it before? Personally, I've never had a problem even when freezing it.

 

[JonathanD]

All the CotW died out a month or two ago round here. Arrived quickly and early and disappeared just as quick.

 

[Jimmy Bojangles]

I did collect it about a month ago, and was as sure as I could be that it was CotW. Though I am pretty damn far from being an expert on fungi. I had seen a few patches of it over the summer and read up all I could, before trying it. And even then, only after reading from a couple of sources that there are no similar fungus' that are poisonous. I'll try to work out how to post pictures, so you guys can have a look for yourselves.

Thanks for the replies

Mat

 

[Geoff Dann]

I did collect it about a month ago, and was as sure as I could be that it was CotW. Though I am pretty damn far from being an expert on fungi. I had seen a few patches of it over the summer and read up all I could, before trying it. And even then, only after reading from a couple of sources that there are no similar fungus' that are poisonous. I'll try to work out how to post pictures, so you guys can have a look for yourselves.

Thanks for the replies

Mat

Matt,

Are you 100% certain you haven't been confusing Chicken of the Woods with Giant Polypore?

Was the COTW growing on Yew?

Yes, there are records of some people (maybe 5% - 10% of the population) who can have a bad reaction to COTW. Personally I have eaten in various states and never had a problem apart from the old ones being too bitter to eat.

 

[greensurfingbear]

CoTW can cause upsets for some folks, it is a easy one to identify and you are right it is quite unique. get a picture up and we'll see.

 

[HighTechBushCrafter]

Some thoughts if it definitely was hen of the woods.

A. You mentioned Oak, oak can also harbour bootlace fungus and in my experience if bootlace fungus is present in the oak leave it the hell alone as the symbiotic relationship of the hen of the woods draws from the tree which in turn has a lethal strain of fungus growing inside it !.

B. When you diced and froze it did you prepare it in any way to do so in butter or oil ?or did you just dice and freeze it which would cause the hen of the woods fungus to tighten up in expectance of frost in its real habitat and would become comepletely undigestable so essentially you ate rubber.

C. not everyone is suited to eating every strain, much as you have a cast iron stomach its always better to go for a small portion first

 

[Geoff Dann]

Some thoughts if it definitely was hen of the woods.

A. You mentioned Oak, oak can also harbour bootlace fungus and in my experience if bootlace fungus is present in the oak leave it the hell alone as the symbiotic relationship of the hen of the woods draws from the tree which in turn has a lethal strain of fungus growing inside it !.

B. When you diced and froze it did you prepare it in any way to do so in butter or oil ?or did you just dice and freeze it which would cause the hen of the woods fungus to tighten up in expectance of frost in its real habitat and would become comepletely undigestable so essentially you ate rubber.

C. not everyone is suited to eating every strain, much as you have a cast iron stomach its always better to go for a small portion first

Hen of the woods is a different species!

 

[HighTechBushCrafter]

Hen of the woods is a different species!

Apologies, A typo not a retardation on my part, and I stand by my above questions in relation

 

[Jimmy Bojangles]

Hi all

Have been trying and now given up on posting some pics of the fungus. I'm thinking it can't be done from my iPhone, and my laptop is out of commission, if anyone wants a look I'll happily email them the pics if they pm me their address.

But assuming it was CotW, it was definitely growing on oak, I've not heard of bootlace fungus before so couldn't comment on that, I did try a small amount when I collected it to no I'll effect. Buutttt, DING DING DING!!! I think we have a winner! Lol I did freeze it without any preparation first, and could indeed have eaten in effect chunks of rubber!!! That or it doesn't sit well with me in large portions. Either way I wont be rushing out to try some more!

Thanks again for all your help peeps, and as I say if anyone wants a pic, let me know, it'd be nice to have it properly identified.

Cheers

Mat

 

[Bushwhacker]

Am I right in thinking that you don't want to be picking cotw if it's growing on conifer?

 

[greensurfingbear]

Am I right in thinking that you don't want to be picking cotw if it's growing on conifer?

Doesn't grow on conifers as far as I know.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

 

[The Big Lebowski]

On behalf of Jimmy Bojangles/Mat!

 

[Bushwhacker]

Doesn't grow on conifers as far as I know.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

Is there something else I'm confusing it with?

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Yew possibly? (I would give anything a wide birth if Yew's involved)

 

[Bushwhacker]

Sorry, I didn't mean confusing the trees. I meant is there a similar fungi?

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Ahh... Not that I'm aware of.

But I'll leave that to the experts!

 

[Bushwhacker]

I think I may have picked that up from some U.S literature.

 

[Geoff Dann]

Sorry, I didn't mean confusing the trees. I meant is there a similar fungi?

Yes: Giant Polypore (Meripilus giganteus).

 

[Bushwhacker]

Yes: Giant Polypore (Meripilus giganteus).

Thank God (in this case Geoff) for that! I seriously struggle with retention of memory and differentiating between things that are right and things I've dreamt up.