Shroomin’

This is prime mushroom weather, and you’ll see them practically everywhere if you look carefully. I have mushrooms popping up all over my yard, and I’ve even seen them desperately braving well-trafficked playground areas.

But you can’t just pick ’em and fry ’em up. Mushrooms come in a zillion varieties, some of which are highly toxic. If you’re a shroom lover, start by going to the farmers’ markets, where vendors like the Solano Mushroom Farm have good selections that are perfectly safe. Then look for a group of mushroom foragers, like the Sacramento Area Mushroomers (http://sacmush.com). These informed mycologists will help you find wild mushrooms and learn to identify those that are safe. You can even get an app for that!

Then head over to Hank Shaw’s blog at http://honest-food.net to see beautiful photos and a long list of mushroom recipes. He’s cooked up everything from blewits to hen of the woods, with lots of tips on foraging included. You’ll be happily shroomin’ in no time.