Mental Illness: But I Digress [poem]

It travels with us all, to death from birth

in ponderously slow progress

Unless light skin protects your worth,

a worth universal – but I digress.

 

And so, we carry truth silently

Spines charged 1-million volt

For value is in the visual –

to be Fine is to appropriate the Folk.

 

Based on relative importance

the rules we live by morph

rationalizing violence and

Dissonance in due course.

 

And off of progress we’re often thrown

by family, those close to us,

often with a groan

— and, again, we regress.

 

Mental illness is a shared thang

Capitalism certainly takes the blame*

I try changing for the better

but it’ll never help if we all stay the same**

 

 

 

*I’m pretty sure our economy needs to be more holistic/sustainable – avoiding that social, environmental and economic collapse, yo.

(I’m right there with you. I’m certainly not doing the greatest job of contributing to meaningful/sustainable change in the current economy either – well, maybe you live a 100% sustainable lifestyle, but for the vast majority relying on current economic infrastructure, larger change – on the federal level perhaps? – needs to be made before the Earth will start healing…

 

**Your silence will not protect you – Audre Lorde

(we need to change verbal/linguistic tools [words!] we ALL work with before we’ll see any real change – words got so much harder for me after the injury, but here’s to constant growth!)

 

 

WORKS REFERENCED

     Melamed, Jodi. Represent and destroy: rationalizing violence in the new racial capitalism, Difference Incorporated/University of Minnesota Press, 2011.

     Leguizamo, John. Latin History for Morons, Netflix, 2018, https://www.netflix.com/title/80225421

     “The Gang Turns Black.” It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. January 4 2017. 3 Arts Entertainment. Amazon Prime.

     Kroesbergen, Hermen. (2014) Ecology: its relative importance and absolute irrelevance for a Christian: A Kierkegaardian transversal space for the controversy on eco-theology. HTS Theological Studies, 70(1), 01-08.

 

{EDIT 11/19 – this post was edited to include works referenced}

Relocating to a New Home with Medi-Cal

Attention CA students who want to avoid medical fees and Medi-Cal recipients who are relocating:

Did you know it takes a month to switch case counties
(aka “Intercounty Transfers”)?

I didn’t. If you rely on medication, this may be something you want to prepare for. It’s also good to know if you need a waiver for healthcare at your university.

You’ll want to have coverage at a facility under 30 miles away if you don’t want to pay at least $1,500.00 for a SHIP.

Ocean Cruisin’
canva.com

Not the nautical kind; I mean the (less exciting) Student Health Insurance Plan.

In the next paragraph, you’ll read how to get coverage statewide in CA without waiting a month—but if you need coverage in a specific county, say, for a SHIP waiver, skip to The Longcut below.

(NOTE: This article is most useful for folks in CA, but I’m interested to know how things work elsewhere. I hope people from other states find it useful too!)

The Shortcut:

Ask Health Care Options to Remove your County from your Case

Medi-Cal Managed Care logo  healthcareoptions.dhcs.ca.gov

The quickest method for ensuring Medi-Cal recipients can see a doctor is removing your case from all counties by calling Health Care Options at 800.430.4263. Have your social security number handy.

This way, you’ll have Medi-Cal coverage statewide—counties be damned! *shakes fist*

If you’ll need to see a doctor as soon as you move, make sure your Health Care Options representative enrolls you in a specific health plan/network over the phone when you call so you can actually choose an “in-network” doctor wherever you’ll be.

The logos for two CA health care services agencies, departments within the California Health and Human Services Agency
dhcs.ca.gov | cchealth.org

This doesn’t seem like the most effective way to get Medi-Cal coverage if you need it to waive university insurance though—universities often require that you have coverage within 30 miles of the campus.

So, how do you prove you have local coverage if you completely disassociate counties from your case? If you need to associate your coverage to a specific county, it’ll take a bit longer to get what you need done.

You’ll have to wait that month to switch!

The Longcut:

Ask your old county’s agency to disenroll you

I’d imagine one could simply call their Medi-Cal case worker (Medicaid if you’re in another state), but this isn’t what I did. I called Health Care Options here in CA, and they knew everything I needed to do to switch my case to my new county.

Follow these 3 steps:

1. Call your former county’s health services agency
2. Tell them you have Medi-Cal and need to switch your case to your current county.
3. Call Health Care Options (if in CA) to ensure you have
   1. enrolled in your new county’s health agency, and
   2. chosen a network based in your new county

Health Care Options (or any state agency facilitating the enrollment of Medicaid patients) should let you know if anything fell through the cracks—which happened in my case.

Disenrollment Letter

The two screenshots framing this sentence depict snail mail that the CA DHCS sends to notify recipients of changes in case county: one letter for disenrollment and the other for enrollment.

Enrollment Letter

When you receive these in the mail, you know your Medi-Cal case is actually being switched to your new county.

I had a hard time because my social security number had a typo in my original county’s system—yes, it can happen. They kept telling me I wasn’t Taylor Devarie whenever I gave them my true SSN. Only one digit off too >< Glad that ordeal is over!

RECAP – Three Takeaways

1. If you need coverage immediately, Californians can remove/dissassociate the county from their case by calling Health Care Options (HCO) at 800.430.4263
2. If you need your case county changed, call your original county health services agency and then verify the change with your state’s enrollment agency (HCO in CA)
3. Make sure you ask the representative to enroll you in a health & dental plan/network over the phone if they don’t bring it up. They should direct you to someone equipped to assist you.

More Useful CA Health Services Contact Info

Applying for Medi-Cal Services

1. 1. Medi-Cal/General Info: (medical applications found here) http://www.benefitscal.org
   2. Denti-Cal: 800.322.6384 (TTY 800.735.2922) | https://www.denti-cal.ca.gov
   3. CalFresh: 844.212.0003 | http://www.cdss.ca.gov/food-nutrition/calfresh

Enrolling in Medi-Cal Managed Care

1. 1. • Health Care Options/Medi-Cal Managed Care: 800.430.4263 (TTY 800.430.7077) | https://www.healthcareoptions.dhcs.ca.gov

Issues and Claims

1. 1. • CA State Ombudsman: 888.452.8609 | MMCDOmbudsmanOffice@dhcs.ca.gov

You can find these numbers and more (like how to appeal a claims denial) at https://www.healthcareoptions.dhcs.ca.gov/contact-us

 

Find anything wrong above? Have anything to add? Let me know in the comments!

Wishing you the best of health!

 

UPDATE 9/30/18: I tried to enroll in low-cost CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and was informed my case hadn’t switched over yet—and that you can’t just disassociate case from county for county CBT svcs specifically -.- I wonder why that is? Anywho, I got a call from my case worker in August with instructions on switching my case – hopefully things stuck and I’ll have a good update in October!

UPDATE 10/24/18: My case still hasn’t switched over. Though, a nice CBT professional has been going out of her way to help me navigate this Medi-Cal system (she has made it clear I’m not the only one confused by it). She left a message saying my case had a switch date in the system assigned to it now—November 1st. So I’ll have good news November 1st!

UPDATE 11/7/18: It’s my Red Letter Day! My case changed counties officially (and I received a letter in the mail stating it too). I was referred to a place offering CBT and EFT, as well as therapy I’ve never researched! Very excited, and ready to reap the benefits of local low-cost care!

DISCLAIMER: The material published on this website is intended for general information only and is not legal advice or other professional advice. To the extent permitted by law, I exclude any liability, including any liability for negligence, for any loss or damage arising from reliance on material on this website.

How Batgirl Saved Me

Babs did me a 24K solid during my TBI recovery

Okay, she didn’t really save my life.

But, she did something else that’s valuable: her character boosted my confidence at a time when I had ambitious goals to achieve but little strength and guidance with which to do so.

She ended up being a strong female role model whom I’d tap for strength and whose example I learned from when I felt lost and confused. The New 52 Batgirl also happens to be a big influence for Shroom Raider—so, I’ll give a little context on why Barbara Gordon is a great influence for Amanita Jones (or anyone else for that matter).

New 52 Batgirl | ©DC Entertainment

If you enjoy DC comics, you may know Gail Simone’s work well. She is a considerable influence on the style of Shroom Raider. . .in fact, Simone’s Batgirl trade paperbacks were the first thing I remember reading when I awoke from my coma in October 2014.

Wait, wait—what? Coma?

I awoke from a week-long coma in an ambulance (not that I had any idea what ambulances were at that point), rumbling along to the 3rd hospital I’d stay at after getting a rash of TBIs (Traumatic Brain Injuries). I was hit by a drunk driver on October 4th 2014. He drove his Ford F150 into my left hip and sent me flying 40+ feet onto my forehead.

The impact skid marks on my forehead left scars, but they’re gone now! Woohoo!

Let me tell you, recovering from TBIs feels like undergoing adolescence again. Actually, I could only describe what I personally felt upon waking as being “born again.” Pretty strange feeling. I’m just glad I didn’t have to go back to high school—but I did have to earn my driver’s license a second time. Naturally, the State revokes it if you contract a TBI.

The recovery process is like undergoing a second adolescence

The Feds don’t go easy on you either: did you know that over two-thirds¹ of SSDI applicants are denied benefits? They must undergo lengthy appeals processes to prove they’re in need (the litigation often takes years). So, I’m grateful that I’ve been able to keep jobs after my severe TBI.² And, I know it only helped to have Barbara Gordon as a fictional role model while I struggled to recover some semblance of my former life.

The netted bed I was confined to for hours daily

Following the injury,* my partner bought The New 52 Batgirl comics for me. As soon as I cared about reading again, after a few weeks, I absorbed Barbara Gordon’s story. I found in it a figure I could relate to from the confines of my netted bed. The story of a woman who struggles to regain her abilities after a devastating injury. And her ability to walk was stolen from her in an instant—boy, did I relate to that.

I eventually regained my balance thanks to the generosity of many.

The New 52 Barbara Gordon is funny, smart and imperfect³, and I relate to her struggle to regain former balance despite severe trauma and disability. For Barbara Gordon, this involves maintaining a convoluted docket of work and superheroing—not to mention personal life management, which involves roommate conflicts, romantic relationships (with her own therapist even), family disagreements and so much more.

Barbara’s wit, strength and courage helped me find my footing under pressure

In my personal experience, Barbara Gordon is an apt and wonderful role model for Traumatic Brain Injury survivors. If you are helping anyone heal from trauma and acclimate to a new way of living, you can help them rebuild self-confidence by gifting them The New 52 Batgirl comics. The comics helped me see my potential and aid redevelopment of my moral compass throughout a lengthy recovery.* I believe they’ve helped others too.

 

*the distinction between the words “accident” and “injury” are important to know if you want to understand this TBI survivor’s perspective. The man behind the steering wheel of that Ford F150 accelerated into me. There was no evidence he tried to stop (no skid marks found onsite). He made a mistake. But the situation wasn’t unexpected given the circumstances.  It wasn’t an accident.

*the term “recovery” is another one…the process is made one-dimensional by this term.

1 http://www.headinjuryrehab.org/assets/files/headinjuryrehab%20SSD.pdf

2 http://www.traumaticbraininjury.com/symptoms-of-tbi/severe-tbi-symptoms/

3 https://wtfdccomics.wordpress.com/2012/08/31/new-52-batgirl/

Credits

Thanks to my Dad, Ben Devarie, for the photos

Thanks to the many, many people who donated to my GoFundMe fundraiser and helped me in other forms during my time of need (we know who you are)

Thanks to all I might have forgotten

And thanks to you for reading this. This post is important to me.

 

First issue of Shroom Raider!

Hey there! It’s been awhile since my last post, but I’ve recently completed some new work – I’m trying my hand at comics!

I think comics are where it’s at in terms of storytelling.  What better way to tell a meaningful story than through semiotic mediums – or comics! Comics are unique because they are like languages –  they are systems of signs the reader must interpret to understand what the author intends to communicate (just think of any time the sequence of panels on a page threw off your understanding because you read the panels’ speech/narrative bubbles in a different order than the author intended).

Amanita Jones finds the legendary Pelo-Mo mushroom. | ©SCLeccentric

 

via Shroom Raider: Mushroom and Zombie Flambé

Above is page 16 from issue 1 of Shroom Raider – only one box of narrative here, not confusing at all heh 🙂 you can click through to the *entire* first issue of Shroom Raider, where we are introduced to our mushroom-foraging citizen detective, Amanita Jones (named after Amanita muscaria).

Sam (or SCLeccentric) based the character off of me. So if you think she resembles me, that’s the intention 🙂 Of course, I’m NOWHERE *near* as cool as Amanita is. But it’s always good to have goals!

Let me know what you think in the comments! We’ll be seeing Amanita again soon enough; I just finished a beat sheet for a new comic she’s featured in – exciting! See you all next time!

 

Adventures in Writing: Comics lettering (and editing)

[361 words, 2-4 minute read]

Hi folks! SCLeccentric just released another page of Shroom Raider, and I thought I should maybe share my lettering experience? Have you lettered a comic book before? I just lettered my fourth comic book page. Getting off to a slow start, but it’s goin’!

Issue 1: Mushroom and Zombie Flambé!

I like lettering because it requires great focus and is meditative.

The joy of lettering is that it gets me into a flow state: a state in positive psychology that indicates full immersion and enjoyment. I engage my breath and try to relax, which helps hone my focus while carefully drawing those lines. MUCH easier said than done, but practice makes perfect, right?

I tried a more flowery style the first three pages, which is pretty much my normal handwriting, but it’s just too much.

My first attempts at lettering. Work!

The style crowds the content in my opinion; it’s a bit distracting. Thus, I began writing sans serif and using all capital letters. It makes for cleaner lines and more consistent spacing in page/box margins and between lines. You can see the flowery style on pages one through four in the link below, and page five (and the new lettering style) is below the link:

Shroom Raider pages 1-4

And page five is below. You’ll see there’s a considerable difference between the two. I like the change anyway; it’s more fun to letter the second font. Hope you like the style too! Also, I edit the script before lettering it onto the page, and I’ll elaborate on that process soon—because, when it comes to writing, comic scripts are a whole different animal.

And! If you like these pages, or comics and illustration in general, definitely visit SCLeccentric.com for some illustrated laughs, adventure and excitement! See you soon!

Hello All, Last we checked, Shroom Raider was about to be eaten by a giant catfish! Will she make it? FYI, Psilocybin means “magic” mushrooms. That catfish should be tripping for a while. For once I actually have a few pages finished, so I can post consistently. Stay tuned, we will have another page for […]

via Shroom Raider Page 5 — SCLeccentric

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(Forageable) Fungi Fridays: Hevella lacunosa*

[250 words, 1-3 minute read]

This club-shaped fungus is called the elfin black saddle in North America, though the images I have make the Hevella lacunosa look more like the elfin black cloud 🙂 A conspicuous morel lookalike, the fluted hevella can be found under deciduous and coniferous trees.

Fun Fact: The root of its species name, lacunosa, is the latin noun ‘lacuna’ (lake, pool). Today, lacuna refers to a cavity or depression, or intervals. This refers to the fluted depressions and hollow stipe (stem) of the H. lacunosa.

So I tried them deep fried after reading they’re best prepared that way…and let’s just say I now understand why they are not choice. I won’t be collecting them again haha 🙂 they tasted really…mushroomy, which makes sense but doesn’t make this mushroom more desirable. I felt like I was eating fried chunks of thin gristle, but that’s probably a bit dramatic—they didn’t taste distinctive to me at all. But if you see these guys around and can cook them over heat, you don’t have to starve!

🍄🍄🍄

Genus: Hevella

Species: lacunosa

Edibility: Edible, but not (my) choice

*Disclaimer: This site is provided for informational purposes only. Taylor assumes no responsibility or liability for any consequences of readers actions. Though every reasonable effort is made to present current and accurate information, identifications may be incorrect (Taylor *is* a novice) – but that’s where community input helps! Please, feel free to correct misinformation you find (or just add your two cents) in the comments!

Happy foraging!

Fungi Fridays: Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis*

[280 words, 1-3 min read]

On certain rainy days, when the conditions are right and spores happened to touch down along your trails, the brilliant Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis can be seen popping through pine scrub and brush. These particular Laccaria are spectacular to behold after heavy rains. Bright, saturated blooms of purple shining through the mud and rain. I love being able to expect these on my rainy day hikes.

Found in the western US (in absence of L. amethystina, which is found in eastern states), the L. amethysteo-occidentalis is edible and smells delightful—to me at least! They give off a similar scent to blewits, what people often say smells like frozen orange juice. I’ve read that they are eaten in soup if eaten at all, but I rarely forage mushrooms in the Laccaria genus. Not meaty enough for (my) sustenance.

Stem is strongly grooved, and cap fits the id description to a T. These have a super distinctive cap, about 7 cm in diameter with a characteristic central depression. These ‘shrooms are much prettier to behold than they are enticing to eat. I can see why people use them in soup. Seems like they’ll break apart easily (not much use in a stir-fry).

 

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Genus: Laccaria

Species: amethysteo-occidentalis

Edibility: edible, not choice

Sources

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/laccaria_amethysteo-occidentalis.html

http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/54893-Laccaria-amethysteo-occidentalis

 

*Disclaimer: This site is provided for informational purposes only. Taylor assumes no responsibility or liability for any consequences of readers actions. Though every reasonable effort is made to present current and accurate information, identifications may be incorrect (Taylor *is* a novice)—but that’s where community input helps! Please, feel free to correct misinformation you find (or just add your two cents) in the comments!

Happy foraging!

Fungi Fridays: Hypholoma fasciculare*

[200 words, 1-2 min read]

Hypholoma fasciculare, or the Common Sulfur Tuft

I don’t know of any edible lookalikes for this ‘shroom, what looks like the Hypholoma fasciculare (a.k.a. the Common Sulfur Tuft). The Hypholoma capnoides, or Conifer Tuft, is questionably edible, but sources say to steer clear of it. Besides,  people report this mushroom is extremely bitter—so you probably wouldn’t like it anyway.

They commonly grow from wood OR soil, depending on the species. Fasciculare is usually found on dead or decaying conifer stumps. Sulfur Tufts are also known as the Sulphur Tuft or Clustered Woodlover, and they often grow in bunches in absence of any other mushrooms.

 

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Genus: Hypholoma

Species: fasciculare

Edibility: inedible

Sources

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/hypholoma_fasciculare.html

http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Hypholoma_fasciculare.html

 

*Disclaimer: This site is provided for informational purposes only. Taylor assumes no responsibility or liability for any consequences of readers actions. Though every reasonable effort is made to present current and accurate information, identifications may be incorrect (Taylor *is* a novice)—but that’s where community input helps! Please, feel free to correct misinformation you find (or just add your two cents) in the comments!

Happy foraging!

Fungi Fridays: Amanita phalloides*

[690 words, 3-5 min read]

The Amanita genus is famed for its deadly mushrooms. This genus can be trouble, but there are a few edible species in it. Amanita caesarea (Caesar’s Mushroom) is a highly regarded edible, and the species Amanita hemibapha, commonly known as the Half-dyed Slender Caesar, is edible as well.

I’m thinking the depicted pale mushrooms are Amanita phalloides, commonly known as Death Caps. I didn’t get the best look at these for identification purposes, but they were beautiful from afar! Many Amanita phalloides images depict fruit with greener caps than these two depicted mushrooms, but their distinctive volvas and pale coloration are red flags to me, and they’re just too immature to know what color they’ll turn.

Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the Fly Agaric

The beautiful (but toxic) Amanita muscaria, commonly known as Fly Agaric, is in the same genus as the phalloides. Muscaria has been traditionally used as an insecticide and sprinkled in milk to attract unsuspecting flies. It also has religious significance in Siberian culture due to hallucinogenic properties caused by ibotenic acid, muscimol, etc. and many cultures reportedly use it as an intoxicant. Apparently, humans have found many uses for this ‘shroom!

As for reported toxicity, North American deaths from Amanita muscaria compounds have been documented as recently as 2012 though—which means people are safest steering clear of this mushroom.

Likely Amanita phalloides, the Death Cap. Related to muscaria

This is as good a time as any to consider the possibility of poisonings, as they *are* a real danger in foraging. David Fischer of Americanmushrooms.com has a logical view on the practice, and below are some of his words concerning the hallmarks of intelligent foraging, how average people regularly avoid poisonings and who qualifies as an “expert”:

“Millions of North Americans pick and eat wild mushrooms every year, without as much as a belly ache.

Are they “experts”? Yes! At least, they are experts on the edible wild mushrooms they know. Either their parents or grandparents taught them how to identify morels, or puffballs, or meadow mushrooms, or they have a good field guide and they read it… or both.

No one with a reasonable understanding of the importance of properly identifying mushrooms—with a serious awareness that some species are fatally toxic—falls victim to the Death Cap. The folks who eat Death Caps do not use field guides: they just pick the damned things and eat them. No trip to the library. No reading. No spore prints. No idea what a “partial veil” is or what “gill attachment” means.

So… Is it really dangerous to eat wild mushrooms?

How dangerous is it to drive a car? If you’re drunk or careless, it is VERY dangerous; if you’re sensible and pay attention, it is reasonably safe.

Amanita muscaria, related to the phalloides

Consider this: Would you pick and eat an unfamiliar berry simply because it “looked good”? Of course not. Finding, identifying, preparing, and eating wild mushrooms can be a delightful pasttime—IF it is done intelligently.

Otherwise, it is a terrible “accident” waiting to happen.”

I’m so grateful for all the mushroom knowledge made available thanks to the diligent study and reporting of mycologists around the world. They make it possible to forage intelligently.

 

edit 2/3/17: I replaced all instances of “Destroying Angel” with “Death Cap”. “Destroying Angel” fungi are also poisonous, but this colloquial term usually refers to A. bisporigera, A. virosa and A. magnivelaris, NOT A. phalloides. There is a European (spring destroying angel) A. verna which resembles A. phalloides. A HUGE thanks to 1left for bringing this to my attention, whose blog is a wonderland of knowledge about wildcraft and foraging. You should check it out.

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Genus: Amanita

Species: phalloides

Edibility: inedible – highly toxic

Sources:

https://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/mar2002.html

http://americanmushrooms.com/deathcap.htm

http://www.bayareamushrooms.org/education/further_reflections_amanita_muscaria.html

*Disclaimer: This site is provided for informational purposes only. Taylor assumes no responsibility or liability for any consequences of readers actions. Though every reasonable effort is made to present current and accurate information, identifications may be incorrect (Taylor *is* a novice) – but that’s where community input helps! Please, feel free to correct misinformation you find (or just add your two cents) in the comments!

Happy foraging!

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(Forageworthy) Fungi Flashback Fridays: Cantharellus californicus*

[680 words, 3-5 min read]

Some call them the mud puppy or oak chanterelle, while others call this choice edible the California Golden chanterelle. Whatever they’re called colloquially, I found them for the first time a few months ago! Chanterelles are known for their earthy taste and apricot-tinged scent, and they can be spied in the oaky woodlands of coastal California. Foragers have found soil rich with this edible gold as far north as Mendocino county and as far south as San Diego county.

You can see why some call them “mud puppies”…

But the new fungi fanatic may not have much practice identifying mushrooms…so how does a forager know she’s hit the jackpot?  There is one well-known and poisonous lookalike: the reportedly bioluminescent Jack O’ Lantern (the common species in the western U.S. is Omphalotus olivascens, while olearius is in Europe). The way that I make sure chanterelles aren’t actually fool’s gold is by comparing gill structures. See a comparison between Omphalotus olivascens and Cantharellus californicus below:

Omphalotus olivascens (left)/Cantharellus californicus (right)

See how the Jack O’ Lantern (left) has deep, broad folds of gills, while the California Golden chanterelle has forked, gill-like ridges that are much shallower? Additionally, I have never seen chanterelles in clusters at bases of trees. I have only seen single fruitings of chanterelles growing in fairy rings on hilly land. I found them amongst leafy litter below a hilltop of Live Oak trees.

Omphalotus olivascens (Jack O’ Lantern)

A note on the reported bioluminescence of the Jack O’ Lantern: bioluminescence would be a solid way to confirm whether or not you’ve found fool’s gold or the real thing, as there are zero reports of glowing Cantharellus specimens. But Michael Kuo of Mushroomexpert.com reports there is no validity to the claim that Omphalotus olivascens and related fungi glow in the dark. Perhaps one evening I’ll pass a glowing Jack O’ Lantern in a dark forest…that’d be awesome, but I won’t hold my breath after reading Kuo’s account!

Ready for stewing!

Anyway, chanterelles aren’t my favorite fungi to forage (I like oysters and blewits a lot more, read more about oysters here), but they’re more than edible. In fact, California Golden chanterelles are the most substantial, meaty mushroom I’ve ever tried. They’d probably be great for pickling, if you’re into that.

When I cooked them, I first stewed the chanterelles to increase palatability/edibility. I was surprised at how fibrous and meaty this mushroom is, and I knew I needed to increase the shroom’s tenderness if I hoped to make a palatable dinner.

Stewing chanterelles

Next, I added them to a base of sautéed onions, garlic and herbs, and gravied them heartily. Then I served them over rice with peas 😋

*Looks* just like chicken…but doesn’t taste like it…texture reminded me of cooked bamboo. Flavor wasn’t as distinctive to me as other edible mushrooms.

There are apparently over 500 scientific names applied to the genus Cantharellus, but less than 100 of them are considered scientifically valid. And all of them are edible (as far as I’ve seen in my research), so you are likely to have some species of forageworthy Cantharellus near you.

What Cantharellus species have you identified? Or, have you found mushrooms you *think* are in this genus, but can’t identify? Share your findings in the comments!

The next (Forageworthy) Fungi Flashback Friday will see a post on blewits. I’m fascinated with them right now, and they’re absolutely *amazing* when roasted. Thanks for reading, and see you next time!

🍄🍄🍄

Genus:  Cantharellus

Species: californicus

Edibility: choice (though not my jam)

Turbinellus floccosus a.k.a. the Wooly chanterelle or Scaly chanterelle; vase-shaped like the chanterelle but part of the Gomphus genus

 

References:

http://www.davidarora.com/uploads/arora_dunham_chanterelles.pdf

http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Omphalotus_olivascens.html

http://www.bayareamushrooms.org/mushroommonth/chanterelle.html

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/omphalotus_olearius.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantharellus

 

*Disclaimer: This site is provided for informational purposes only. Taylor assumes no responsibility or liability for any consequences of readers actions. Though every reasonable effort is made to present current and accurate information, identifications may be incorrect (Taylor is a novice) – but that’s where community input helps! Please, feel free to correct misinformation you find (or just add your two cents) in the comments!

Happy foraging!