Magic grows in the beautiful forests of the California Central Coast. The smell of rich earth and forest awakens your senses, while the towering redwoods and pines draw your eyes upward. But the real magic can be found in the opposite direction, at the base of these giants.
Growing in colorful, waxy spires or round, wrinkled discs, mushrooms have become the coveted treasures of the coastline forests. Many people who fear fungi’s poisonous traits have avoided them, but a new group of enthusiasts and experts has helped redefine the magic of mushrooms and their delectable, edible qualities.
Dennis Sheridan of San Luis Obispo is one of those experts; his infatuation with this special fungus started some 30 years ago.
“I started out photographing them. The diversity of the mushrooms is so exciting,” Sheridan said. “Eventually, I wanted to learn more about their natural history.”
Part of that natural history has to do with the “partnerships” fungi form with the plants around them. According to Sheridan, mushrooms are known as mycorrhizal—they help the plants and trees around them from underground.
“They are extremely important, even in our own gardens,” Sheridan explained. “All wild plants have relationships with fungi.”
Not satisfied with simply photographing fungi, he eventually became interested in identifying different mushrooms and finding out which were edible. The expert shared that there are about 20 to 25 species of edible mushroom on the Central Coast.
Sheridan said that part of the mushroom renaissance has been spurred by a “return to nature movement.” Particularly in California, citizens are trying to harvest more of what the land provides in terms of food and resources, and that includes foraging for wild mushrooms and plants.
“I love to be out in the woods, connect with nature, and spend time in new places,” Sheridan said. “I think I lead five or six walks a year now.”
Compared to 30 years ago, when Sheridan was first discovering wild mushrooms, he said their popularity has drastically increased. There are now numerous societies, federations, clubs, and festivals dedicated to gathering the wild fungus.
That includes the Big Sur Foragers Festival, which just held its second event this year; Sheridan leads walks for this festival as well. A joint event between the Big Sur Health Center and Ventanna Inn, festivities include fungus-cooking competitions between renowned chefs, a plethora of beer and wines, and mushroom walk-and-talks.
Sharen Carey, event coordinator for the festival, said it also includes displays of other foraged items that can be found on the Central Coast. Carey shared that this past event was a major success; they saw thousands of visitors at the venue.
“I have seen the entire foraging interest grow in the last few years; buying and harvesting locally is much more popular,” Carey said. “It’s part of a whole movement that is emphasizing organically and locally grown products as well as being responsible environmental citizens.”
Among the most popular type of mushrooms to forage are chanterelles. They grow like large, beautiful, orange jewels at the base of trees. Easy to spot, these mushrooms have their own mild flavor, Carey said, but are favored in the kitchen because they take on the flavors of the food they’re cooked with. Sheridan described chanterelles as having an unmistakable smell and a texture similar to that of an avocado.
“Foraging for chanterelles in Big Sur has been popular for many years,” Carey said. “My grandson uses chanterelles to make pizza, stew, and raviolis—it’s really beautiful.”
Other popular edible fungi include boletes, morels, king boletes, and black chanterelles.
“Black chanterelles are interesting because they have a very earthy flavor and pronounced aroma, but they aren’t as plentiful,” Carey said.
While both Sheridan and Carey admitted that mushroom foragers don’t like to reveal the locations of their “stash spots,” edible mushrooms can most easily be found in oak woodlands (most known for chanterelles), near redwoods, or in the dense pine forests of Cambria; there are mushrooms for eating in both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
Carey, who loves to cook with mushrooms, describes foraging as a wonderful pastime.
“I just think it’s great to go out and harvest directly from the land,” Carey said. “When we find chanterelles on our property, we know Mother Nature put them there for us.”
She added that some of the appeal also comes from cooking something fresh—not produce that has been sitting in a grocery store for days after passing through many hands.
What makes mushrooms even more magical, Sheridan said, is that they can be used for more than just cooking.
“On my walks, I try not to just comment on their edible qualities but their different uses,” Sheridan said. “They are used for medicines and are responsible for our wine and beer industry.”
Unfortunately, due to the lack of rain this last year, Sheridan and Carey shared that foraging hasn’t been as prosperous as in recent years.
“This year was tough, but that’s how it goes with the rain,” Sheridan said.
While foraging for mushrooms presents a unique and exciting opportunity to explore new terrain and get in touch with your “greener” side, there are some ethical issues to be considered. A recent report from NPR revealed that there have been problems with unethical foraging, primarily in Northern California. Some foragers are trespassing on state park property, using illegal trails, and over-harvesting mushrooms. Because of this, experts said mushroom growing grounds are taking a beating.
“During our walks throughout the year and our festival, we encourage people to go to local areas where it is legal, such as parts of Big Sur and the Los Padres National Forest,” Carey said.
A general rule of thumb for mushroom foragers is to leave it there if the fungus is smaller than the thumb, and to minimize disturbance of the environment as much as possible.
There’s also a certain amount of risk when it comes to foraging mushrooms, so both Carey and Sheridan’s biggest tip for novice foragers is education first.
“I strongly recommend they hook up with someone who is knowledgeable, because there are a lot of deadly mushrooms out there,” Carey said. “There are different classes and experts that can help you identify safe mushrooms.”
Sheridan added that the biggest key is being able to identify the different types of mushrooms and knowing which ones are safe to eat.
If you’re craving some mushroom flavor and adventure, check out the Santa Cruz Fungus Federation website for classes and mushroom walks at ffsc.us.
Staff Writer Kristina Sewell likes to draw mushrooms. Contact her at ksewell@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 5-12, 2014.