First Show in June

Spuddy. Hi.
The poor mushroom has such a bad reputation as a killer. There are hundreds of varieties and most of them are harmless. About five or six of them will kill and another twenty or so will make you sick as a dog for a week or two. Of the remainder about two thirds are so tough and/or woody and bad tasting that you won't want to eat them anyhow.
Statistically, you stand a better chance of running into a psychotic serial killer than you do of running into a fatal mushroom.
Having said that, I must warn every one that it is not a good idea to invite new people, or new mushrooms into your home until you have checked them out.
Identifying mushrooms is a skill that must be learned and the best way to learn is to spend time with an experienced schroomer. This is not as easy as it sounds. I will take you with me, but I will blindfold you. I will gladly share my knowledge of mushrooms, but my favorite foraging spots are top secret. ( If I tell you, I will have to kill you. ) Check out every book you can find. DO NOT trust the internet. Any fool can post on the web. I suppose that any fool can write a book, too, but there are more checks and balances in place with legitimate publishing. Look for good illustrations. A skillful drawing is worth a thousand photographs.
At first, a lot of mushrooms will look alike, but as you get more familiar with spore patterns and gill formation and growing environments, the differences will begin to stand out.
Always take notice of preparation instructions. A lot of stuff that is dangerous in the raw will be perfectly safe when cooked, mushrooms included.
Shrooming is nowhere near as dangerous as it may seem. In fact you stand a better chance of being poisoned by the wild berries and greens that you forage. Hemlock looks delicious.
NEVER, EVER, eat a full serving the first time you try something new. Just because I can eat the stuff does not mean that you will not get an adverse reaction.
Don't get hung up on local names. A name that is applied to a mushroom here may mean a whole different mushroom a few miles down the road. When I was growing up, two of my favorite mushrooms were called "angel of death" and "death cap". Whoever named them must have had a twisted sense of humour. Maybe he just didn't want anyone else taking "his" mushrooms.
I really encourage all of you to get to know your local wild larder. There are a million delicious and nutritious possibilities out there. And they're all FREE.
June.