WriterByNature.com

There’s something really magical about finding a fresh mushroom in the woods.

Now that I have experts to consult, I’m motivated to take photos and harvest potential new foods.

I sent this off to George Johanson and a few other COMA folks and sure enough, this is a wild mushroom known as Dryad’s Saddle (Polyporus squamosus). It smelled tasty, but I know enough to be cautious.

I was looking for morels when I spotted these young mushrooms. I might not have seen them if I had not been exploring beneath the leaf litter.

Once I got home, I kept the mushrooms in a cool dry place in a paper bag. When I learned they are indeed as desirable as morels, I chopped them, marinated them in olive oil and then sautéed them.

I saved the marinade, which has a delicate mushroom oil flavor.