"Shaggy Mane" Mushrooms are blooming like crazy right now in September. They are only good for an hour or so after picking, so we don't sell them. I have considered selling jars of starter to those who want to grow these themselves. These are delicious as babies, prepared in casseroles, especially with fish. Due to their high water content, they don't do as well sauteed.
They aren't here for long, though, so we take advantage of it while we can. While these are not the "Alcohol Inky Cap" shaggy mushrooms, it is not recommended to drink alcohol while eating them. They can sometimes contain a substance that prevents the body from detoxifying alcohol and can cause tingling, flushing and rapid heart beat. These symptoms disappear after a few hours.
The shaggy mane mushrooms do not keep well. They start to dissolve into an inky liquid just an hour or so after picking. The enzyme that causes this can be destroyed with heat so I cut them in half and flash fry in the skillet. They can be frozen after a quick fry, or so I have read. Our's never last that long.
These mushrooms are also known as "ink" mushrooms and, indeed, do produce a black ink when mature, that has been used for writing and drawing, in the past. I have not tried this, but may do some mushroom drawings with the mushroom ink. Interesting concept...
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