Beefsteak Fungus at Tescos?

[Gledders1075]

I was just about to set off for a nice Sunday morning mushroom hunt and I was reminded that my daughter needed new wellingtons . So before I could take her to do the fun stuff, I went to Tescos to get her a pair. In the carpark was a big old oak tree so (being in a mushroom hunting mood) we though we would just have a look incase there was anything intersting underneath it.

To my amazment I found this Beefsteak Fungus...







It's a bit damaged in the photos and wherever it was touched on the tubes it stained red. Flesh when cut was initially cream on the underside but then stained bright red. There seem to be three fungi growing as one on this one...

I am planning on eating this tomorrow so if anyone knows that it is anything different then please let me know.

Thank you...

[NickCantle]

It's Fistulina hepatica alright. How do you plan to eat it?

[Gledders1075]

Currently some of it has been cut in to strips and is soaking in milk (as I have read that it has an acidic taste...) Then I might add some of it to a beef stew and dry the rest in my biltong dryer for later.

[NickCantle]

Sounds like you've got it sussed pal

[Nick_in_Scotland]

At first I thought you meant the shop was selling it . I wonder what the price displayed would have been??

[KeenTeen17]

I thought that's what u meant as well! Its beefsteak alright. I think its only supposed to grow on oak and ?willow?

Its surprising what you can find in the middle of towns. A friend of mine found a patch of 40+ southern marsh orchids and 83 bl helleborines on industrial land!

[Gledders1075]

I think that the other tree that this grows on is sweet chestnut.

I tasted a bit this morning... It's not as sour as I thought it was going to be Also raw it smells like a fresh coconut??

[sarah64]

Originally Posted by Gledders1075

I think that the other tree that this grows on is sweet chestnut.

I tasted a bit this morning... It's not as sour as I thought it was going to be Also raw it smells like a fresh coconut??

What was it like then?? I've found this once but didn't eat it, it just looked so... so... bloody. Just kiddin of course

[Dutchess]

Well, the title caught me out, too! My current fav is the Chestnut mushroom, currently available *inside* Tesco! Yum.

D.

[Nick_in_Scotland]

Originally Posted by Dutchess

Well, the title caught me out, too! My current fav is the Chestnut mushroom, currently available *inside* Tesco! Yum.

D.

I like Chestnut mushrooms too, their flavour rivals the best wild mushrooms in my opinion and they've got a nice firm crunchy texture. I believe that they are the same species as the more usual white cultivated (Agaricus bisporus? hortensis?) mushroom but they are simply a different variety, hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong . I seem to recall that Chestnuts were called "Paris Browns" when they first appeared in the shops some years ago.

Nick.