Sunshine & Parasols

Fortunately the sun came out today a little (I say a little, because 'it' still made it rain quite a lot, just to make the point that 'it' can whenever 'it' wants to). God or no god, somebody up there is having a laugh.

My mum has decided she is coming to stay next week as she wants to see the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park. I think she will enjoy it, but I hope the weather holds long enough for the temporary gardens to be laid, and for the people to visit. It is on something like next Thursday to Sunday or some such.

If there is a downside, it is that we felt we should do a bit of a decoration makeover to the stair, spare bedroom and bathroom. Not that she is fussy (shes not) but want to make it nice. Problem is, I was also supposed to be working, having lost two days in Isle of Man this week. Solution is to induct a new painting and decorating sub-contractor in the guise of daughter J, now back from Sheffield until University starts in September. Nice to have her here of course, though a bit galling to have to pay 3 months rent on her new student house. Not like that in my day, but seems the norm now.

So, all this led to a late morning in B&Q Northwich buying in supplies. On the way home I thought I would pop over to photo the Anderton Boat Lift (see Blipfolio), but wasn't that impressed at the view from it's top end. One the drive back, I passed through Great Budworth when I suddenly spotted a string of 6 Parasol mushrooms (see Blipfolio). I knew these were Parasols (Macrolepiota procera) because I had fallen a bit ill previously after picking and eating the very similar Shaggy Parasols (Macrolepiota rhacodes).

The charming John Wright, who you usually see with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (and who I had the pleasure to sit next to once when attending a River Cottage Mushroom Foraging Day Course), puts it simply in his brilliant titled book Mushrooms that Parasols smell of boiled milk and Shaggy Parasols bruise red when cutting. As long as you don't pick anything under 12cm in diameter, you can't go wrong it seems.

I can't say I am an expert, but as well as the Parasols, I can at least separate standard field and horse mushrooms from the similar and poisonous 'yellow-staining' cousins; and can do all the other easy ones like: Giant Puffball (only 2 ever found and eaten though); Shaggy Inkcap; and hedgehog mushroom.

I decided not to be greedy and just pick one today as MrsB has an aversion to wild-wild food (slugs and dogs cocking their legs mainly). This was a beauty at about 30cm high and 20cm in diameter. If you look at its scale in relation to my car passenger seat, you get the idea.

If there are no blips tomorrow, you will know what has happened tonight. If I do live, I might go back and get another. Fingers crossed then.

Postscript: Two days later, everything is dandy. However was thinking it is perhaps not a good idea for me to in any way encourage mushroom hunting based on my limited knowledge alone. Consider yourself warned and advised to seek professional guidance, and myself extracted from any culpability.