Infundibulicybe / clitocybe geotropa, Funnel cap, Monks head, Rickstones.

'fungi know no boundries'

The 'Clitocybe geotropa' is a magnificent mushroom to see trooping on the open edges of deciduous woodland. common names include Trooping funnel cap, Monks head, and in Scotland 'rickstones'. Generally making an appearance mid to late October and lasting until mid November and a welcome addition to the basket for drying. As you can see from the pictures they'll easily fill up  a basket, slice one to ensure they are in good condition and haven't be tunnelled by insects.

This one's good but damp,drying will take longer

The caps can grow quite large up to 25cm at times.

Troop of  young Clitocybe geotropa

 Clitocybe geotropa. 
Cap, Up to 25 cm, at first convex then maturing in to funnel shape, creamy off white.
Gills, Creamy white, deep, thin like blades.
Stem, Thick, strong when young, weaker with age slightly  bulbous at base.
Flesh, Thick,firm.
Smell, Mildly sweet- pleasant, non distinct.
Spores,White
Habitat, Broad leaf woods and margins.
Season, Mid October -mid November.

Cooking,unless used when young not a great stand alone mushroom, young button caps fried with garlic are nice, otherwise best dried for use in soups and sauces in combination with other mushrooms. Well worth collecting for quick bulking of the larder..

REMEMBER TO ALWAYS CROSS REFERENCE WHEN TRYING TO I.D A MUSHROOM.
I find the site below is good and often check in for tips and references.
 https://sites.google.com/site/scottishfungi/eating-fungi/identifying-fungi-to-eat/edible-fungi

Honey Fungus, 'Opienka Miodowa', Armillaria mellea

Honey Fungus

'Opienka miodowa'  or 'pine honey' in loose translation from the Polish name for Honey Fungus, I've known about this for  mushroom for years, it grew all a stump out behind the kitchen and around the grounds at Ardtara Country House where I worked years ago. I first started to take an interest in observing mushrooms and the idea of actually picking them for use around that time. Despite the positive i.d from the use of guide books I erred on the side of caution and since then have managed to happily walk by them in search of other things.
This year however with the lack of other things to fill my basket (a wire mesh bicycle basket that also doubles as a fishing basket when needed) I was glad to be in the company of one of my co-workers Tomas,' Opienka' were like manna from heaven for him on an-otherwise fungi-less morning.Tomas learnt what he knows about picking mushrooms from his father  so I was happy to learn from him and we picked a load. We each kept some and brought some to work for pickling to be used at a later date.

Young Honey fungus, growing with pine.

Honey Fungus gathered, always pack a few spare bags when foraging.

We first trimmed then washed the mushroom for pickling and used only the smaller ones, this is important, only ever preserve the freshest and best mushrooms.The larger ones we used for sauces and in soups, Honey Fungus must always be boiled in water first, then this water discarded before use.Eating raw Honey fungus causes indigestion.

 'The mixer'Tom measures up 1 part Polish 10%spirit vinegar to 4 parts water

     Different people have different preferences of the vinegar used, this one is strong being 10% spirit based  so a 1-4 ratio was used if less strong vinegar is used the ratio would need to be adjusted. salt pepper, sugar and a little mace were also added to the brine mix.

All things ready to pickle

The washed mushroom,sterilised jars and thinly sliced vegetables for colour and flavour (and indeed to eat along with the mushrooms when the time comes) with water and brine on the boil.

the mushrooms first boiled then the water discarded, then the mushrooms were boiled in the brine with the vegetables for 2 mins before jarring.

Boil for approximately 15 mins, then discard the water.

Fill the sterilised jars with the mushrooms then the boiled pickling brine. 

Jarred and upended to ensure the seal, to be ate at a later date.

These will be enjoyable in the depth of winter and perfect for pre dinner nibbles on a special occasion,  there's a kick of the vinegar but the texture and taste of the mushrooms come through.This year has been poor for mushrooms and I only got onto these late, by the time I got out foraging again frost had put and end to any remaining mushrooms, next year I won't pass them by. 

Flaky Pastry

With all the fruit and fungi that are going to about in the next month or so I predict a lot of tarts and pies being made, Flaky pastry offers the sensation of Puff pastry with less of the hassle, it's handy to make and can be frozen down in batches,
For the recipe I'm going to turn to Gary Rhodes,a culinary hero from the Nineties, his book 'New British Classics' is loaded with all the Basic recipes you'll need backed up with where your food comes from notes, well worth looking it up and getting a copy, another book from the nineties worth getting your hands on for great recipes, stories of rural life in France, and wonderful photography is 'Memories of Gascony' by Pierre Koffmann which is republished at the moment.

Flaky Pastry
Ingredients.
150gms 11oz Butter, chilled
227gms 1lb plain flour
1/2 tspn Salt
120ml, approximately 4 fl oz cold water.

Method.
Cut the butter into small cubes (about the size of a sugar cube).
Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl add the water, and cut it in with a stiff blade, you'll still see pieces of butter showing.
Turn the pastry out on to a floured work surface and press or roll out into a rectangle shape approximately 45x15cm/ 18x6“.
Fold in the right hand one third and then fold in the left hand side over that, wrap pastry leave to rest for 20minutes.
Repeat this rolling and folding
process three more times in the same fashion, resting it for 20mins between each turn.

That's your pastry ready, there's enough to make one traditional sized pie or tart, or three open tarts, or folded pies.

To make a mushroom tart, Take 2/3 of your pastry, divide in two and rolled to fit your plate-keep it chilled and resting in the fridge until needed, 25gms/10z diced onion, 1 clove garlic crushed,250gms wild or cultivated mushrooms-thinly sliced, 25gms butter, 25gms grated parmesan, 25ml/1floz cream, salt and pepper to season.To a warm pan add the butter then fry the onions and garlic without colour until soft, add the mushrooms season lightly and cook until softened add the cream and bring to the boil, finally add the cheese, taste and adjust the seasoning and leave to cool before placing on the tart base then dampen the edges place the 2nd piece of pastry on top, bake in an oven at 180c/350f until golden brown.

Open Mushroom Tart

Folded Hedgehog Mushroom pie

To make a Fig tart, 4-5 Black figs and a third of the pastry rolled into a rectangle approximately 12''X4'',place the pastry onto a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper, make a incision 1/2'' for each of the length edges without cutting all the way through. Slice your figs into neat rounds dust with icing/powdered sugar then lay them onto the centre of your tart overlapping them neatly, bake in a hot oven at 180c/350f until golden brown.

Fig Tart