Thanks! You are probably right. I haven’t paid as much attention to identification for these as I should.

Dehydration holds that specificity. So does fat. Cook them down in butter or oil until they surrender all their water, pack them dense, freeze them flat. Later, mid-February, you'll open that bag and October returns. Not despite preservation. Because of it. Place and time, captured in mushroom form.

What's popping up where you are? I'm tracking what's fruiting across regions for my weekly mushroom newsletter.

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Maitake (Hen of the Woods) at oak bases: looks like a flower explosion. Lion's Mane on dying hardwoods: can't mistake those white icicle teeth. Honey Mushrooms clustering on stumps. But seriously, Maitake season is maybe 2-3 weeks in most places. Don't sleep on it.

The newsletter is free and comes out every week. If you're curious at all about mushrooms, from foraging safely, growing your own, or just cooking them better, this is for you.

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Mushrooms are everywhere, but most people don't know much beyond "they taste earthy" or that you find them in the woods. I want to educate by making mushrooms easy to understand and enjoyable to read about: Cultivation, foraging, cooking, and science. All approachable. All useful.

Every week, I cover whatever part of the mushroom world feels worth exploring in the newsletter. How to cook hen of the woods so it's crispy. The difference between home-grown shiitake and store-bought. New research on lion's mane that doesn't sound like a supplement ad. Whatever sounds interesting.