Posted: Mon Oct 12, 15 1:54 pm Post subject: field blewits/juniper
i came across a new patch today ,got 3 medium sized ones so i went to check one of my regular spots and got a kilo or so.
i recon a couple of coldish nights has dropped the soil temp enough to get them fruiting.
it might be worth having a look at your favorite places
the juniper berries are ready as well so i got half a kilo of them(a years supply) there was at least another 100k in the trees so it seems it has been a good year for them.
i cant imagine they go well together but never mind
the blewits are doing well ,i got quite a few today and there seems to be a good crop of many autumnal shrooms (not that i spotted anything more edible than horrid or dead )
Are they worth it ? - Dunno mate - They don't taste very "mushroomy" but some say they have a pleasant "flowery" taste. They're not UNpleasant, and I eat a lot of them. They can cope with being frozen solid and thawing out though and they absorb a lot of water if it's damp or rains, so you sort of partly fry and partly boil them - just let them steam away until the water is gone and then eat them.
Let's put it like thsi - I do eat oysters because of the fact that I can - but if you're looking forward to oysters, Blewitts could be a real treat ! Wood Blewitts are nicer imo
Edited to say - Blewitts are also easy to find as they grow in "fairy rings" !
button sized field blewits are delicious fried ,in quiche etc, or in stews and curries,big wet ones are best salted,smoked and pickled.ignore any that are wormy or dissolving (as usual practice).see smoked mushrooms for methods.
they grow through the winter and tolerate frost well unless the soil is deep frozen so a patch is worth visiting regularly even after chilly weather
wood blewits are ok as well but seen quite rare in the north.
oysters are ok ,they smoke and pickle well
of the cold weather shrooms my favourites are velvet shanks(dont eat the shank as it has the texture of dock stems )
Slim
Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 6612 Location: New England (In the US of A)
but never mind 
Wood Blewitts are nicer imo
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