Wild Mushrooms and Fungi Guide

Welcome to the Celtnet guide to wild mushrooms and fungi. As this recipe site has grown it has become necessary to split out and make more readily acessible various sub-sections of the site. The number of mushroom and fungi described on this site has not grown large enough that they warrant their own page, as well as being described amongst the other wild foods on the site. These pages are an attempt at bringing all links to the fungi described here into one place. To use this guide simply click on the image or the name of the fungus described below. This will take you through to a page describing the mushroom/fungus and which also provides links on this site to recipes describing the means of preparation of that mushroom or fungus.

This is the description page for Shaggy Ink Cap (Coprinus comatus) and includes a description as well as an image, if available and a selection of recipes from this site that relates to the wild foodstuff: Shaggy Ink Cap.

The Shaggy Ink Cap, Coprinus comatus (also known as Lawyer's Wig, or Shaggy Mane) is a species of basidomycete fungus (filamentous fungi composed of hyphae that reproduce sexually) and is a member of the Agaricaceae (agaricus) family that have black spore prints. It is a fairly common species in and around towns, often on mown verges. It is typically gregarious in nature and is found on the wooded verges of parks and common ground. Globally, it is widespread in temperate regions (it is commercially grown in China) and typically friuts initially in September but is most common October and can continue fruiting through November. This is quite a large mushroom (it can grow between 10 and 25cm tall) and initally they look like pale fingers sticking up from the ground. At this initial stage (when they should be picked) no stem is visible. As the mushroom matures they resemble a rugby ball in shape and the outersurfac breaks up into shaggy scales (the top will be a muddy brown). As the mushroom opens further the base of the cap reveals the gills which begin as white then turn pink and then black. At this stage the cap pulls away from the stem and the dge of the cap begins to deliquesce, releasing the spores in a black liquid (the ink). Mature, open, specimens should not be picked. The stem is smooth, white and hollow and tends to shatter when picked. It is broader at the base and bears a single movable ring (which may have been rubbed off).

The gills are crowded but free, begin white then turn pink and finally black. The flesh is white and thin and when young has a mild and pleasantly mushroomy aroma. The spore print is black. The mushroom must be picked young and should be eaten as soon as possible (at least within an hour of picking) as enzymes withing the mushroom will quicky lead to its liquefying, though keeping the stem intact will help keep it a little longer.

There is only one species with which the shaggy ink cap can esily be confused and that's the Common Ink Cap (Coprinus atramentarius) which tends to be smaller and more bell-shaped in form. The cap is more pointed and bears small fawn scales rather than shaggy scales. Common ink cap contains the amino acid coprine, which reacts badly with alcohol leading to vomiting and diarhoea. It's best to avoid the common ink cap completely.

Shaggy Inkcap Mushroom Catsup
Baked Egg and Shaggy Ink Caps
Shaggy Ink Cap Mushroom Soup
Fried Shaggy Ink Caps
Poached Shaggy Ink Caps
Polenta with Braised Leeks and Shaggy Ink Caps