Welcome to the Wild Foods Guide Page for: Shaggy Ink Cap (Coprinus comatus)

Wild Food Guide For: Shaggy Ink Cap



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Mushrooms and Fungi

Shaggy Ink Cap


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.

Shaggy ink cap mushroom (Coprinus comatus)

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.


Recipes Utilizing Shaggy Ink Cap

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




Welcome to the Celtnet guide to wild foods. As this recipe site has grown it has become obvious that to allow people to replicate some of the more ancient recipes on this site (especially from the Ancient, Roman and Medieval periods) it is necessary to list modern alternatives but also to produce a guide so that the curious can find the original (often wild) ingredients for themselves. These pages are an attempt at bringing all these potentially useful and often forgotten wild foods together into one place.

It is a sad fact that we have lost much of the knowledge we once had of the seasonal wild foods that we have on our own doorstep and which are not only safe to eat but which are also very tasty and fresh. This section of the site grew from the work I've done on the ancient recipes section of this site. After all, for our ancestors before farming wild foods were the only foods available. This guide therefor represents images lists and recipes for various wild foods you can gather and what you can do with them. For the most part the list contains edible plants. But I am beginning to add a new section on edible wild mushrooms and this part of the site will be expanding to include many other plants and species very soon. If you would like to know how to cook with these wild foods, then as well as having links to individual recipes on these pages you can also visit my Wild Food Recipes pages for many more (over 1000 and growing) recipe ideas.



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