Poisonous Mushrooms

 

I always liked Shirley Conran's advice: 

       "Life is too short to stuff a mushroom". 

Same as "Keep it simple", but more graphic. 

This year was a very good one for mushrooms. Yet I didn't collect them in 2022 - my family was too anxious, though they could be assured that I will be cautious: I only collect chanterelles (found lots of them in Austria), bay bolete, and, if I am very lucky: porcini. 

On my cellphone I installed an App that helps to decide whether a mushroom is "good" or not - but I only do use it to get the upper hand in that mycelium of dizzy mushroom names - NOT to collect any for the pan. I join in with Pu Bear: "You never can tell with bees mushrooms." 

Next year I plan to take a course at an expert of mushrooms - here in Bavaria - maybe then they will be reassured? 

Query: Is it true that a "toadstool" is always a poisonous mushroom? 

 

 

Sage - or: "The Master's not the Master...

 

Some days ago on a stroll through Bavarian meadows I saw a patch of very bright blue. I'd never seen this plant before: 

meadow sage - Salvia pratensis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_pratensis

Most of us will have used Sage, Salvia officinalis in our kitchens. 

The wonderful and very easy recipe of Saltim Bocca alla Romana is made with that - a  thin slice of Parma ham on a thin veal escalope and a leaf of sage on it - but see yourself at Jamie Oliver -  https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/saltimbocca-alla-romana/  

You can be sure it does just what the translation of Saltim Bocca means: it jumps into the mouth. And is very quick to prepare. And when you see the inflationary prices for veal escalope, you might need a big slug of marsala, which you need for the recipe too. 

Folks have many names for sage: in Great Britain it is also called "Christ's eye" - you find the pink flowers of clary sage, Salvia sclarea often on paintings of Saint John, symbol for Divine salvation. 

Salvia officinalis is used as medical plant. In a compilation of medical mnemonics from the year 1300 you find the interesting question: 

"Cur moriatur homo, cui Salvia crescit in horto? Why should man die if Salvia grows in the garden?" The sobering answer: "because there grows no herb against death".  

In the very well-informed book of Marianne Beuchert, "Symbolik der Pflanzen" (sadly no English edition) I found an interesting part of English folk belief: 

"If the sagetree flowers and grows, / The master's not the Master and he knows." 

               "Want a few more Saltim bocca, darling?"    - :-)