this post was submitted on 28 Dec 2024
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Fungi: mycelia, mushrooms & more

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Ideas for using candy caps? (slrpnk.net)
submitted 5 days ago by LibertyLizard to c/fungus
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Candy caps (Lactatius rubidus) are fruiting abundantly on the Northern California coast right now. My family and I picked about 2 pounds today. For those unfamiliar, these mushrooms develop a strong maple flavor and odor when dried.

I’ve never had so many before, so I’m interested if anyone has made anything interesting with these. I’ve made ice cream in the past which was excellent but it might be good to mix things up a bit.

I’m particularly interested to see how they would work in more savory dishes and if anyone has eaten them fresh. Is it worth doing or do they need to be dried to be appreciated properly?

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[–] acockworkorange@mander.xyz 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Never had this, but I’ve used chanterelles to make a sauce for fillet mignon. You cook the mushrooms in a frying pan with butter, salt, peppers, and wine or cognac. Scoop the shrooms out and use the flavored butter to cook your meat, adding salt and pepper. Scoop the meat out and add cream to the pan with heat off, stirring well to make the sauce.

[–] zero_spelled_with_an_ecks@programming.dev 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I've been to a mushroom themed restaurant in Monterey Bay that had a candy cap French toast that was pretty good. As far as savory dishes, the things that come to mind are either bacon/facon, like a glaze on them (or that trend of putting bacon on everything like a maple donut), a sauce for a Chinese dish in the vein of a "sesame" dish, or a Japanese teriyaki.

[–] LibertyLizard 1 points 4 days ago

Good suggestions, thanks!

[–] Peasley@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (2 children)

I think they would be good in cookies, but i havent tried that yet.

Re: fresh The maple syrup smell is pretty faint when fresh, i wonder how much sweetness would be present. Do they need to be cooked if eaten fresh?

Congrats! I haven't seen them yet this year in the Bay Area, but last year i found them a few times in Sonoma County.

[–] LibertyLizard 2 points 4 days ago

Yeah I fried a few up and they kinda just tasted like mushrooms with an underwhelming texture. There was a little bit of that interesting flavor but it was subtle. I’m going to try a few in some dishes but I think probably I’ll dry most of them. That may be the best thing to do with them no matter what I end up making.

I’m surprised they aren’t starting in the Bay Area yet. It’s been pretty rainy so far, right? At least where I am it has been, though I’m a bit further north.

[–] the_artic_one@programming.dev 2 points 4 days ago

It's generally unsafe to eat mushrooms raw and raw candy caps don't have much flavor so you need to cook them.