SC - Mushrooms!

[Philip & Susan Troy]

david friedman wrote:
> 
> This is Elizabeth posting on Cariadoc's account.

> I agree with Adamantius that the mushrooms are not
> ours (red inside, closed above?) but find it hard to believe that the
> problem is toxicity:  maybe the skins just weren't good.
> 
> Elizabeth of Dendermonde/Betty Cook

As I said, my only evidence that toxicity might have been an issue is
the fact that the instructions to peel and/or parboil are present in
modern recipes for wild mushrooms in which some level of toxicity
exists. Obviously if the mushrooms are deadly, the recipe specifics
don't matter much unless you are attempting suicide.

Dickenson and Lucas' "Colour Dictionary of Mushrooms" lists several
hundred species of wild mushroom. Of the varieties that are considered
edible, peeling, removal of the base, and/or parboiling is recommended
for perhaps 30 - 40% of them, to limit possible toxic reactions.
Avoiding overindulgence in some of them is also recommended for the same
reason.

Also, as previously said, this may be a coincidence. On the other hand,
it may not. I don't see how we could possibly know for sure. 

With regard to your use of Le Menagier's fine spice powder, I confess
that this is what I get for failing to take the entire work as a unit.
When I did my redaction, I simply forgot that a recipe for fine spice
powder is present in Le Menagier. I must try your version of the spice
powder in future.

Toodle-Pip!

G. Tacitus 
Adamantius