Dryad's Saddle Mushroom

My first mushrooms of the year were these Dryad's Saddle (Polyporus squamosus, also known as Pheasant's Back and Hawk's Wing).

I often refer to them as Pheasant Back because the brown pattern in the mushroom cap reminds me of a feather, but the name Dryad's Saddle is much more fun, as it refers to tree-dwelling nymphs that would ride these mushrooms!

Find these mushrooms on very decayed hardwood starting in May. Identified by their kidney/fan shape, thick and meaty, often stacked, with a brown scaled pattern, scent of a watermelon rind and cucumber, with white flesh and pores.

Best eaten young wheat the pores are small and meat is still tender.

Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of certain fungi. They don't have chlorophyll so they can't make their own food like most plants. Instead, fungi release enzymes that decompose dead plants and animals and absorb nutrients from the organisms they are decomposing.

These guys were cut up and added to a soup with smoked duck, fiddleheads, fresh wonton noodles, and smoked duck broth. Mmm.

Dr. Cristina Allen ND