The wavy margins of oyster mushrooms help in identifying them.
Perhaps some folks would think that the last place someone would seek out oysters would be the Blue Ridge Mountain region. But if your quest involves oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), then you’ve definitely come to the right place. So named because they, well, look like oysters, this fungi sports dark brown to creamy white sides. The sides are moist and fan-shaped, often with wavy margins.
Oysters are one of the few mushrooms that can be gathered year-round, provided conditions are conducive for them springing forth. Come winter, this means cool, damp days and the availability of dead or dying deciduous hardwoods such as oaks and maples. I’ve also found oysters thriving on old, hardwood stumps and downed trees along highland streams.
I’ve enjoyed oysters in soups and salads and as toppings for burgers, but where they really excel is in egg dishes from simple fare such as scrambled eggs to quiches and frittatas.
Emphatically, I strongly recommend that the first time folks search for oysters or any other mushroom unfamiliar to them, that they go with a fungi expert who can positively identify the species. As is with true with many edible fungi, dangerous lookalikes exist. Also, even choice edible mushrooms can have disagreeable effects on some people, especially if they have not been cooked beforehand. That’s why it’s also wise to eat small amounts of a species the initial time it’s consumed.
Bruce and Elaine Ingram will profile a different wild edible every month. For more information on their book Living the Locavore Lifestyle, contact them bruceingramoutdoors@gmail.com
