Photo Above: Bruce Ingram with asparagus. Asparagus appear in late winter in this region, but the best time to find patches of asparagus is when the green fronds appear much later in the spring.
“Pass the fungus,” is not common dinnertime conversation in the Blue Ridge Mountains region, but that’s because folks perhaps have not heard of the white jelly snow fungus. Tremella fuciformis commonly appears in our region during late spring and early summer, growing primarily on dead hardwoods and their branches, often after precipitation. For example, several times last May, I found this white, jelly-like mushroom after warm, rainy periods.
The white jelly snow boasts a number of nicknames with my favorite being witches’ butter, but also answers to such descriptive pseudonyms as white jelly, snow ears, snow fungus and silver ear. Interestingly, white jelly snow is rarely eaten in our part of the country or even in the United States. The species has little to offer in the way of taste and is a little “slimy” for some individuals.
However, white jelly snow is extremely popular in Asia for the texture it brings to entrees, especially soup as well as desserts. So look for it this month, especially after several days of thunderstorms.
Bruce and Elaine Ingram have written a new edition of Living the Locavore Lifestyle, which is about living off the land. For more information: bruceingramoutdoors@gmail.com.
