Tooth Mushrooms
Two genera are included in this chapter: Hydnum, which are ground-inhabiting cap-and-stalk mushrooms, and Hericium, which are white to yellowish, iciclelike mushrooms found on logs, stumps, and dead or dying trees. The species covered here—and only a handful of species of each genus occur in North America—are among the most easily identifiable edible mushrooms. In both genera, the mushrooms produce spores on downward-pointed “teeth,” or spines. Few other mushrooms produce spores on similar-looking structures, and most of them are shelflike. They are also, in the dual opinions of the authors, among the most delicious.
The Hydnum (also called Dentinum) species look like gilled mushrooms or boletes, but they are quickly and easily distinguished by the spines, rather than gills or pores, on the underside of each cap. The Hericium species are odd but beautiful; they are whitish masses of iciclelike spines that appear on trees, stumps, and logs.
These are particularly safe mushrooms for the novice because no dangerous fungi look anything like them. They are also highly regarded among experienced mycophagists, for they have excellent texture and taste.
Hydnum repandum
Sweet Tooth (Hydnum repandum)
KEY IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS
1.Pale to rich orange cap and stalk
2.Pointed spines beneath cap
3.Found on the ground in woods or bogs
DESCRIPTION: The cap is orange and two to six inches in diameter; the surface is smooth or slightly roughened, sometimes cracked; often it is slightly sunken in the center. The cap edge is inrolled in young specimens and wavy or lobed in mature ones. The undersurface of the cap is covered with short, pointed spines that usually extend somewhat onto the stalk. The spines are yellowish to orange, always lighter in color than the surface of the cap. The stalk is yellowish orange, fairly thick, smooth, and often slightly off-center. The spore print is white.
FRUITING: The Sweet Tooth is found singly or scattered on the ground in a variety of forest types. It fruits from midsummer through midautumn and is found throughout North America. It will usually reappear in the same area year after year.
SIMILAR SPECIES: There are many cap-and-stalk mushrooms with spines beneath the cap; none are known to be poisonous. Several are fine edibles: H. umbilicatum is smaller, with a darker orange cap surface and an almost invariably sunken center; it grows in wet coniferous forests and bogs. The Scaly Tooth (Sarcodon imbricatum) has a brown, distinctly scaly cap and brown spines and stalk; it fruits in late spring and early summer on the ground in woods. Another species, Sarcodon scabrosum, is similar but has a black stalk base and a decidedly bitter taste.
H. albidum (edibility unknown) is chalky white at first and then creamy with very pale orangish yellow tints; it has a peppery taste. The Sweet Tooth also has variants that are lighter in color, especially whitish or pale yellow; they are just as edible as the orange varieties. Other cap-and-stalk mushrooms with teeth or spines on the undersurface of the cap bear little resemblance to the edible species recommended here. The Sweet Tooth is sometimes called the Hedgehog or Spreading Hedgehog mushroom. Both it and H. umbilicatum are sometimes classified in the genus Dentinum.
EDIBILITY: The distinctive Sweet Tooth and its little brother, H. umbilicatum, are both delicious edibles. Synonyms aside, a Sweet Tooth by any other name would still taste as sweet. Specimens of the larger species look, from a short distance, much like the Golden Chanterelle, because of similar size, color, and shape. This shouldn’t lead to any disappointment, though: both the Sweet Tooth and H. umbilicatum have a pleasant, mild flavor, making each a prize find for the mushroom hunter. They are firm, fleshy mushrooms and can be prepared in a variety of ways. The chef should be careful not to disguise the delicate flavor, though. Unless you have a large collection, they are best served as a simple, sautéed side dish.
Some mycophagists rate the Scaly Tooth as high as they do the Sweet Tooth, while others find it far less appealing. Apparently, its flavor varies considerably from place to place.
If there are insects hiding in the spines, they can easily be removed with the edge of a knife.
COMB TOOTH AND BEAR’S HEAD TOOTH
Hericium coralloides
H. americanum
JC Comb Tooth (Hericium coralloides)
KEY IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS
1.White mass, resembling coral in shape, with iciclelike (downward-pointing) spines
2.Found on logs, stumps, or trees
DESCRIPTION: A mushroom of either species is essentially a mass of white to cream-colored, iciclelike spines. Each is composed of a series of branches. The Bear’s Head Tooth (Hericium americanum) is usually more compact than the Comb Tooth (H. coralloides). Whereas the former species’ branches are packed fairly closely together, the latter species’ branches are generally more spread out. The most practical way to distinguish between the two species is by examining the arrangement of the spines or teeth. Spines are fairly evenly distributed along the length of each branch of the Comb Tooth (hence, its common name); the spines of the Bear’s Head Tooth are found mostly in bundles, especially at the tip of each branch. Both species are typically three to ten inches high, four inches to a foot wide, and project three to six inches from the wood on which they grow. Some specimens are pale pinkish or yellowish; yellow specimens are usually not very fresh. Both species produce white spore prints.
Bear’s Head Tooth (Hericium americanum)
FRUITING: These species are found either alone or with several mushrooms on the same log from midsummer through midfall. The Comb Tooth is found throughout much of North America. The Bear’s Head Tooth is confined primarily to eastern North America; it is occasionally found growing on living trees. The two species’ tree preferences include beech, maple, oak, and birch.
SIMILAR SPECIES: The Bearded Tooth (H. erinaceus) lacks branches; the entire mushroom appears much more rounded, and the spines hang from a central wad of tissue. It occurs almost exclusively on wounds of living trees, especially oak. H. abietis is most similar in form to the Bear’s Head Tooth; it grows on conifer logs, stumps, and dead branches in western North America. Both of these other species are equally edible. No other fungi even remotely resemble mushrooms of this genus.
Recent comparisons of North American and European specimens have cleared up some previous taxonomic errors but caused much confusion about the scientific names of the North American Hericium species: Our Comb Tooth used to be called H. ramosum, and the Bear’s Head Tooth used to have what is now the Comb Tooth’s name.
EJ Bearded Tooth (Hericium erinaceus)
EDIBILITY: All Hericium species are delicious edibles when fresh. Because they are usually fairly large, they are wonderful finds for the mushroom hunter—and the photographer.
Pick them by cutting as close to the wood as possible. Sometimes, the mushroom will be found quite high on a standing tree trunk or tall stump; a long, sturdy stick can be used to dislodge it. Once you have the Hericium in hand, shake it vigorously. This eliminates most of the insects that may be hiding in the spines or among the branches.
When you get the mushroom home, slice it like bread. This is slightly difficult with the Comb Tooth and H. abietis because of the numerous branches; simply break the branches free from each other. In the case of the Bear’s Head Tooth and the Bearded Tooth, though, the central mass of tissue helps hold the slices together better. After slicing, it is fairly easy to evict any remaining insects by simply blowing them away.
When fresh, young, and white, the Hericium mushrooms are a wonderful treat for the palate. The Bearded Tooth may develop a sour taste unless it is very fresh; the others retain their quality longer.
These strange but beautiful mushrooms can be prepared in a variety of ways, but most devotees of the genus prefer simply to sauté the slices or pieces and eat them rather than compromise their distinctive, mildly sweet flavor with other foods. The numerous branches of the Comb Tooth and H. abietis lend themselves well to drying and develop a striking golden color; however, they are more tender—and tastier—when cooked fresh. If you do dry them, reconstitute them with cream.
Slices of the Bear’s Head Tooth and the Bearded Tooth can also be baked or broiled with excellent results; another scrumptious alternative is to dip the slices in batter and deep fry them.
Baked or broiled morsels of any very fresh Hericium mushroom makes a most unusual hors d’oeuvre: dipped in melted butter, the mushroom has a taste and texture reminiscent of broiled lobster tail.