Wild truffle in my garden?
So I went out to look at my tiny garden this morning, and noticed an odd lumpy thing peeking out of the ground in the bed where I currently have radishes. I had potatoes there in the spring, so I thought maybe it was just one of those that I missed when I harvested. So I dug it out, and realized it was the wrong color - white-gray instead of brown. Smelled like a mushroom, but it was too firm, and had no stem. I took it inside and washed it off, then halved it. The outer white surface was very thing, and surrounded a uniform marbled black interior. Instantly my mind went to truffles. Having never eaten truffles, I can't be certain, but the aroma is like a very strong mushroom smell. Any idea whether this thing is a truffle? It clearly seems to be a wild mushroom, and could therefore be highly toxic, and I don't want to end up in the hospital (or the morgue) because I ate it. But I'm going to have a hard time tossing this thing in the garbage considering that it may be a truffle.
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13 Comments:
I would say it's doubtful. Truffles, from what I understand hang out near tree roots or in the soil and leaves around trees. I don't think one would pop up in a sunny garden enviroment. They aren't fond of the sun.
Martini Me at 5:10PM on 09/23/09
don't do it.
hmw0029 at 5:15PM on 09/23/09
Lot's of mushrooms look like lots of other ones. From what I've seen of truffles they are under the ground, they do not protrude.
Either way, it's highly dangerous to eat any fungus from outside without some sort of expert's guidance. Like hmw said, don't do it.
AyeEat at 5:24PM on 09/23/09
Eh, it's not very sunny. And I routinely find tree roots from surrounding trees growing deeper down in this particular patch of dirt. Clearly, I really want this to be a truffle. I've contacted a mycologist at my local university, and will probably take a trip to the library soon to try and figure out just what this thing is.
Funny how I ask questions here where the sensible answer is clearly something like "don't do it". Almost a wonder I haven't managed to kill myself eating a mushroom, or bleeding on a shard of exploded pizza stone.
Nicholas H at 5:24PM on 09/23/09
Also, it was mostly underground - just a small part patch of the surface was uncovered.
Nicholas H at 5:28PM on 09/23/09
just looked at your profile- your university should be a good place to find somebody who knows that stuff :-)
I'm so psyched to learn there is a person on campus (a different university) who goes wild mushroom hunting every year because he promised me some Maitake! in Missouri! can't believe it!
hmw0029 at 5:40PM on 09/23/09
A mycologist should certainly be able to identify if it IS a truffle. If it isnt, it might be harder to figure out what it is. Until you know for sure, don't eat it....
engmcmuffin at 5:45PM on 09/23/09
Is your soil lime-y, not at all acid? Do you live in hill country or the mountains, with a climate like the Pacific Northwest? Did a rodent of some sort eat a truffle and then poop under an evergreen or nut tree in your yard six to 12 years ago? Is the smell so pervasive--not necessarily strong or stinky--that all your windows and doors are open? Does it look like a dirty golf ball (black truffle)? Or does it look like this (white truffle)?
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Truffles/OregonTruffles.htm
betteirene at 1:10AM on 09/24/09
From your description it sounds more like a puffball to me. There are many different types. See http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&um=1&q=puffball&sa=N&start=0&ndsp=20
If it is a puffball and the interior is black, it's not edible anymore.
kanupupi at 6:59AM on 09/24/09
Okay, based on what betteirene's and kanupupi's comments, it sounds like a puffball, and likely a toxic one at that, or at least unpalatable.
Nicholas H at 1:04PM on 09/24/09
Mushrooms can be deadly, so whatever you do, don't eat until you get it inspected.
As mentioned above, most truffles grow near tree roots, but they've been popping up in unusual places recently.
Great advice by hmw - take it to your University :-)
-Dawn
WickedGoodDinner at 2:57PM on 09/24/09
I wouldn't try it.
As Martini Me said: They don't typically grow in normal "garden" environments that aren't cold damp and untouched.
Pretty-friggin-SWEET if it was tho, Nick!
Maybe you could rent a pig for a day. That's how you find them, right?
hungrychristel at 4:12PM on 09/24/09
Somehow, I just don't think of Columbia, MO, as a truffle-friendly region and/or climate... as mentioned before, I'm visualizing the Pacific NW, coastal regions of France, etc.
And I'll third (or fourth, or whatever) the sentiment that there are a few fungi that are exceptionally deadly, without known treatments. Leave the biology/mycology to the pros, and stick to computer science!
Of course, if nobody at your uni can help, I suppose you could always borrow a pig... I hear they've got quite a few of those in MO...
;-)
RouxTheDay at 5:54PM on 09/24/09