Well I never! A dark horse you are Phillip. I teach groups of foodies (mainly Michelin star chasing chefs) how to identify fungi and other wild growing edibles during the autumn months. I recently did a magazine feature too. I thought I was the only forager on here. :-)
I have spent far too much time in Poland [1], Mike ! But if ever you are running a field-course in Kent, do please let me know; I would be delighted to be taught how to reliably identify more than a handful of edible species, and particularly how to accurately identify agarics in the field.
** Phil.
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[1] True story from 1991 conference in Sobieszewo
Background : conference organisers notice large number of overseas delegates searching for mushrooms.
Morning session, Chairman's welcome : "Ladies and gentleman, it has come to our attention that some of our overseas delegates are picking our local mushrooms; whilst we are delighted to see our visitors taking advantage of our local natural resources,
please, if you are not certain what they are, ask a Pole, or a Russian, or a Lithuanian, to identify them before you eat them ...".
Slavic speaker at back of hall : "Mr Chairman, I would like propose amendment. If not certain, ask
OLD Pole, or
OLD Russian, or
OLD Lithuanian ...".
Massive round of applause from all present.