The first edible species of mushrooms to be spotted is this colony of puffballs growing on a log. They are a little past their best: they should be solid white for eating.
Puffballs are so called because of the puff of “smoke” they emit after being prodded, in advanced age.
Photo by Steven Schwarz
An edible find: Bay Boletus, best added to other mushrooms or to soups and stews.
Toughshanks, a fairly common sight in the Ashdown Forest, growing on dead wood. As its name implies, it is tough to eat; edible but small and unrewarding.
The bracket fungus has a different story to tell, one of slow death. Many trees with this sort of picturesque shelf growing at right angles up the trunk are either displaying their death warrant or they’re already dead.
Picking mushrooms should be done responsibly, as is the case with all foraging. However, a toadstool is simply the fruit of the fungus. The important part, the network of root-like mycelium, is left behind in the leaf litter.
It is important not to leave a gaping hole after picking a mushroom; spread the leaves back in order to protect the invisible structure that has been left behind.
Mushrooms should always be brushed when preparing for cooking, never washed.