Wild Mushrooms grow all over New York State throughout the woods, fields, mountains, and wetlands. Many of the mushrooms in the state are edible and quite delicious, some are tough, woody, bitter or no taste at all. There are also poisonous ones you have to watch out for which can cause death or serious illness when eaten. Some of the most well known edible mushrooms are in New York are the Chanterelle, Morel, Puffballs, and Parasols. A mushroom is a member or the genus family Agaricaceae that consists of fungi with gills. But most people think of them as any of the larger fleshy or woody fungi.
There are several parts to a mushroom it starts at the roots and goes to the apex. The part that we pick and eat is called the Mycelium. The root of a mushroom is called the Bulbous Root that connects the mushroom to what it is growing on to receive nutrients. The Volva, or Cup is what the mushroom begins to grow out of. The stem connects the root to the cap to deliver nutrients to the important parts of the mushroom. The Veil is what protects the gills while they are fragile, it reaches around the stem to the edges of the Pileus. The gills hold the spores, which is the reproductive body with which the mushroom reproduces itself. The Pileus is the top cuticle and the flesh that forms the mushroom. And at the very tip of the mushroom is the Apex. (The Mushroom Handbook, pgs.16-17).
If you want to find edible mushrooms to cook with, learn the characteristics of the more commonly know mushrooms. Morels, puffballs, and other species described below are not ordinarily confused with dangerous types; whenever doubt arises, the only safe procedure is to discard all suspicious mushrooms. The traits of these two kind of mushrooms can be easily learned and pick mushrooms only when you are absolutely sure that are edible and pose no threat to your health. Many wild mushrooms are grown commercially and they are always safe to be eaten, and usually they can be found in specialty food stores.