Earlier last night, I set out to a nearby woodland, just across this field, to pick the dried oyster mushrooms I had spotted a couple of days ago. I’d been waiting for these wild mushrooms to sprout for such a long time. How did I miss them? I don’t know.
The entrance was almost blocked by greenery, and I had to find a small gap to get through.
Inside the woodland stood a dead tree with tree oyster mushrooms nestled between its trunks. With just one day of rain a few days ago, they must have sprouted, followed immediately by several days of heatwave, which dried them crisp, as if they had been in a dehydrator. That meant less work for me to dry them!
I picked them (yes, I’m mad).
As I turned and looked around, I saw more golden oyster mushrooms on a fallen tree. They had dried up too, and hadn’t even reached maturity.
With these, you have to be careful picking them dry, especially if you haven’t seen the toxic counterpart called Jack O’Lantern, which is very similar but has a golden cap and gills. If you're mistaken, you’ll be in the loo all day!
You’ll need to be familiar with their spore colour too, as it often spreads onto the neighbouring caps and can be seen clearly. (See those powdery white pale lilac spores?)
Golden oyster: white to pale lilac
Tree oyster: lilac to lavender to lilac.
Jack O’Lantern: white
So, I also picked a couple of young bunches.
Way home with my dried mushrooms :)
Planning to turn them into powder and create something.
Home and checked them.
Then I blasted them quickly in the dehydrator to crisp them up evenly,
and turn them into powder.
I came up with a simple little recipe to enjoy - Mushroom Water Biscuits. You won’t find this one online; I just created it today!
🍄 Simple and Savoury Wild Mushroom Water Biscuits
Ingredients:
1 cup (120g) plain flour (or whole wheat for a nuttier flavour)
2 tbsp finely ground dried mushrooms
(You can blitz dried mushrooms in a coffee grinder, blender or spice mill until powdery.)
¼ tsp sea salt
½ tbsp olive oil (optional, for a bit more richness)
4–6 tbsp water (just enough to form a pliable dough)
Optional: herbs of your choice; I added rosemary and marjoram
Instructions:
🍄 Mix Dry Ingredients
In a bowl, combine flour, mushroom powder, and salt.
Add herbs or pepper if using.
🍄 Add Liquid
Drizzle in olive oil (if using), then add water a tablespoon at a time.
Mix with a fork or by hand until a soft, non-sticky dough forms. Avoid over-wetting.
🍄 Roll Out Dough
Roll the dough very thinly (about 1–2 mm) on a floured surface.
Divide into squares using a pizza cutter.
🍄 Bake
Place on a baking tray.
Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 12–15 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden.
🍄 Cool & Store or Serve
Let cool and store in an airtight tin for up to a week.
or
Serve with cheese, tapenade, or just as they are.
This was a real treat today, with a cup of coffee, sunset, and a foraged mushroom snack! Crispy and savoury!
My share in 
Have a lovely day,
Mariah 💗
