shaggy/ inky cap mushrooms

do any of you eat them, I had huge huge huge crops of them this year..and was a bit afraid to try them. I understand that they do get kinda black when you cook them? are they good, do they taste like other mushrooms..have to pick them really really young?? anyone ever get sick from them?

I do eat a lot of wild mushrooms, and I know that shaggymanes are edible. Another common name for them is Tipplers Bane, since any alcohol taken for several days after will make you violently ill. Since I enjoy red wine with my dinners, I've never tried them.

Shaggy mane mushrooms (Coprinus comatus) are one of my favorite wild mushrooms to eat, and they taste great in simple recipes. They can also be grown on a variety of substrates. However, they are often found growing from oily asphalt or along the sides of busy roads- places where contamination from petroleum, herbicide or heavy metals could be a real problem. I only eat shaggys from uncontaminated places and when they are still completely white in color.
Alcohol inky or "tippler's bane" (Coprinus atramentarius) is not one of the ones I eat. This is the one that causes a toxic reaction when eaten with alcohol. They are not as tasty as the shaggy mane, so I don't bother with them.
I wouldn't drink a lot of alcohol with the shaggys, either, although this is not usually a problem with this species. And of course, always be 100% certain of identification before eating any wild mushroom and only eat a small amount the first time.

I have not eaten them or even hunted for them but i have read about letting them turn black and liquid and making ink from them.

I'm fairly certain of the fact that these are edible, but I also have not eaten them, we have them by the tons around here right now.

IF you do eat them, do you just take off the caps or eat the stems as well (I don't drink so I'm not worried about the effect of alcohol)

I did post the info on my b log (below)

They are excellent prepared in any fashion! Pick them very young, small, before they open and best before heavy rains. They must be eaten with in 24hrs after picking. Do not refrigerate. They tend to pick up debris (dirt, grass , etc.). Dry brush them or wash with cold water briefly just before cooking. They are great in cream based soups, shrimp or lobster cream bisque with shaggy main. Yum. One caution. Small shaggy mains can resemble the "destroying angel" mushroom which is deadly. A dissected view of the shroom will assure you are eating the baby Shaggy. Best to learn basic identification techniques. Good Hunting!

so do you use just caps or all parts, and how do you fix them, any recipes.

I'm sure mine are ink caps, as they turn inky very quickly..and i have tons of them

Hello, All parts of the shaggy are edible. Small, barley opened or closed mushrooms are best, avoid if gills are black. I prepare them all different ways. Cream of mushrooms soups are the best, Drunken shell fish dishes or Try them Asian stir-fry sautéed in quality butter, drop of soy, drop of sesames oil, finish with honey.

thanks for the info

Young inkcaps are fine, the gills should still be white which usually holds true while the cap has not yet opened but can persist for a little while afterwards.

Some say they are among the best mushroom species for drying as they presumably develop a particularly good flavor this way. Haven't tried that yet so just passing the info.

I wanted to add a tidbit of info about storing them as well. You can refrigerate them for a few days if you keep them submerged in a container of icy/cold water in the fridge! I find them quite tasty as well. Very mushroomy.

Radka, Thanks for the cold water storage tip. When yields are high, it is a challenge to cook them all before they spoil. Going to try it tonight.