Diane Holsinger is a dynamic sprite with an infectious enthusiasm for nature, be it birdwatching, wildflower identification or mushroom hunting. We met Diane last spring at a class she was teaching on wild mushrooms at Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave. I talked to her recently about the fascinating world of fungi.

How did you first become interested in mushrooms?
I got interested in mushrooms when I was birding the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area in Wet Virginia one summer. It was a rainy summer and mushrooms were everywhere. They were all colors, red, green, purple, and all different sizes and shapes. I gathered them and got my Audubon Mushroom Book out when I got home and identified them and I was hooked. I then took a mushroom course one fall and joined the Mycological Club in Washington DC (MAW).

Where do you teach?
I have been teaching at Blue Ridge Community College for 10 years or more. (See below for information about signing up for Diane’s spring course at BRCC.) I teach Birdwatching, Mushroom and Wildflower Identification classes at BRCC. In addition, I teach Birdwatching and Mushroom Classes at James Madison University as part of their Lifelong Learning Program. I am also available for private classes, excursions and forays.

Mushroom hunters are usually very secretive about their hunting spots. Where do you take your classes?
My field trips are taken to local parks and the George Washington National Forest. I love West Virginia so I go there to hunt mushrooms. I have friends on whose land I usually gather chanterelles in the summer.

That’s what I call a friend! Name some edible mushrooms can be found in Virginia.
Chanterelles, or Cantharellus cibarius, grow in groups. They are orange and very fragrant, with a scent like apricots; very sought after by restaurants and mushroom lovers. They grow under oaks and conifers.

Morels, or Morechella esculenta, are tall and cylindrical with a sponge- like head. Do not eat raw! There are black, white and yellow species of morels.

Gem- studded puffballs, or Lycoperden gemmatum, are pear- shaped and occur in groups. They are edible and very good tasting. Only eat these if they are white inside and look like cream cheese; DO NOT eat if they are brown inside.

Which brings me to my next question: What do you teach your classes about identifying and avoiding the many poisonous mushrooms that can be found?
Anyone foraging for mushrooms should go with someone who they trust and who knows the edible mushrooms from the poisonous ones. I usually tell my class, “There are bold mushroom hunters, but no OLD bold mushroom hunters. Carelessly eating wild mushrooms is like falling in love. You never know for sure until it’s too late!”

Resources

Wild Mushroom Identification Class
Mondays, April 16th- 30th 6 to 8 PM $48.00
Instructor Diane Holsinger
Blue Ridge Community College
wsce@brcc.edu or (540) 453- 2215

Mycological Association of Washington (MAW)
www.mawdc.org
(703) 243- 0445

Diane Holsinger
dhworkout@hotmail.com
(540) 896-7132

Pasta with Wild Mushrooms
(6 servings)

Here’s the dish I made with the morels that Diane and a fellow classmate, Larry, were kind enough to share with us last spring after our mushroom excursion.

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ pounds assorted wild and domestic mushrooms, sliced (try any combination of morels, portabella, chanterelles, etc.)
1 cup finely chopped shallots
1 ½ cups chopped seeded plum tomatoes
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ cup Marsala
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
12 ounces fettucine noodles
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Melt 2 tablespoons butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium- high heat. Add mushrooms and shallots; sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and herbs. Add Marsala; simmer until liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Add remaining butter, cream and stock and simmer until reduced to sauce consistency, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite; drain. Return pasta to pot. Add mushroom sauce; stir to coat. Garnish with herb flowers, if available, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

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