Clitocybe nuda, Tricholoma nudum, Rhodopaxillus nudus, Lepista nuda
Blewit, also Wood Blewit
Well here we are again. It's October. And to make matters even worse, it's the end of October. So far 2010 has not been one of the better wild mushroom years in southwestern Pennsylvania.
The summer was hot and dry for a long time and the fall rains never made an extended appearance. They were teaser rains if you know what I mean. You would get a day or two and because of it the temptation to go out and look was great but the outcome was not what was sought.
Dry crunchy woods. I hate that!
On Saturday, October 30 my friend stopped by, like last year and also in late October, and gave me a bag of about 7 or 8 nice sized, beautiful blewits. Just like last year I opened the bag and took a whiff. Wow!
I said to myself, again, 'they smell soooo good'. Like if you were in a roomful of them.
These blewits are my Professor Moriarty. Just like Holmes couldn't find him I can't find these.
I follow all the clues. I go out in the dim morning mist looking in all the dank places. Places where there is a lot of moisture and organic matter. Year after year but I can't find them. I know them though when I see them.
I know however how to identify them, admire them, enjoy their aroma, cook them, eat them and put them up though, thanks to my buddy Tony.
Blewits are not large. If they are 6 inches across then you have a big one. When they get older / bigger they lose some of the purplishness and get more light brown mingled in. No matter how brownish the caps get however there will always be the hint that the deeper purple was there.
The margin is enrolled, even when a bit older. Eventually they do flatten out.
The stalk / stipe is almost evenly stout but mostly you will find the stalk with a bit more robustness going toward the bottom. Stalk is minutely hairy and has the same color tones as the cap, albeit striate.
The flesh is thick, a bit soft and has a bit of light purple or lilac aspect to it.
Near the stalks meeting with the cap flesh you will find most of the purple coloring to let you know the mushroom has started it's color fading.
Note the little hairs sticking out on the stalk.
Gills are crowded, that is, close together. Depending on the age of the mushroom the gills can be broadly attached to the stalk, narrowly attached like the photo above or attached and run down the stalk a bit.
Gill color is variable just like the cap color so that can mean many variations of purple, lilac, purple-brown, lilac-brown, brownish-lilac, brownish-purple, etc., etc.
A good trick is to cut the stalk off right where it meets the cap and you can get an idea of what the coloring was when younger.
As with all new mushrooms that you expect to eat a spore print should be taken. Cut off the stalk at the top, right next to the cap, so the upside-down cap will sit flat on a surface. If you expect any color other than a very light color use white paper to set the caps on.
If you have a bowl big enough to cover the cap do so. It will keep drafts and breezes at bay. If you don't have a bowl big enough use Saran wrap or a towel, etc. You want a cover over the cap.
In the photo below you can notice the Saran Wrap over the three caps.
Blewits have a spore color that can be described as salmon ( the fish flesh color, not the outside of the fish ). Salmon is a pinkish-orange color. The variation dependent on moisture content.
When dry, like in the photo below, the color is very light salmon. On the far left you can see a darker shade due to the moisture 
These are great edibles. I just wish I could find hundreds of them like I do with other wild mushrooms.
This is one of those wild mushrooms that lend themselves to various ways of storage. They dry well and rehydrate well.
They are very flavorful so the taste won't be lost when mixed with some stronger spices.
One of my favorites is to make Blewit Chowder because they are so flavorful that even onion and garlic can't detract from the final product.
They are great stuffed and then baked or grilled. With a chuck roast cut the mushroom in big chunks and lay on top of the slab of meat. Oh my! With steak, Oh My!
I particularly like them in spaghetti sauce.
Clitocybe nuda. Also in some guides Tricholoma nudum, Rhodopaxillus nudus and Lepista nuda - A/K/A - blewit, wood blewit.
DATE - October 2009 and this year, October 29, 2010.
FOUND ( but not by me ) - 'In Greensburg, Pa. - someones yard next to my friends house.
A small patch from what I am told. I know last year my friend gave me about 5 or 6 mushrooms form 4 inches across and less. This year was the same.
Growing in the yard. Nothing fancy there.
Weather conditions were dry for several weeks, frosty a couple days in the last week. Also, just a few days of cold rain.
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