Subject: Questions

From: [email-masked] (Ken Sanderson)
Date: 18 Jan 1995 05:52:27 GMT

I have a few questions regarding the birch polypore - 
Piptoporus betulinus.  Does anyone know of the culinary and medicinal 
qualities.  If anyone has the book "One thousand American Fungi" by 
Charles McIlvaine, there is supposed to be some information regarding
their edibility.  Is this true, what does it say?  Paul Stamets book 
"Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms" mentions that the iceman had 
birch polypores on him and used them for treating wounds and making a
tea by boiling the mushroom.  Does anyone have any other information on
this? Is there a reference in Paul Stamets book to where the information 
came from (I do not have the book)?  Is there any other information anyone
can give me?

Thanks in advance
Ken Sanderson

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From: [email-masked] (MYCOCHEF)
Date: 18 Jan 1995 17:09:33 -0500

HELLO,  CAPT. MCILVAINE STATED, "WHEN YOUNG  IT IS EATEN BY DEER.  DRIED
IT BURNS WITH A WHITE FLAME, OR HOLDS FIRE AS WELL AS THE BEST PUNK.  IT
IS A VALUABLE FUEL, ALREADY PREPARED FOR THE STOVE. . . .WHEN VERY YOUNG
IT IS FAIR.  UNPLEASANT WHEN OLD."   REMEMBER  THIS GUY ATE MANY MUSHROOMS
THAT NEITHER MYSELF, NOR ANY OTHER "SOMEWHAT" RESPECTABLE MUSHROOM CHEF
WOULD SERVE.  THOUGH I HAVE EATEN SOME FAIRLY BIZARRE FUNGUS. . . .

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From: [email-masked] (Gareth Renowden)
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 1995 18:06:58 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Ken
Sanderson) wrote:

> Piptoporus betulinus. (...) Is there any other information anyone
> can give me?

Here in Britain, P. betulinus is said to have been used as a strop for
sharpening knives. But perhaps ours is tougher than yours.. I certainly
wouldn't countenance eating it, just as I don't eat leather.

(And can MYCOCHEF STOP SHOUTING!)

-- 
Gareth Renowden                      l
Publishing & marketing consultant    l  "I don't know what I want,
Voice +44 (0)181 241 4852            l     but I want it NOW!"
Fax +44 (0)181 943 4294              l    Sir Henry Rawlinson
e-mail [email-masked]         l     (c) Viv Stanshall

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From: [email-masked] (MYCOCHEF)
Date: 26 Jan 1995 16:43:04 -0500

sorry old chap, bit of hard cheese you know to be so new and uninformed as
to internet etiquette.  i shall never shout again unless it is in good
taste, and good taste is what i do!  do try and stay away from sour tea.
ta-ta from marin county california.