My first forage of 2024: Wood ear, Hedgehog mushrooms, Amber jellyroll & Pinkmottle woodwax

Join me for an overview of 4 common edible mushrooms you can find in the woods in January!
1. Wood ear (Auricularia species). These rubbery, delightfully wavy mushrooms grow in clusters on hardwood stumps and logs. Wood ears have an excellent crunchy texture and are easy to dry and preserve.
2. Amber jelly roll (Exidia species). This abundant dark brown jelly fungus forms wavy and cratered blobs glued to logs and branches. It's jiggly and wet but squeezable, like gummy candy. Exidia can be mistaken for wood ear, but it's darker, wigglier, and requires more preparation if you want to eat it.
3. Hedgehog mushroom (Hydnum species). Hedgehogs are my favorite edible, and fortunately we have some brown-cream Hydnum species that fruit in the dead of wintertime in the Southeastern US. These cute little guys have tooth-like spines underneath instead of gills and I am very fond of their nutty, earthy flavor.
4. Pink mottlegill (Hygrophorus russula). This glorious mushroom has splashes and streaks of rich crimson and red on its cap, and the pale gills take on dark red tones as the mushroom matures. This species is edible and looks somewhat like a common Russula mushroom on casual inspection, but its silky and waxy gills, firm flesh, and unique coloration makes it easy to recognize and impossible not to admire.

[@davidmorrisii69]

Nice job again!, mush love ❤️!.

[@davidmorrisii69]

Cool hat, 2!❤😮😮

[@davidmorrisii69]

I wish, I could get that happy!😂😂😂😂

[@KennyP88]

Thanks Anna, your excitement is infectious and your lack of interest in Amber Jelly is dwarfed by your love of hedgehogs. ❤

[@timharris5654]

Thanks again Anna. Always enjoy learning from your videos. Keep them coming!

[@jodyklocko6696]

Thank u for your time and energy with foraging, awesome! Ember jelly is amazing, great for soups!

[@graemedevine9651]

Thanks Anna, I love your videos, Mushroom Wonderland is another great channel, its probably nothing new to you, much love from Ireland.

[@anna-identifies-mushrooms]

Oh yeah, Aaron Hilliard is a friend of mine, he’s a real nice fellow and very good at his craft

[@pilzfreundin2321]

You found nice mushrooms! Hygrophorus russula is very rare in Germany. Where did you find these mushrooms? In the USA? I always watch the movies wonderland. Very good mushrooms movies of Aaron Hilliard. Greetings from West Germany. Bettina

[@graemedevine9651]

@@anna-identifies-mushrooms He's had some great people on his channel over the years, you should do a video with him in mushroom season, I'm sure the 2 of you might find something to talk about.

[@waynematt9190]

thank you. i found those hedgehogs for 1st time late December her in n.e. pa. i didnt even know they grew in winter and my first hedgehogs. what else you got?

[@jojaxn75]

I am also going with Belly Button

[@DT-kd9lw]

What area of the country are you ?

[@anna-identifies-mushrooms]

Raleigh NC!

[@djzio]

What a beautiful voice! ❤

[@emilymaddox9300]

depressed hedgehog :(