Would You?

I opened my door the other day to this:

It’s been cool and rainy, so wild mushrooms are popping up all over the village.  Some friends had collected more than they could eat, so they gave me some. 

“They’re good”, they said with a twinkle in their eye.  They must have noted my hesitation because they added, “we ate them yesterday and we’re not dead!”

            Not exactly the resounding affirmation I wanted when I know what wild mushrooms could do, but they knew what they were talking about, so I trusted them.

Well, I’m not dead.

            Collecting wild mushrooms is quite popular, but one needs to know what they’re doing; I don’t. Luckily, they can be brought to a pharmacist who knows with certainty if the mushrooms are toxic or not.  In the area, girolle, cèpe, and coulemelle mushrooms are popular, but I’ve also seen a friend destroy a stunning speckled red-capped mushroom claiming it to be “Satan” because of its toxicity.

            I think it’s a tricky business, and a false identification, even by an experienced collector, has happened.  However, wild mushrooms are renowned for their flavor, their texture, and have an astronomical asking price at the market.  So, I present the question again, “Would You?”