Botanical: Hydnum repandum

Description: Cap 3 to 17 cm, flattened convex or centrally depressed, velvety at first then more suede-like, margin inrolled at first, lobed to undulate, cream to buff-orange; teeth 4 to 6mm, soft and brittle, cream-colored, sometimes decurrent; stem 3 to 10 cm long, 1 to 3 cm thick, sometimes off-center, dry, smooth, whitish or colored like the cap; flesh white to cream, thick, brittle; smell and taste mild; spore print white. All parts slowly bruise orange-brown.

Habitat: Scattered to gregarious under conifers, from mid fall to late fall.

Primary Keys: Cream to buff-orange cap bruising orange-brown; teeth not gills or pores.

Edibility: Choice, but older specimens can be bitter.

Notes: This mushroom is moderately rare, but easy to identify, delicious, and bug-free. It often grows where Chanterelles grow, and is now even in the Cantharellales order.

Potatoes and Mushrooms, Russian Style

3 lb. yellow fingerling potatoes
1 lb. Hedgehog mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 T. butter
1 heaping T. flour
12 oz. sour cream
2 T. fresh dill, chopped
salt, pepper

• Simmer potatoes in salted water until just tender.
• Meanwhile, cook the onion and mushrooms in the butter over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
• Stir in the flour and cook another few minutes.
• Gradually add the sour cream, stirring frequently until bubbling but not boiling.
• Remove from heat, add 1 T. dill and season to taste.
• When the potatoes are done, carefully peel them, and slice into neat rounds.
• Put the potatoes in a heated serving dish, spread the mushroom sauce over the top, and top with the remaining dill.