“One of the most excellent fungi that grows; its flavour very strongly resembles oysters.”—The Rev. W. Houghton.
Modes of Cooking Hydnum repandum.—The hedgehog mushroom is dense in structure, and in whatever way it may be cooked, all authorities agree that it must be done slowly at a low temperature until it is tender, and with plenty of stock or white sauce to supply its deficiency in moisture.
Stewed Hydnum.—“Cut the mushrooms in pieces and steep for twenty minutes in warm water; then place in a pan with butter, pepper, salt, and parsley; add beef or other gravy, and simmer for an hour.”—Trans. from M. Roques.
“Stew in a brown or white sauce.”—Mrs. Hussey.
“Cut up in bits about the size of a bean, and stew in white sauce, when it will almost pass off as oyster sauce.”—The Rev. W. Houghton, F.L.S.
Agaricus orcella (Orgelle or Vegetable Sweetbread).
Pileus thin, irregular, depressed in the centre, lobed, with undulated borders, from two to three inches across. In colour clear white, sometimes tinted with pale brown on its prominences, and occasionally with a grey centre or even lightly zoned with grey. Its surface is soft and smooth to the touch, except in wet weather, when it becomes soft and sticky. The flesh is soft, colourless, and unchangeable. Gills crowded, decurrent, at first nearly white, then pinkish grey, taking at length a light brown tint. Spores pale brown. Stem smooth, solid, short, decreasing in size; central when young, but becoming eccentric from the pileus growing irregularly. Odour pleasant, usually compared to that of fresh meal, but Dr. Badham and others think it resembles more closely the smell of cucumber or syringa leaf.
