Where Do You Find Late Fall Polypores?

Resinous Polypore is a common, easily recognized, shelf fungus. It occurs in North America and Europe. In the United States it is common east of the Great Plains. It is found from September through November; alone, in groups, or in overlapping clusters; in deciduous and mixed woodlands. It grows on stumps and logs of hardwood that has died recently or several years before but is not well-rotted. It does not grow on conifers. It is saprobic, getting its nutrients from dead wood.

Fruiting Body: e 5–19 cm across; 3–9 cm deep;

- irregularly bracket-shaped, kidney-shaped, or nearly semicircular; 

- broadly convex; when young quite thick and fleshy, with a finely velvety surface with zones of pinkish brown and brown, and a thick whitish margin; 

- in maturity dark brown, sometimes with zones of blackish brown, fairly bald, dry, and tough.

When young: whitish, soft, promptly bruising brown; in maturity pale brown and hard; with 4–6 angular or round pores per mm; tubes 2–8 mm deep.

-Depending on rain quantities, it sometimes exudes water droplets in a process called Guttation.

- No Stem.

- Flesh: Whitish to dull pinkish brown and soft at first; darkening to brown and becoming tougher with maturity.

Taste and smell: Not distinctive.

Spore print: White.

It has a similar look alike which is NOT poisonous called Benzoin Bracket (Ischnoderma benzoinum) is a similar polypore that grows only on conifers. The cap is thinner and it has slightly darker flesh. Alos considered edible, slightly tougher but with not much flavor.

I like to collect resinosum when it is very young and tender when their texture is similar to a marshmallow’s. It should also tear easily by hand. Sometimes you can cut the growing edge off of slightly more mature specimens, but by far the best mushrooms are the very young “buttons” 

This Polypore has a high water content so cookig fresh is best, don't store in plastic boxes or bags in the fridge as it will create a soggy mess as the water releases. I have not as yet tried dry frying and then freezing similar to chanterelles touse lateras stuffing or sausage, pastie or dumpling filler, but its a possibility.

 I cut these mushrooms into small pieces and cooked them in a cast iron pot over fire on indirect heat. This slow cooking process allowed the mushrooms to release their juices, slowly cook down and caramelize in their own broth. I added garden herbs, blitzed it up in the food processor with smoked parsnip, potatoes, and pork sausage. It was quite possibly the best dumpling filler I've ever tasted. If you wanted a less Asian theme, simply replace your dumpling wrappers with puff pastry, fill with the mushroom, meat and veggie mix and make pasties, a historical food from the 1700's.

Potstickers are a type of pan-fried dumpling. The main difference is that, whereas dumplings are usually steamed or boiled to produce tender skins, potstickers are known for their crispy bottom due to frying them which is a difference in the cooking method 

• Dumpling wrappers: You can find them fresh or frozen in most supermarkets.
• Mushrooms: 
• Cabbage: I used napa cabbage for a more traditional flavor – feel free to use other types, though.
• Aromatics: I use a simple combination of ginger and garlic with black pepper so the mushrooms aren’t overwhelmed. The soy sauce provides salt, so I don’t add any additional salt.
• Soy sauce: use tamari for a gluten-free option. You can also use reduced-sodium soy sauce if preferred. Though, I suggest using a combination of reduced and dark soy for depth of flavor.
• Sesame oil: used to sauté the mushroom filling and if making them as pan-fried vegan potstickers.