Now if title didn't peak your interest, I don't know what will! I know I blogged a lot about the recent interest in chaga of today's health culture. About time for a change.
Reishi Mushroom is also known as Lingzhi. It's been used as a Chinese medicinal mushroom for over 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest mushrooms known to be used. A few erroneous sources even claim it to be used for 4,000 years.
Its health benefit claims are boosting the immune system, fighting viral infections (influenza), lung conditions, heart disease, high blood-pressure, high cholesterol, kidney disease, cancer, liver disease, HIV/AIDS, altitude sickness, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, anxiety, preventing fatigue, stomach ulcers, poisoning and herpes pain. Quite the list eh?
Its tumor prevention, and immune system boosting abilities are what is mainly known for, but I read some strong claims to use it regularly as tonic to reduce anxiety.
So, with that teaser of info, let get to the tasty stuff. Actually, to be honest, its not that tasty. People have described it as having a 'earthy woody' sort flavor. I would agree. Its a mushroom; what more can you ask for? Although it's easy to get used to. I've been brewing pots for a while and drinking it as a iced tea for a while. I haven't figured out a way how to make it into a delicious iced tea yet, but perhaps you tell me your secret when you harvest some. I talked to a lady from a tea shop who puts some into her smoothy blender everyday. I guess that works too!
So here is my adventure in picture form how I got hunting this year. Out behind Horne Lake in Elliot lake, I found a few trees that had fallen that had a number of these shelf polymers.
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| This is is! I know this photo brings out the colours way too much, but it does come out like a rich deep red fading out to the tip. Notice there are some bugs responsible for the holes -- they chow down on this stuff. |
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| Early development of reishi. |
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| Was happy to find this cluster. |
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| All on one tree! You'll notice them on the base of old trees that have died prematurely for various reasons. There was a small bush fire that skortched this place a while back. This is a hemlock -- seems to grow well on these. |
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| More early growth of reishi. |
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| The beginning phase of reishi. |
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| These are about a week after I harvested the reishi. Doesn't seem to be growing again. |
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| Almost missed these ones! Tucked away and hidden! Pretty much ready for harvest. Biggest one yet!! |
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| This still looks clean and soft on the bottom. No signs of going to spore. |
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| This is an example of one still growing strong. White soft bulging edges. |
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| Notice the small darker spots towards the center. I think this is sign that it is starting to go to spore. I harvested this after seeing the early spore sign. You do not want it to go to spore, unless you want to increase your chances for having more for next years harvest. You wouldn't want to harvest it after it goes to spore. |
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| You can see some spore activity towards the back. I think this one is drying up and going to spore. I was watching this one to see what it looks like after it did go to spore so I could also have more for next year. The spores are seeding for new reishi. |
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| This is the top of an old shrivelled up one from last year. |
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| Another example of the early spore activity. See my fingerprints. The bottom is very sensitive to pressure. |
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| I used a bread knife while the mushrooms were fresh and cut them up into thin slices. They get much smaller after dried. I dried them in the oven and in the sun-porch. They have a strong odor when drying, so try and do it in a well ventilated area. This is about 6 mushrooms. |
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| I place 3 slices in this crock pot food-warmer and just let it sit for 8+ to 16 hours and dump the water to steep it twice to 2 times, depending on appearance of colour of tea. |
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| Taken out of the fridge to show colour. Iced tea -- just add honey. I don't add the honey in the pitcher though since I'd imagine the 2 would 'break down' the reishi too fast (since honey is acidic), making is decompose while you're trying to preserve the drink in the fridge. |
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| This one has gone too far. Wouldn't harvest this one. Going to spore for more reishi! The reishi is essentially taking the nutrients from the tree and recycling is back into nature in its own way. |
I hope this blog post has enlightened you! Tell me if you find some and gain immortality. Keep your eyes peeled on prematurely dead trees -- esp fallen ones.
Happy harvesting!
