MMS Blog Posts

Claudette Lamprecht in a red shirt and cap humorously grimaces while struggling to lift an enormous cluster of hen-of-the-woods mushrooms (Grifola frondosa). Overlaid text reads, "Hurry and Take the Picture! This Thing’s Heavy!" She stands outdoors on a leaf-strewn path next to a wheelbarrow and another mushroom bundle.

December 29, 2024

Claudette Lamprecht was nominated by her friends and colleagues in the MMS for the prestigious 2024 Harry and Elsie Knighton Service Award.

Cultivation

Sporeless Oyster Mushrooms by Randy Strobel

November 22, 2024

Oyster mushrooms in the genus Pleurotus are the second most commonly cultivated mushrooms worldwide. They are very tasty and have a good shelf life when refrigerated and are medicinal in that they contain lovastatin, a natural cholesterol-lowering compound. They are…

Medicinal

Biological and Medicinal Chemistry of Hericium and Chaga

August 30, 2024

Mushrooms and related substances like hericium and Chaga are more than just a culinary delight; they’re a fascinating subject of scientific exploration. Dr. Christine Saloman researches their chemical composition and potential health benefits. Dr. Christine Salomon‘s recent presentation to the…

Scholarship Winners

Disentangling the Context Dependency of Mycorrhizal Relationships to Better Understand Current and Future Forest Structure

Close-up of delicate, white mycelium threads with glistening water droplets, forming a lace-like network against a dark background.

June 22, 2024

Disentangling the Context Dependency of Mycorrhizal Relationships to Better Understand Current and Future Forest Structure

Scholarship Winners

Entomopathogens and Emerald Ash Borer

Iridescent emerald ash borer beetle on a green leaf, showing its metallic green head and thorax, shimmering golden wings, and vivid magenta abdomen.

June 22, 2024

There are an estimated one billion ash trees in Minnesota, each one in danger from the notorious emerald ash borer.

Scholarship Winners

Can Fungi Solve Our Buckthorn Problem?

A colony of Chondrostereum purpureum fungus growing on a tree trunk, surrounded by green moss. The purple, wavy-edged fruiting bodies are spread across the bark in irregular clusters.

June 22, 2024

By Ryan Franke, 2024 MMS Graduate Scholarship Winner From brewing beer to producing antibiotics, modern society relies on fungal life processes to fulfill our desires and overcome our obstacles. How about the buckthorn problem? Can fungi help us get rid…

Foraging

Unveiling the Mystique of Morel Mushroom Hunting: A Fungal Treasure Hunt

A single morel mushroom with a honeycomb-like cap and pale stem growing from the forest floor among fallen leaves, pine needles, and small plants.

April 20, 2024

Morel mushrooms are a prized delicacy coveted by chefs, foragers, and food enthusiasts alike. But beyond their gastronomic appeal lies a captivating journey into the heart of nature, where intrepid explorers embark on a quest to uncover these hidden treasures.

Cooking Mushrooms

The Dietary Benefits of Mushrooms

Colorful market stall displaying a variety of fresh mushrooms, including chanterelles, porcini, and king oyster mushrooms, alongside tomatoes, asparagus, red chili peppers, and other vegetables, with handwritten “No Tocar” signs in Spanish indicating not to touch the produce.

March 24, 2024

By MMS Culinary Correspondent, Mike Tangedal. Not enough mushrooms are eaten in Western culture to warrant their placement in any comprehensive nutritional guide. The food spectrum constituting a healthy diet changes in our culture at the rate that society changes,…

Cooking Mushrooms

Cooking with Dried Mushrooms

December 28, 2023

By Culinary Corespondant, Mike Tangedal. Drying and cooking with dried mushrooms doesn’t require too much technology or expertise, which is why it has been practiced for thousands of years. Simply place some freshly picked mushrooms where there is lots of…