72 EDIBLE MUSHROOMS 



as food, as both of these ingredients play a prominent 

 part in a fungus cuisine. It is averred by some writ- 

 ers that one of the most noxious of 

 Effect of salt Amanitee — the Fly-agaric — is eaten in 

 and heat some countries, notably Russia, without 

 unpleasant results, while it is confident- 

 ly asserted to be harmless after, as it were, having 

 its venom drawn by a soaking in brine previous to 

 cooking. Boiling — both in the possible neutralizing 

 of the poison through heat, and in the withdrawal of 

 the same in the solution — would also be contributive 

 to safety in such cases, provided the tainted liquid 

 were not retained as in a stew or soup. 



On this topic it is interesting to note the epicure- 

 an perversity of a certain French author, who, in the 

 face of the already overwhelming abun- 

 Epicurean dance of nature's esculent species of 

 perversity fungi, must needs include all the deadly 

 Amanitse as well, though he gives a rec- 

 ipe by which the poison is extracted by the copious 

 aid of salt, vinegar, boiling water, and drawing. This 

 process, on general principles, might invite humorous 

 speculation as to the appetizing qualities of the resid- 

 ual morsel thus acquired, or as to the advisability of 

 deliberately selecting a poisonous substance for the 

 desideratum of the washed-out, corned, spiced, non- 

 descript remnant which survives the process of ex- 

 traction, not only of its noxious properties, but of 

 even what nutriment it might possibly contain. 



Fancy a beefsteak similarly " prepared," all its nour- 

 ishing ingredients extracted and thrown away; its ex- 

 hausted remnant of .muscular fibre now the mere ab- 



