Since October, I have been brewing a weekly decoction of locally foraged mushrooms and adding a few tablespoons to my morning coffee. My ‘witch’s brew,” as family members lovingly refer to it, looks similar to the black coffee I add it to, but smells more like old shoe leather with earthy undertones. Maybe not everyone’s cup of joe, but I am conducting an experiment (sample size: one) to see whether these small daily doses have a positive effect on my general health and well-being.
Mushrooms have been utilized by humans for food and medicine for thousands of years. In addition to being high in fiber, minerals and digestible protein, many mushroom species contain organic compounds (triterpenes and beta-glucans, a type of polysaccharide) that help strengthen and regulate our immune systems and inhibit bacterial, viral, and tumor growth. Some can even boost energy levels, calm gastrointestinal upset, or reduce cholesterol levels.
All of the species in my mushroom brew have medicinal value, and all are fungi that can be found and identified throughout the year in New Hampshire, even the unlikely month of March! To persist through the winter months, fungi must be tough and resistant to decay, so most of these species are polypores- shelf or bracket fungi that have grown on trees or downed wood. A winter walk in mixed woods can yield a surprising number of mushroom species, including my brew ingredients below.
Turkey tail is one of the most recognizable fungi in our woods, with its bold concentric striping and propensity to cover logs in overlapping florettes. As the scientific name, Trametes versicolor, suggests, turkey tail’s palate of colors is variable- often shades of ochre and brown, but blues and greys are also common. I often find it in dense clusters on hardwood stumps and downed logs or branches, less commonly standing trees or snags. This is one of the most studied mushrooms in the world in terms of its health benefits for immune system and cancer support. In Japan and China, polysaccharides isolated from turkey tail mushrooms have been available since the 1970s for treatment of certain cancers, usually in conjunction with chemotherapy, as turkey tail can decrease nausea, improve immune function and boost energy levels.
Birch polypore is also easily spotted on winter walks. The shape of this mushroom reminds me of a side-view mirror on a car, rotated with the mirror facing down. Pale and smooth, birch polypore is often found on dead or stressed birch stems of all sizes, even small branches. This mushroom has infection fighting properties and when fresh the pore layer on the underside can be peeled off and used as a wound dressing.
Hemlock reishi is a closely related cousin to the fabled lingzhi, which translates to “miracle mushroom,” used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. It grows on dead or dying hemlock trees and produces distinctive annual fruiting bodies that appear varnished. Though best harvested when fresh (spring or summer), the shiny maroon brackets of last season’s hemlock reishi can still be found in winter.
Scientific research has shown hemlock reishi to have strong anti-tumor activity as well as antioxidants that may help prevent cognitive impairment.
Artist's conk is in the same genus (Ganoderma) as hemlock reishi, and although it also forms large bracket-like fruiting bodies, those of artist’s conk typically grow on hardwoods instead of hemlock. Artist’s conk also grows quite differently- it is a perennial mushroom, one that adds on new growth (a new pore layer) each warm season. When you harvest this mushroom, you can count these old pore layers to estimate the specimen’s age. It has been used medicinally to improve circulation, lower blood sugar, and support liver function. The smooth, white pore surface of artist’s conk is sometimes used as a canvas for etching woodland scenes or other messages that, once dried, can last for decades.
Chaga, unlike the above shelf mushrooms, takes the form of a cracked black protuberance on its host trees, typically white or yellow birch. Chaga resembles a burnt lump of charcoal, until it is cut into or broken off to reveal a beautiful yellow ochre interior. This fungi’s cancer fighting properties have long been studied and made use of in eastern Europe, but word has spread in the temperate forests of North America as well, leading to concerns that chaga may be overharvested in some areas for the retail market. Be sure to take only what you need and can use if you do collect chaga. Dried chaga can be brewed into a tea or made into a tincture, and has a mild vanilla-like taste.
So, you are probably wondering, how do I feel after 5 months of mushroom medicine? Well, truthfully, I can’t say it has changed my life- I don’t feel 20 years younger, haven’t lost weight, or been cured of every ailment.
I will say this, however- several members of my household, as well as co-workers, have been sick this winter with COVID, flu and the dreaded norovirus. I’ve been exposed for long periods, and I have not been sick. Not even a sniffle. So it’s very possible those immunomodulating properties are working for me after all!
If you’d like to channel your inner Baba Yaga and brew your own mushroom tea or coffee, I highly recommend taking a medicinal mushroom workshop first. I learned a lot from the one I attended at Misty Meadows Herbal Center in Lee, NH. It’s also advisable to check with your doctor before adding any herbal medicines to your health repertoire. Following that, get out there and practice your ID skills! Check with landowners on public or conservation lands to make sure foraging is permitted- all Forest Society properties allow for the collection of small amounts of common wild edibles, as long as it is for personal, non-commercial use. That’s where I collected all of my mushroom larder, and you can find a forest near you at https://www.forestsociety.org/visitor-guide. Happy hunting!
A version of this ran in the Manchester Union Leader on March 21, 2025.