Wibble Wobble Wibble Wobble Jelly (Ears) on a Tree
Ask the Elder Mother for some of her mushrooms
It’s no secret that I’m not a fungi expert… but one species I am confident in identifying is jelly ear (otherwise known as wood ear mushrooms or Auricularia auricula-judae - I’ll refer to them as both wood ear and jelly ear throughout this article).
Jelly ear is also the species of mushroom I enjoy pointing out to people the most, as folk are either delighted or revolted by them! Wood ear are satisfyingly wibbly wobbly and really do resemble human ears, look:
Jelly ear are edible when cooked and we actually used to order them from our local Chinese takeaway (billed as black fungus on the menu, so more likely to be Auricularia heimuer) until I got belatedly freaked out by the texture of them. I used to be one of those people who hated the texture of cooked mushrooms in general, so eating and enjoying these was a big step! As someone who is planning on cooking mushroom pasta after I write this, I’m proud I’ve come this far… even if cold leftover wood ears put me off for a while. Who can blame me?
The only jelly ears I’ve eaten since have been shredded in a spring roll, but it’s very possible I’ve had some hidden in a noodle dish or a dumpling without my knowledge, as they’re a common ingredient in a lot of East Asian cookery, particularly Chinese food. They’re also used medicinally, but since I know even less about that than how to use them as an ingredient, I will let you do your own research!
If my description of jelly ears hasn’t put you off and you fancy foraging some, you ought to be aware of its inedible relative: tripe fungus (Auricularia mesenterica), which would give you a very upset stomach if you were to consume it. As you can see from my photos below, despite also being ear-like, tripe fungus looks quite different, with fine hairs and concentric zones on the upper parts. It’s really only in the early growth stages I think you might be at risk of confusing the two.
If you find something that looks like jelly ear growing on the ground, don’t eat it - it’s likely bay cup (Peziza badia), which is poisonous. Jelly ear will always be growing on trees or decaying wood and is most often found on elder trees (though they like sycamore, beech, ash and spindle too).
As I was about to press publish on this post, this note popped up from Stephanie Wood, featuring Auricularia cornea- another cousin of jelly ear I’d never heard of! I’m not sure if it grows in the UK, but maybe it does where you live? I’d love to know!
There’s also leafy brain fungus (Tremella foliacea) and amber jelly roll (Exidia recisa) which have a frillier appearance, but are also jelly-like. Both are said to be edible but of little culinary value. Having never come across either, I won’t comment!
One of the great things about wood ear mushrooms is that even if you find a specimen that’s frozen solid, or dried up, it’s likely still good to eat - it can just be rehydrated in hot water… or perhaps a delicious soup or noodle broth!
So go back to that place you foraged elderflowers earlier in the year… and see if you can find any ear-like mushrooms to wobble about! If you don’t come across any jelly ear, you might find some satisfying mosses instead, or perhaps some impressive lichen. Or maybe you can just say hello to the Elder Mother and thank her for her service.
Important notice: Never eat something unless you’re 100% sure you can identify it correctly. Check multiple sources (not just this article) and do your own research to make sure it’s safe to eat, and in what quantities. If you have never eaten a foraged ingredient before, try only a small amount first. In the UK, we have common law to forage the four Fs (fruit, flowers, fungi and foliage) for personal consumption, but never uproot anything without permission and only take what you need if it’s growing in abundance - leave enough for wildlife to thrive!
Sources and Further Reading
Woodland Trust: Jelly ear ID and facts
The Salt Box: Jelly ear ID, info and recipe ideas
Wild Food UK: Jelly ears foraging guide
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Fascinating info Zabby, thanks ✨