Fungi Make For Fun Fair In Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Thousands of people headed to Santa Cruz for the annual fungus fair this weekend.

"The fascination starts with the food thing and then it becomes 'My gosh, look at these things. They're a mystery, mysterious. They're ephemeral. They come and go,'" said Phil Carpenter, with the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair.

It's a curious hobby, but one that's quickly understood by spending time at the festival.

"That is called the cauliflower mushroom. It's a mushroom that grows on dead pine, very common in Monterey," Carpenter said.

Carpenter is the co-chair of the 36th annual Santa Cruz Fungus fair, an event celebrating mushroom's place in our ecosystem. The fair features fungi unique to the Central Coast.

"Mushrooms fit a very big ecological niche in that they're the great recyclers. They really are converting organic material back into dirt," said Carpenter.

From the toxic to the delicious, fungi lovers got a chance to see more than 300 varietals on display, just a small sample of the 3,000 to 5,000 found locally.

"A lot of them are really beautiful to look at. It's kind of interesting to figure out which ones are edible and avoid the ones that can kill you," said Frank Dean, of San Jose.

"I learned they're very good with cookies and sweet. So, I try to make a gelato and here it is. It's very good," said Massimo Caporale, with Gelato Massimo.

Confectioner Massimo Caporale concocted a batch of candy-cap gelato for the fair. He's among legions during the weekend determined to keep the fun in fungi.

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"SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Thousands of people headed to Santa Cruz for the annual fungus fair this weekend."The fascination starts with the food thing and then it becomes 'My gosh, look at these things. They're a mystery, mysterious. They're ephemeral. They come and go,'" said Phil Carpenter, with the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair.It's a curious hobby, but one that's quickly understood by spending time at the festival."That is called the cauliflower mushroom. It's a mushroom that grows on dead pine, very common in Monterey," Carpenter said.Carpenter is the co-chair of the 36th annual Santa Cruz Fungus fair, an event celebrating mushroom's place in our ecosystem. The fair features fungi unique to the Central Coast."Mushrooms fit a very big ecological niche in that they're the great recyclers. They really are converting organic material back into dirt," said Carpenter.From the toxic to the delicious, fungi lovers got a chance to see more than 300 varietals on display, just a small sample of the 3,000 to 5,000 found locally."A lot of them are really beautiful to look at. It's kind of interesting to figure out which ones are edible and avoid the ones that can kill you," said Frank Dean, of San Jose."I learned they're very good with cookies and sweet. So, I try to make a gelato and here it is. It's very good," said Massimo Caporale, with Gelato Massimo.Confectioner Massimo Caporale concocted a batch of candy-cap gelato for the fair. He's among legions during the weekend determined to keep the fun in fungi."
- Fungi Make For Fun Fair In Santa Cruz - Central Coast News Story - KSBW The Central Coast (view on Google Sidewiki)