Turkey tail mushroom, Brevard, North Carolina

© Bill Gozansky/Alam

Wanna hang with a fungi?. National Mushroom Month

When the Mushroom Council decided it was high time to 'champignon' these versatile fungi, they settled on September as the perfect time to do so. National Mushroom Month highlights their importance and encourages you to know your mushrooms. For example, poisonous jack-o'-lantern mushrooms are sometimes misidentified as edible chanterelles. Others have medicinal properties like today's homepage species, turkey tail, used to treat lung conditions in traditional Chinese medicine. Recent research showed them exhibiting anti-tumor properties and helping fortify the immune system. Other mushrooms make great meal additions, and from portobello to shiitake mushrooms, there are thousands of edible species out there. Sautéed, stuffed, sliced, on a pizza, or in soup, it is time to bring some umami fun(gi) to your plate!