Jelly Fungus

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

jelly fungus a name applied to fungi of the order Tremellales, which have a texture ranging from soft and gelatinous to hard and rubbery. The best-known species are described under wood ear.

Generally, fungi of this sort have little or no flavour but are of interest for their texture. An example is Tremella mesenterica, witches’ butter, which grows up to 7 cm (3.5") across and consists of yellow or yellow-orange convoluted lobes and folds, which look like brains or (the meaning of mesenterica) intestines. It can be added to soups.