Cauliflower fungus

 

I've not seen a Cauliflower fungus (Sparassis crispain) for a couple of years, mostly I imagine as I tend not to do much coniferous walking until winter proper, and I need a hit of green in the face of the skeletal deciduous stands.  A bugger to prepare/clean, good eating though when young.  I've not eaten one for more years than I've not seen one, I tend not to collect any species not occurring in a abundance. In Cauliflower's case abundance may mean a fair sized clump, from which a dinners worth could be harvested without major detriment to the clump. Many of the forest's edibles made poor showings this season, few Boletes, some Hedgehogs, not much fungi about at all, even the usually abundant Parasols on Spy Holms, although present, were so in greatly reduced numbers.  So it goes.