West Coast Reishi, oh my!

On an overcast fall day nestled near the ground, in a small cup of decaying matter, Reishi presents. At first I'm not even sure it's a thing, instead a tangled glob of forest floor. The closer I get, the more muppet-like it appears. I hesitate a moment with a tiny shiver before I am near, sense it is alive, and capable of moving. It doesn't. I am rapt, shoot like it's going to disappear. 

Come to find out, all Reishi species grow on trees that are dead or dying. The mushrooms will continue growing every year until the wood has completely rotted away. You can come back to harvest them again and again, which is why I didn't identify for you the location of this mushroom.

And, early research suggests Reishi likely has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant and pain-relieving properties. They are good for beginners because no other mushroom looks like them. Considering their bitter taste and woody characteristic, they are considered best used in powder form, though diehards insist you just have to cook them right.