From: riburr@shentel.net   
      
   mimus wrote:   
   > Frederick Burroughs wrote:   
   >   
   >>kilgoretrout wrote:   
   >>   
   >>>mimus wrote:   
   >>>   
   >>>>Does the stuff you _didn't_ sprinkle the 'shrooms over taste more savory,   
   >>>>too? what about just outright salivation?   
   >>>   
   >>>Amanita muscaria id hard to identify with many similar looking   
   >>>relatives. A word to the wise........   
   >>   
   >>I did do a comparison on hamburgers.  I made two small batches; one   
   >>with, the other without powdered A. muscaria mixed into the raw meat.   
   >>The flavor of the hamburger w/A. muscaria "bloomed" with mouthfilling   
   >>savoriness, and was noticeably tastier than the control batch.   
   >>   
   >>It has something to do with stimulating "umami" taste buds on the   
   >>tongue.  Ibotenic acid is a potent stimulator of these taste receptors.   
   >>  I made a miso soup using A. muscaria that was almost too rich and   
   >>savory for me to eat.  I've read anecdotal accounts of some chefs using   
   >>A. muscaria as a "secret" ingredient in some of their dishes.   
   >>   
   >>Umami is a taste response caused by the presence of certain amino acids.   
   >>  Mushrooms in general are known to have a umami character, but A.   
   >>muscaria is particularly potent.  I believe Benjamin, in his book,   
   >>mentions ibotenic acid is registered as a flavor enhancer.   
   >   
   >   
   > So, nothing to do with pinpoint pupils or seeing Aztec temples or anything   
   > like that.   
   >   
      
   No, not at the amount I used - about a heaping tablespoon powdered   
   mushroom in half-a-pound of meat.  I did use a much larger quantity in   
   miso soup, looking for any psychoactive effect.  There were no visions,   
   and only an uncomfortable and contradictory combination of mental   
   haziness and edginess.  But, I don't think any claims are made for the   
   magic of Amanita muscaria var. formosa.   
      
      
   --   
   I can tell your future just look what's in your hand...   
      
   - Robert Hunter   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)