The safest mushrooms are the ones that you know well.
Buy a good guide. Learn ones that grow in your neighbourhood. Study the notes carefully. A good book will show all mushrooms that looks similar to the one you want to pick and will show how to exactly identify the mushroom by specific features of it rather than overall look and feel.
NEVER pick a mushroom because it "looks" ok or because you "remember" there was a nice edible mushroom that looked like the one you are seeing. Only pick the ones that you know well and only when you have positively went over mental checklist of all the features it needs to have in order to be safe.
> They do not look alike to me, but I know people do mistake them from time to time with tragic consequences.
Some people just shouldn't be foraging. I've met enough idiots out in the field that I do believe some have the natural skill and for others... it at least would have to really work at it.
I don't entirely agree with your statement that "there is no such thing as safest mushrooms". If you consider what a mushroom grows in, the region, the time of year, the gills or pores, the scent (often unappreciated), among any more specific distinguishing features, things like oyster mushrooms and morels can be more reliably identified by less experienced foragers than say hen of the woods.
Like, I basically agree when it comes to the least apt of foragers, but that doesn't mean that someone skilled has to apply equal paranoia to all mushrooms as if they've never seen a mushroom before. Just don't go on looks alone.
You don't pick a mushroom because it "looks" like the one on the picture. You pick a mushroom after you have familiarised yourself with other ones that look closest to what you are picking.
People with no experience don't yet know which differences are and which aren't significant.
The safest mushrooms are the ones that you know well.
Buy a good guide. Learn ones that grow in your neighbourhood. Study the notes carefully. A good book will show all mushrooms that looks similar to the one you want to pick and will show how to exactly identify the mushroom by specific features of it rather than overall look and feel.
NEVER pick a mushroom because it "looks" ok or because you "remember" there was a nice edible mushroom that looked like the one you are seeing. Only pick the ones that you know well and only when you have positively went over mental checklist of all the features it needs to have in order to be safe.
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This is my favourite mushroom: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrolepiota_procera
Here are some deadly lookalikes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorophyllum_molybdites https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepiota https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_phalloides
They do not look alike to me, but I know people do mistake them from time to time with tragic consequences.