Armillaria mellea also known as honey mushrooms or “stumpers” is a choice autumn edible and one of my favorites. Found growing in large clusters around dead oak trees and stumps and occasionally on the ground following the decaying roots. They are easy identified by the size of the cluster, white ring under the cap with a golden yellow outer edge, white spores and a solid white pith inside of the stem.
**Caution should be used when harvesting Honey mushrooms as a dangerous look-alike Galerina autumnalis can easily be mistaken for a honey mushroom. The deadly Galerina will be found growing on dead wood, spread out, not clustered and has a brown spore print. Study both species well before you harvest honeys for food. Mixing in a Galerina will be a fatal mistake that you will only make once.**