The most important aspect of Amanita muscaria preparation lies in the drying and/or of heating of the mushroom. What these two processes do is convert the less powerful ibotenic acid into the highly psychopharmacological chemical muscimol through decarboxylation. If this is not done then the potency as an inebriant is lessened. There are a number of ways to do this. The fresh mushroom can be roasted over an open flame via the Wasson technique discovered by a friend of his in Japan who roasted the mushroom over an open fire and then consumed it with euphoric effects.
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