With the recently inaugurated autumn season, the conditions are ripe for the forests to begin to fill with mushrooms, one of the culinary stars of these months which provide us, if fresh, with a good amount of water, proteins, carbohydrates. and a minimum amount of fat; in addition to some vitamins from groups A, B and D.
If for many people the pleasure of eating them is enormous, for others it is not surpassed by the pleasure of chasing them, of spending a few hours in the wilderness in search of the most precious specimen. Even if this experience can be very enriching, several issues must be taken into account, such as knowing which mushrooms are edible since, of the 600,000 species of mushrooms existing, only 600 are.
Tips and tricks for going mushroom hunting
It is clear that picking mushrooms requires prior knowledge. It is not worth destroying everything and, although there are mobile applications that can help us, we must take into account some tips that the Food Safety and Nutrition Agency (AESAN) summarizes as follows:
- We will not pick mushrooms if we are not sure that they are edible; If in doubt, it is important not to consume them before consulting an expert. To do this, we can also remove the entire base with the knife since it is with the buried part that, in certain cases, we can identify it. But above all, we will only select specimens which we are completely sure are edible. ; If in doubt, it is better to leave them on the ground rather than having to throw them away at home later.
- We will not collect mushrooms near areas that may be contaminated, such as roadside ditches, industrial areas, or areas near landfills. Therefore, we must pay special attention to the area where we are going to look for mushrooms.
- We will try to avoid harvesting mushrooms after heavy rains or frosts because their appearance can lead us to confuse them with species, in addition to the fact that they will have excess water and will have lost part of their aroma and their flavor.
Once these steps are clear, and before consuming, it is important to continue to pay attention to certain aspects such as reviewing them one by one to check that, during sampling, no specimen that could be toxic has slipped in. If we are going to consume a species for the first time, it is preferable to do so in moderation to avoid possible risks of allergic reactions or food intolerances.
It should also be remembered that some edible mushrooms can be toxic if we consume them raw, so we will have to cook them to inactivate these toxins. It is also advisable to keep a raw specimen so that in the event of poisoning, an expert can identify it.
Mushrooms: beware of homemade tips and false beliefs
The mycological world is particularly prone to false beliefs and the practice of artisanal tricks which, far from what they pursue, can lead us to more than one scare with the consumption of inedible mushrooms. One of the most common is that cooking eliminates the toxicity of some of them. However, some toxins are resistant to any heat treatment.
Another myth is that if we cook them with a silver object, with garlic or onion and the mushrooms turn black, it means they are toxic. However, this is not always the case. A good example of this is that the Amanita phalloideswhich is very toxic, don’t do it. We should not trust appearances either, as the story shows us once again. Amanita phalloidesa mushroom that has an attractive appearance that can mislead and confuse us.
It is also not true that if they change color when we touch or cut them, they are toxic. The dress (Lactarius delicious)for example, changes color when touched, but the Amanita phalloidesNo.
We must also be careful not to identify them solely by following popular beliefs or by relying on a photograph. Often, the color or size does not correspond to reality and does not allow us to identify all the particularities of this species. Here you have to be particularly careful with situations that can lead to confusion because mushrooms can change shape, color or size if they are young or if, on the contrary, they are already ripe.
Main edible mushrooms
The list of edible mushrooms that can be found in our forests is varied, although the most common and suitable for consumption are:
Ticket (Boletus edulis)
This mushroom, also known as porcini mushroom, porcini mushroomwhite mushroom or pumpkin mushroom, has a thick appearance and a cap that can reach 25 centimeters in diameter. Ranging in color from creamy white to brownish, it is made up of a sort of tubes instead of leaves and has firm flesh, with a pleasant smell and a flavor reminiscent of hazelnut.
Rovellón or chanterelle (Delicious Lactarius)
As its scientific name suggests, it is one of the most popular trees growing in pine forests. Finding it is quite a challenge because it usually hides among the leaves and its hat, orange in color, convex and sunken in the center, blends into the environment. With compact flesh and a sweet smell, it has a short, hollow stem. Although the meat is tough, it can be more fragile at the cap, which is sometimes found with a few green areas, which is in no way a sign of toxicity.
Oronja (Amanita Caesarea)
This mushroom is found particularly in holm oak, oak and chestnut forests. It has a distinctive orange hat and can measure around 15 centimeters in diameter. This mushroom has large yellow blades and white, firm flesh. It is found especially in oak and cork oak forests, under chestnut trees and oaks.
Mushroom (Agariculs bisporus)
This mushroom, which is usually found for a good part of the year because much of its production is cultivated, is white, as are the blades, which take on a dark brown or black tint. It usually grows in meadows and meadows.
trumpet of death (Craterellus cornucopioids)
Very dark in appearance, we easily recognize this mushroom, although it is also very easy for us to confuse it with the leaves of the forest. It is mainly found in humid areas of oak, ash or beech forests.
Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius)
Also known as cabrilla or chantarello or camagrocs, this mushroom, which is also one of the most appreciated, is characterized by a color between yellow and orange, with a funnel-shaped or copan-shaped cap and yellow blades . It will be found especially in forests of deciduous trees, hidden among the leaves and very close to trees and ferns, in forests of oaks, beech and pine.
Thistle (Pleurotus eryngii)
This mushroom has a dark brown, almost black cap, which turns pale cream after going through all the shades. The blades are separate and pale cream in color and the stem is fleshy, white to ocher gray.
fills the gray (Hygrophorus agathosmus)
Equipped with a viscous cap with a grayish appearance, it has spaced out and whitish blades. This mushroom grows in coniferous forests. It has a characteristic almond smell with anise nuances.
Senduela (Marasmius oreades)
This mushroom, also known as nymph and dry in bedis small but slender, with a cap that easily separates from the foot, not very fleshy, bell-shaped and in color that can range from reddish ocher to orange ocher and whitish cream. It has fairly spaced and thick blades, at first they are whitish but, over time, they become ocher. The foot is particularly thin, white and long, but resistant to twisting.
Morel (Morchella vulgaris)
This mushroom, although it is more typical in spring, is also known as morel, murgula or brisquilla, it has a particular spongy appearance, almost cylindrical in shape at the base, a conical cap and brown or grayish in color .
