Autumn is the season of mushrooms and the perfect time to head into the forests in search of seasonal treasures. Foresting your own mushrooms gives your culinary exploration a touch of adventure and brings a burst of flavour to your everyday dishes.
One of the richest and most flavourful delights of the autumn season is wild mushrooms. When the summer heat resigns and long rainy days follow, the temperature and humidity raise the curtain on Mushroom season.
“I’ve always thought fairies are like mushrooms, you trip over them when you’re not thinking about them, but they’re hard to spot when you’re searching for them.” - Jo Walton
How to forage mushrooms
After heavy rains, any damp and humid place would start to sprout the little ones. All you need for foraging is a small basket to store them in, a pocketknife, and a brush to clean off the dirt.
Mushrooms are delicate and plucking them out might damage their roots. The ideal mushroom hunter always makes sure to preserve the ecosystem by only taking as much as they need. Use the pocket knife to cut the mushroom stems near the roots for harvesting.
Seek out mushrooms that are round, well-shaped, dense, and tightly packed. Those with open or upturned caps are generally more robust and richer in aroma. The size of the mushroom doesn't significantly impact the taste, if they aren't overgrown and aged, in such cases, they can develop a woody flavour.
Where to find wild mushrooms
In general, mushrooms grow in damp and humid places, from woodlands and forests to parks and meadows. Often in forests in the moss, under the leaf covers or near lakes and marshes. Some mushrooms only grow in very specific ecosystems dependent on a host tree, meanwhile, other types of mushrooms can be found in different forests, fields or even in your garden.
Not all mushrooms are safe to eat!
The key thing to remember is that not all mushrooms are safe to eat. Always keep a guidebook on mushrooms handy to know which ones you need to watch out for. Some types of mushrooms can be eaten raw meanwhile other types could be dangerous to consume raw. It is important to check that the mushrooms you pick are eatable and if they need to be prepared in a specific way to be safe for consumption. Nowadays, a search from your phone will also tell you everything about the mushroom you’ve found.
Different kinds of wild mushrooms
While many kinds of mushrooms are grown in hotbeds and available all year round, true culinary delicacies like Chanterelle, Maitake, Matsutake, Morel and Porcini can only be found in the wild. These natural mushrooms are quite rare and expensive but if you look in the right places, you can forage the nature’s treasures and experience their refined aroma and flavours in the autumn season.
Cep or Porcini - Boletus edulis
When it comes to mushrooms in the autumn, the most highly recognized is the Cep, also known by its Italian name Porcini and nicknamed the “King of Mushrooms”. Porcini mushrooms are usually found in older mixed forests. Porcini grows in both deciduous forests, coniferous forests, and older mixed forests. The mushroom can be found in North America, almost all of Europe, from Scandinavia to Italy, and large parts of Asia.
From thumb-sized to large ones that are as big as the palms of your hand, ceps are prized for their autumnal woody or earthy aroma, thick meaty stem and glossy chestnut cap that gives an umami taste. Porcini is delicious simply drizzled with olive oil, salted, and grilled or even roasted as a side dish.
Chanterelle - Cantharellus
Pretty and light with thin and willowy stems, the Chanterelle looks like it is practically dancing in the woodlands to the songs of the autumn birds. Also known as the Ballerina mushroom, it is found in all the woodland areas of the Northern Hemisphere usually in mossy and damp woods. They usually have an orange, yellow or grey colour and a delicate apricot aroma with a slightly woody aftertaste. Chanterelles are the perfect addition to any seasonal autumn soup, pasta, risotto, or stew, eaten simply sauteed on toast or any other dish.
Matsutake - Tricholoma matsutake
In the undergrowth of the rare Red Pine Forest in the Temba hilly region near Kyoto, Japan grows the mushroom that is quite possibly one of the rarest and most exquisite, the Matsutake. They are treasured for their unique and robust flavour with a gentle touch of spice and the aromatic notes of cinnamon and cedar. Using the season’s first foraged Matsutake along with the first harvest of rice to cook Matsutake Rice is a tradition that is followed every year in Japan. It is usually gently simmered in soups, stews, or hotpots to bring out the delicate and complex aroma.
Puffballs - Lycoperdon perlatum
Puffballs rapidly grow to huge sizes, sometimes the size of your head looking like a football lying in the grass. They are found in Northern Europe, Canada, and northern states of the USA in grasslands, meadows, parks, lawns and even the sides of a grassy sports pitch. Puffballs are pure white all the way through, usually perfectly round and should not have any signs of gills, stems, or caps. They are usually sliced or cut into strips and grilled for breakfast along with bacon and eggs. The large slices can also be used as an alternative pizza base.
How to cook and store mushrooms
Natural mushrooms have a distinct aroma and rich flavour, and they are best consumed when they are fresh. These delights are delicious on their own, raw, as well as grilled or fried, sauteed on toast or as an addition to pasta, soup, or stew. Check out our recipe for Mushroom And Chicken Risotto here.
If you pick or buy a lot of mushrooms and have some left over, keep them wrapped in a paper towel or a newspaper in the refrigerator for 3-4 days so that they do not get soggy. To relish the flavours of these mushrooms throughout other seasons, they can be pickled in brine or dehydrated to last even longer. If you wish to learn more about natural food preservation, you can read all about it here.
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