Top 20 Edible Mushrooms Popular in Marche
Discover the bounty of flavorful, versatile and nutritious fungi in Marche. This region, rich in diverse microclimates and terrains, offers suitable habitats for numerous kinds of desirable edible mushrooms. We explore the top 20 most common variations, diving into their unique characteristics, including appearance, taste, and typical habitats. We also delve into their many culinary uses, making this guide an indispensable resource for both chefs and mycophiles alike. Uncover the treasure trove of local fungi in Marche and expand your culinary palette with a generous sample of nature's finest delicacies.
* Disclaimer: Content feedback CAN NOT be used as any basis for EATING ANY PLANTS. Some plants can be VERY POISONOUS, please purchase edible plants through regular channels.
Most Popular Edible Mushrooms
1. Shaggy mane
The shaggy mane mushroom is commonly found in North American and European grasslands. Some peoples foraged for its young egg-shaped caps, but it has more recently been found to be a bioaccumulator of heavy metals, meaning it pulls toxic metals up from the soil where it grows. As a result, shaggy manes should not be eaten. The mushrooms usually appear in clusters or “fairy rings.”
2. Big sheath mushroom
These large white mushrooms bloom all over cleared, harvested fields, as well as pastures and roadsides. The scientific species name comes from Greek words meaning “glue” (glioio) and “head” (cephalus), in reference to the sticky surface of this mushroom’s cap. The big sheath mushroom looks so similar to the poisonous Deathcap and Destroying Angel mushrooms that it should always be left alone.
3. Parasol
Found in clearings and grassy areas in late summer, the wild parasol mushroom has a snakeskin-patterned stem. The brown spots on its cap make it look a bit shaggy, but that name is reserved for its poisonous counterpart, the Shaggy Parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes). You can distinguish the two by the stems: the latter has a smooth stem and red flesh inside.
4. Jelly ear
The distinctive jelly ear grows mainly through winter and spring, mostly on the dead trunks and branches of elder trees. It occurs around the world and is often cooked into dishes in Asian countries. This ear-shaped jelly mushroom is often available in stores both fresh and dried.
5. Horn of plenty
The Craterellus cornucopioides is an edible and highly sought-after species of mushroom that is usually grouped with the chanterelles. It has a black, trumpet-like shape due to its highly upturned cap. Sometimes called the 'trumpet of the dead,' this is not a reference to danger, but rather an old European belief that these mushrooms spring up over the graves of the dead.
6. Deceiving bolete
The cap is hemispherical, latter flattening out, appearing olive to reddish-brown, rarely also dark red. The flesh is yellow, turning blue when cut. The pores are yellow with olive spores. The stipe is smooth and golden yellow. The flesh has a slightly acrid taste. 
7. Honey fungus
The honey fungus is a parasitic fungus that grows on the roots of many woody and perennial plants, damaging and possibly killing its host. It spreads underground and is considered to be the most damaging fungal disease in gardens across the UK. The appearance of the mushrooms above-ground heralds a much more extensive infection below.
8. Lurid bolete
Once considered a member of the Boletus genus, the lurid bolete is a mushroom that is best avoided. Inexperienced mushroom hunters could easily confuse it with the severely poisonous European species Satan's bolete (Rubroboletus satanas) or its North American cousin Rubroboletus eastwoodiae. When cut, the stem of this bolete goes dark blue. Its smell is a bit sour.
9. Enoki
The enoki grows wild on dead elm trees, and is also cultivated for human use. This flavorful species (Flammulina velutipes) has been used in dishes around the world for generations, being particularly high in nutrients. Though store-bought enoki are often plain white, wild ones can be found in a range of colors.
10. Chicken of the woods
Chicken of the woods is very noticeable in hardwood forests, appearing in clusters on standing tree trunks in bright orange and yellow hues that sometimes last through the entire winter. It is a parasite that causes an unfortunate brown heart rot, and is considered a particularly troublesome pest of Yew trees. If the fruitbodies can be seen, the tree is likely already beyond saving.
More
