Top 20 Edible Mushrooms Popular in Amposta
Situated in an area ripe for fungi, Amposta is a forager's haven, housing some of the best edible mushrooms. This wondrous city nurtures 20 exceptional fungi varieties, each unique in their appearance, taste, and culinary usage. Primarily dictated by Amposta's idyllic climate and diverse terrain, their habitat varies, contributing to an impressive fungal diversity. As we acquaint you with these edible fungi, expect an immersive educational journey into mycology and gastronomy.
* 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. Copper spike
A European fungus, the copper spike is is visually almost indistinguishable from its North American counterpart - Chroogomphus ochraceus, although molecular studies have shown that these two are different species. Its cap becomes slimy when wet, hence the common name. The cap color is highly variable and it can range from yellowish, to orange, purplish, reddish, and brown.
2. Saffron milk cap
Growing wild in the northern hemisphere and introduced to Australia, the saffron milk cap is found in pine forests during autumn. As the name implies, these mushrooms have been harvested for cooking for a long time. They have been known to cause stomach upset in some individuals, however, and carry a risk of being contaminated with heavy metals, so forage with caution.
3. Bloody milk cap
Bloody milk cap (Lactarius sanguifluus) has a distinctive appearance with its pale exterior but a deep blood-red interior, for which it is named. This mushroom can be found in pine forests where it grows in a mycorrhizal relationship with the trees. Bloody milk cap is known to accumulate large quantities of toxic heavy metals.
4. Slippery jack
This mushroom blooms in summer and autumn, usually near or beneath pine trees. It does well in cold climates, but can also be found further south all around the northern hemisphere. During moist weather, the slippery jack's caps become quite slimy, leading to their common name.
5. Suillus collinitus
Suillus collinitus is a mushroom that grows in a symbiotic relationship with pine trees, particularly the Aleppo pine. This fungus is sometimes introduced to young pine trees to help them to become established in poor soils. It was listed as an endangered species in the United Kingdom, but its 'vulnerable' classification was removed from that nation's Red Data List in 2006.
6. Yellow foot
Like all members of the Craterellus genus, the yellow foot doesn't have true gills but wrinkled veins instead. These gill-like wrinkles are extremely subtle in this mushroom and its undersurface seems like it's completely smooth. The species is associated with conifer forests.
7. Pinkmottle woodwax
Although the species name references this mushroom’s physical similarity to a russula, the pinkmottle woodwax (Hygrophorus russula) is a waxy cap. The characteristic sticky cap of that genus dries out quickly in this tricky species. They are quite resistant to insect infestations.
8. Blewit
The blewit mushroom grows in fallen leaves in autumn and winter, sometimes appearing in ‘fairy ring’ circles. It can be used to make a green dye when chopped and boiled in an iron pot. The scientific name, Lepista nuda, derives from Latin words meaning “bare goblet,” a reference to the shape and texture of the mushroom.
9. Velvet bolete
The velvet bolete is one of the most common mushrooms in pine forests in the northern hemisphere. There have been reports of mild poisoning cases from eating this mushroom, so it is best avoided. The velvet bolete is said to be of poor taste and unpleasant smell, anyway.
10. Trooping funnel
The trooping funnel grows an unusually tall mushroom, often in groups or circles known as “fairy rings” that can be several meters across. The mushrooms can survive a frost and so often remain standing through early winter. Handle with care as they have a poisonous lookalike: the Livid Pinkgill.
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