Mushrooms are all the rage

The boom in mushroom picking in Los Alcornocales

We are all more or less familiar with the majesty of our Los Alcornocales Natural Park. Its botanical richness, its variety of animal species, its leafy cork oak groves, its rock shelters featuring numerous cave paintings, and its countless hiking trails. The rutting season in September, kayaking trips, mountain biking or simply walking have been drawing visitors to the Park year after year.

But in recent years, a veritable ‘boom’ has emerged that was virtually non-existent until recently. This is partly because it is accessible to all ages, allowing people to stroll through idyllic settings surrounded by lush nature, and almost entirely because it offers the chance to sample one of the greatest delicacies known to man.

Indeed, after the first autumn rains, in almost every corner of the park, it is common to see groups of people, dressed in varying degrees of suitability, with their wicker baskets slung over their arms.

The ease of access nowadays via the internet, social media or specialist blogs has meant that even the until recently unknown and even feared world of mushroom foraging has become commonplace, popular, almost festive – and with that, the enormous danger it entails is being downplayed.

The fascinating world of fungi and mushrooms

Before we get to the heart of the matter, let’s talk a little about the world of MUSHROOMS.

Fascinating living organisms, in a thousand colours, shapes and names, each one stranger than the last. So different, in fact, that in 1970 the American ecologist Robert Whittaker decided to create a new kingdom of living organisms after observing that fungi exhibited characteristics of both animals and plants. Thus, the kingdom FUNGI was born.

But before we go any further, what do we mean when we say ‘fungus’? Is it the same as an ‘edible mushroom’? Do we forage for fungi, edible mushrooms, or both?

The answer is simple, using an analogy: a mushroom is ‘the apple’ and a fungus is ‘the apple tree’. In other words, a mushroom is the fruit of the fungus. So not all fungi produce mushrooms; there is no mushroom without a fungus; and yes, what we forage for are mushrooms.

It’s also interesting to note that the largest living organism on the planet is a fungus, specifically one called Armillaria ostoyae, which is found in Oregon (USA) and covers an area of over 9 square kilometres. And we have it right here in our park.

As if that weren’t enough, fungi are responsible for fermenting many foods, producing penicillin, being used in numerous medicines, breaking down dead organic matter in our forests, and fermenting products such as bread and wine.

Los Alcornocales, a mycological treasure

Returning to our Los Alcornocales Park, we can say that we are looking at a veritable mycological treasure. An idyllic place that combines moderate humidity throughout the year, mild temperatures and abundant rainfall, making its more than 170,000 hectares a vast breeding ground for fungi and, consequently, wild mushrooms.

The climate is not the only reason. The composition of the soil is just as important, and even more so is a third factor known as mycorrhiza – the symbiotic relationship between a fungus and the roots of a specific tree, from which both derive benefits.

This means that, for the most part, a fungus needs to be near a specific tree in order to grow. Milk caps and pine trees, cork oak buds and cork oaks, and chanterelles and gall oaks are very general examples. And in our Park we find an enormous diversity of tree species.

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It is estimated that there are between 2 and 5 million fungi in the world. Of these, only around 120,000 species have been described, and just over 1,500 in Spain.

Tips for picking mushrooms safely

So let’s get started. As you’ve no doubt been overcome by an irresistible urge to go mushroom hunting, here are a few tips on how to do so safely.

First and foremost: if your sole purpose in going mushroom picking is to eat the mushrooms, you’re doing it wrong. Just as when you fancy a rice dish with prawns, you don’t go out and catch them, or when you fancy a rabbit stew, you don’t go out and hunt them.

Going mushroom picking is just an excuse to get out into the countryside, go for a walk, listen to the birds, smell the flowers or dip your feet in one of the park’s many streams.

Make sure you’re well kitted out, especially with good, comfortable footwear. Wear warm, waterproof clothing and long trousers. You’ll end up with scratches from brambles, thistles and stinging nettles.

Don’t go out on your own. The countryside is much more enjoyable when you’re with others. For safety’s sake – in case of a fall or feeling unwell – it’s best to go with someone else.

Use a GPS app to know where you’re going and, above all, how to find your way back. When you’re looking for mushrooms, you’re staring at the ground, which makes it very easy to lose your bearings.

Common myths about mushrooms

• It is a myth that mushrooms eaten by animals are not poisonous.
• It is a myth that if you cook them with a silver spoon and the spoon doesn’t turn black, they are edible.
• It is a myth that edible mushrooms become contaminated if they share a basket with poisonous ones.
• It is a myth that cooking poisonous mushrooms with vinegar removes their toxicity.
• It is a myth that poisonous mushrooms always smell bad.
• It is not true that mushrooms growing on wood or in clusters are edible.
• It is not true that a mushroom which changes colour is necessarily poisonous.
• It is not true that garlic or high temperatures make all mushrooms edible.

Caution above all

To sum up, here are three pieces of advice: CAUTION, CAUTION AND CAUTION.

We are faced with a marvellous world that can bring us great joy, but which can also kill us. Never rely on identification from a photograph or on someone who is not an expert.

Study, read, ask experts, attend mycological seminars and enjoy the countryside with respect.

“All mushrooms are edible… some only once”.

Daniel Palma Quintana