A Taste On The Wild Side

When they’re newly picked from the forest floor, wild mushrooms have the freshest flavour.

I source my mushrooms from the New Forest, which is teeming with all sorts of varieties. I look for Girolles, Pied de Mouton, Horn of Plenty, Porcini, Bolete, Winter Chanterelle, Chicken of the Woods and Hen of the Woods. As you can see, they have some weird and wonderful names!

Because there are so many different types, identifying mushrooms takes a great deal of knowledge and attention to detail. The colours, stem sizes and markings vary hugely, so for novices I’d strongly recommend going with someone who knows what they’re looking for. And if you’re not 100% certain, don’t pick it.

If you do head out (with your expert in tow!), it’s very important to respect the environment.

The health of the forest floor is essential, so don’t dig up big holes when cutting the mushrooms – leave the ground as you found it. Also, to encourage growth for the next season, leave spores around the area you picked. You can do this by brushing the spores gently or cutting off small bits of the mushroom itself. 

Now the tasty part –cooking them! Adding wild mushrooms to a stew or casserole will intensify the meaty flavour significantly, which is why we love them so much at FJB. Most varieties of mushrooms cook quickly, but to keep their amazing natural flavour, you mustn’t let them over cook.