Mushroom picking in Tirol

The best places to go mushroom picking? No mushroom picker will reveal where they’ve found their haul. But there are certainly a few general tips. Mushrooms tend to grow particularly often in damp, mossy spots. Small clearings where the mushrooms are sheltered are ideal. Or the edge of the forest. You’ll often find them there too. And as I said: after a few rainy days, when the sun comes out again, you’ll find plenty of mushrooms.

However, mushroom picking is also about fairness and nature conservation. In Tirol, there’s a legal regulation stating that a mushroom picker may collect no more than two kilograms of mushrooms per day, and only between 7.00 am and 19.00 pm. What no longer applies is the rule that mushrooms may only be collected on even-numbered calendar days. The law is one thing; fairness and species conservation are another. With two kilograms of mushrooms, I can whip up a delicious mushroom goulash or a savoury pasta dish with chanterelles for my whole family at home. So why pick any more? If each of us in the Tirolean forests sticks to this rule, we’ll protect the mushroom population. The forest needs the mushrooms. Among other things, they help break down nutrients for many trees.

The most common mushrooms in the Tirolean forests

If you’re a beginner thinking of taking up mushroom picking, here’s a brief overview of the most common mushrooms found in the Tirolean forests.

Porcini mushrooms

The porcini mushroom is probably the king of edible mushrooms. Its flesh is firm, it is particularly suitable for roasting and the flavour is incomparable. The fruiting bodies usually have a brownish cap, white to olive-yellowish pores, a light-coloured net pattern on the stalk and white, rarely when pressed. Porcini mushrooms are most often found after rainy days during a warm summer, but can also be found until late September.

Chanterelles

The striking yellow, golden chanterelles are also called chanterelles in Tyrol because of their colour. They are usually found in groups under trees, mossy areas and small clearings. Chanterelles are highly sought-after edible mushrooms as they have a spicy flavour and add a special touch to any mushroom dish. The characteristic features of the chanterelle are the shape and colour of the cap and stem of the fruiting body. The yolk to golden yellow cap has a diameter of 2 to 9 centimetres and initially has a hemispherical to domed shape, which then turns into a funnel shape.

Birch mushroom

The birch mushroom is a medium-sized to large tubular mushroom with a brownish, fine-felt cap, clearly black-scaled stalk and white flesh under birch trees. This very good edible mushroom grows preferably - as the name suggests - near birch trees. The birch mushroom can often be found near the edge of the forest. You should only collect younger specimens as they still have firm flesh. This mild edible mushroom can be found in Tyrol from June to October.

Bovist

The bovist is a tasty mushroom that sprouts in the woods from the beginning of summer to the end of autumn and often looks like a classic button mushroom. Due to its pleasantly mild flavour and its abundance, the edible Bovist is very popular. However, you should be able to distinguish between the different types of Bovist before heading out into the woods. This is because there are also inedible and even poisonous varieties of this type of mushroom. It is better to leave them if you are not sure.

Toadstool

Everyone knows this mushroom. Red hat with white dots: The fly agaric is one of the most beautiful and colourful mushrooms in our forests. But everyone also knows that the fly agaric is poisonous! This mushroom is a beautiful photo motif. Please just leave it there and enjoy the play of colours of the most famous mushroom. Knocking over poisonous mushrooms is bad for the forest because the fly agaric and other poisonous mushrooms also fulfil an important role in the ecosystem.

Parasol

The Parasol is a sensational edible mushroom, very mild and usually grows in groups. The cap is initially completely covered with a brown skin, which soon cracks open and tears into feathery pieces. My tip for the parasol: simply put the cap on a grill, add a little olive oil, salt and pepper - the parasol is a real treat. The parasol has an inedible doppelganger here - the saffron umbrella mushroom. The two are very often confused and the saffron umbrella mushroom causes a strong intolerance reaction in many people (stomach pain, nausea, vomiting...). The Parasol is also one of the mushrooms most often confused with the tuberous mushroom.

Reizker

To be honest, you don't need to collect charlocks. There are several poisonous and inedible species of milk mushrooms. The ones with pink milk can all be eaten, but the ones with pungent milk can cause terrible stomach upsets.

Red cup fungus

The red cup mushroom is a rather unmistakable mushroom in the shape of a cup, which shimmers red to orange on the inside. It is often found in Tyrol up to high mountain altitudes. The cup mushrooms are also wonderful photo motifs, but we would advise against eating them.

russula

The russula is one of those mushrooms that can be found very often in Tyrol. It is an excellent edible mushroom. Once you have found a forest where the russula is found, you will have quickly collected the permitted two kilograms of mushrooms. Edible russulas can come in all shades of colour from red to brown. In Tyrol, russulas can be found from June to October in deciduous and coniferous forests, under oaks, copper beeches, pines and spruces. russula prefer sandy and silicate soils, but avoid pure limestone soils.

In general: If you are not sure whether a mushroom is edible, just leave it. I'm sure you'll find a mushroom behind the next tree that you know well and that you can put in the cooking pot without hesitation.

After the hunt comes the pleasure. I'm one of those people who clean the mushrooms in the forest. Then I save myself most of the work at home. In the kitchen, I just use a toothbrush to remove the last bits of dirt. If the mushroom is still not clean, it is briefly placed under water. But not for too long. My favourite recipe is simple, the taste of the mushrooms should be the main focus:

Recipe: Mushroom pasta with sautéed mushrooms

Ingredients:

• Mushrooms, according to flavour
• Herbs, depending on flavour
• Tagliatelle
• onion
• garlic
• Cream
• A little oil for frying
• Salt and pepper, possibly chilli
  

Preparation:
Clean and chop the mushrooms. Sauté the onions until translucent and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper just before serving. I then add lots of herbs to the mushrooms and refine with crushed garlic and a little chilli. A dash of cream at the very end, toss the tagliatelle in the pan - and that's it. Enjoy your meal!

Mushroom advice:

If you now feel like "going mushrooming" during your holiday in Tyrol but are not sure whether your haul is edible, or if you simply want to deepen your knowledge of mushrooms, you have the opportunity to have your finds examined by experts at the mushroom advice centre of the Jenbach mushroom association. From June to the beginning of October, the advice centre is open every Friday and Sunday from 6.30 pm to 8 pm.

The mushroom association is also represented online at www.pilzverein-tirol.com, blogs and is on Twitter @pilzetirol and Facebook (Pilzverein Tirol).

There is also a mushroom counselling service in Innsbruck. You can get advice there by appointment from Monday to Friday in the mornings.