Welcome to Fungi Forays!
Britain has the perfect climate for some of the most delicious wild mushrooms known to man. They grow in our woods, pastures and hedges by the bucketful, yet almost all of us ignore this natural bounty.
This is a tragedy. Many of the commonest mushrooms are not only superbly edible, but worth a small fortune on a restaurant menu.
These two-day breaks, based in Mid-Wales’s spectacular Elan Valley, are an introduction to edible mushrooms. They are all about what is good to eat - and what to avoid.
Led by Daniel Butler, environmental writer and fungi-fanatic, these breaks are targetted at the beginner. They seek to de-mystify fungi: to guide the novice through the good, the bad and the ugly to the genuinely delicious.
Breaks
Welcome to the wonderful world of wild mushroom hunting. Although these breaks are set in Mid-Wales, the lessons learned here can be applied everywhere, because fungi know no boundaries. Provided conditions are right, almost every species is theoretically global in distribution (the biggest porcino ever found was a 7 kg monster in the Snowy Mountains of Australia).
Closer to home, however, all of the 50-odd edible species I have found in the Elan Valley can potentially occur anywhere in Britain. That said, conditions here are particularly good for fungi because the area is heavily forested with both ancient broadleaf woods and younger conifer plantations. In addition most pasture has never been ploughed (soil disturbance spells the end for many grassland species). This means that on one short walk we can explore a wide range of habitats and maximise the variety of finds (my record is 31 edible species in one morning).
Filling a basket with delicious mushrooms is normally easy: the next question is what to do with them. Many are delicious cooked immediately in a variety of tempting recipes, but in a glut most can be preserved for later use. Indeed some, such as porcini, are arguably superior after drying, so there is a demonstration of drying and preserving methods to allow you to store your haul for the long winter months.
Ultimately the gastronomic qualities of wild mushrooms are very much up to the individual, so we allow guests to decide for themselves with a tasting session to find out what best suits their palates . . . and you would be surprised by how much the results can vary. After this, the mushroom feast gives the perfect opportunity to sample a range of the best in combination with delicious local ingredients. What better way to round off plenty of exercise in the champagne air and spectacular beauty of the Cambrian Mountains?
Latest
Newsletter
Mushroom Newsletter (23 January 2010)
The recent snow may not have been conducive to mushroom hunting, but spring is on its way and the arrival of my new mushroom cards and an invitation to hunt morels in Turkey have lifted my spirits . . .
Wildlife Profile
Brown Hare
‘Mad as a March hare’ is a familiar expression, but one which means little to many young people. Few people fortunate enough to have seen a group of these surprisingly large creatures bouncing like boxing kangaroos across the frost-dusted grass will forget it however . . .
Wild Food
Hops (March 2010)
These are one of the earliest green shoots to emerge each year, snaking up through the hedgerows, curling around sturdier, now dormant, shrubs at a phenomenol pace . . .
Recipes
Morel Stroganoff (March 2010)
Morels are the first seriously delicious mushrooms of the year to emerge. This delicious recipe merges their superb flavour (surely these must be in anyone’s top half-dozen wild mushrooms?) with yoghurt to create a light, creamy, dish with a hint of sour . . .
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German mushroom knife
These specially imported knives have a hawk's bill stainless steel blade, lanyard hook and measuring scale. The blade's serrated back and inbuilt natural bristle brush allow collectors to clean their finds in the field.