Mushroom hunt begins
2007-05-31
Lise Beyers
A WELL-KEPT secret lurking in the pine forests of Drakenstein’s mountains are the wild mushrooms which start to sprout after the first winter rains.
It is rumoured that the descendants of the Italian community of Paarl discovered many edible mushrooms in the mountains of Drakenstein and were able to teach the local inhabitants about these tasty fungi.
Since the beginning of time Italians have been scurrying for mushrooms in their homeland and thus are great connoisseurs.
They know exactly where to look for these delicacies and know which ones are safe to eat.
But many people are extremely wary about wild mushrooms due to many tales of poisoning.
One such tale is that of an owner of Fancourt Estate, near George, who early in the previous century went to pick mushrooms with his sister and friend in the Outeniqua mountains. The mushrooms were cooked for dinner, and needless to say it was their ‘last supper’.
Yes, mushrooms can be deadly, while others may only give you a runny stomach or make you wish you were dead.
The mushroom which is most sought after to eat, is the Cep, also known as Porcini.
These are found mainly in dense pine and oak forests, where the ground becomes boggy due to rotting leaves.
Experienced wild mushroom foragers will tell you that the search begins ten days after the first heavy winter rains, and also only on a rising moon. Apparently, just like masses of water are affected by the moon, so are mushrooms.
One will not spot a mushroom easily, because they hide themselves under a mound of leaves, and prefer to grow in dark, damp places.
Ceps are brown, fat, heavy mushrooms and are easily distiguishable.
You may often find other mushrooms which look harmless and very much like the white ones that are sold in shops, but beware of these. Any mushroom with a blueish tinge is not recommended either.
It is also said that if you are not sure of the mushrooms that you have picked, put a piece of silver paper in the pan when you cook them. If the paper turns black, so will your intestines if you eat them.
It is indeed great fun to put ones boots on and venture into the eery forests in search of these hidden treasures. But if you are not 100% sure of which mushrooms are poisonous or not, invite a connoisseur.
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