Porcini
season in Italy
One of the tastiest culinary seasons has arrived in Italy. With
the beginning of the rainy season mushrooms are popping up all over and
Italians are definitely taking advantage of it.
FLORENCE, 23
OCTOBER - After a very rainy week sunny weather prevailed this past
weekend and hordes of people were out and about taking advantage of the
last warmth of autumn. Heading to the countryside in search of various
edible plants and animals seemed to be on the minds of many. The most
popular food hunts these days are for chestnuts or, for those more
experienced in the art of gathering, porcini
mushrooms.
Porcini are the most prestigious fungi one can find in Italy and they come at no small cost. At high season, which is autumn and spring, a kilo of porcini go for about 25,000 Italian Lire, or roughly 12 US Dollars. If one is up for the hunt, searching for mushrooms in the country may save a lira or two.
Italy is a country that is still alive with tradition, and one that continues is the hunt for porcini. Most people who live in rural areas just outside of cities know exactly when and where their favorite mushrooms will pop up and they make sure that they are there to reap the rewards. This calls for city dwellers to push on into lesser-populated territories, arriving at dawn to beat the competition. Often an intensive hike, scanning forest floors for hours produces nothing. Porcini are difficult and shy creatures. They tend to hide in the darker crevices under leaves and detritus. If one is not in the know of specific spots where the mushroom is known to pop up it can often be a frustrating search.
But if one prevails and the precious porcino is found an unforgettable gastronomic delight is in store. Fall recipes for the mushrooms tend to be
heartier soups or meat dishes and an array of appetizers on roasted breads and polenta.
PHOTO: BOLETUS EDILUS, 'PORCINI'
Porcini are the most prestigious fungi one can find in Italy and they come at no small cost. At high season, which is autumn and spring, a kilo of porcini go for about 25,000 Italian Lire, or roughly 12 US Dollars. If one is up for the hunt, searching for mushrooms in the country may save a lira or two.
Italy is a country that is still alive with tradition, and one that continues is the hunt for porcini. Most people who live in rural areas just outside of cities know exactly when and where their favorite mushrooms will pop up and they make sure that they are there to reap the rewards. This calls for city dwellers to push on into lesser-populated territories, arriving at dawn to beat the competition. Often an intensive hike, scanning forest floors for hours produces nothing. Porcini are difficult and shy creatures. They tend to hide in the darker crevices under leaves and detritus. If one is not in the know of specific spots where the mushroom is known to pop up it can often be a frustrating search.
But if one prevails and the precious porcino is found an unforgettable gastronomic delight is in store. Fall recipes for the mushrooms tend to be
heartier soups or meat dishes and an array of appetizers on roasted breads and polenta.
PHOTO: BOLETUS EDILUS, 'PORCINI'