It’s mushroom season in As Rías Baixas

The forests in the province of Pontevedra offer a great variety of fungi. Check out our top 10 list of edible mushrooms and enjoy your day in the Rías Baixas forest this fall

 

In the woods of Pontevedra you can find a great variety of edible mushrooms, growing almost everywhere. However, there are some typical areas where they can be collected which have become essential for mushroom hunters, as they are rich in specimens and easily accessible.

Among the most visited woods you can find, for example, O Vixiador in the parish of Candeán, and the woods surrounding the University of Vigo; nearby the Castiñeiras Lake, in the region of O Morrazo; in the Castrove Hill, between the towns of Meis and Poio; in the coastal pine groves of the region of O Salnés, and in inland areas of the province, as on the banks of the Ulla River and the oak and chestnut woods in the towns of Lalín, Silleda and Forcarei.

don’t miss ...

  • O Vixiador
  • Mountain Castrove
  • Carballeiras of Lalín
  • Castiñeiras

Mushroom hunting is an activity with an increasing number of followers. The reason behind that includes not only the pleasure of tasting the products you pick, but also the whole experience as going to the woods in autumn with family or friends.

In the province of Pontevedra, it is a relatively recent hobby whose tradition does not extend beyond the ‘70s.

 

 

Actually, in the province of Pontevedra, it is a relatively recent hobby whose tradition does not extend beyond the ‘70s. The first mushroom hunters' descendants are the second generation of hunters and they are making a great effort to spread the pleasure of mycology among the general public.

The species of mushrooms more collected in the province are the boletos, the cantarelas, the tongue of cat, the níscalo and the zarrota.

Grab your basket and delve into this fascinating world. On the way, you can also enjoy the abundance of flora and fauna found within the Rías Baixas this Autumn.


Where look for information?

Distinguishing edible mushrooms is absolutely essential if you want to avoid the dreaded poisoning. That is why numerous associations organise mycological lectures and mushroom picking/identification trips throughout the month. Today, there are several groups of enthusiasts in the main towns of As Rías Baixas aimed at teaching and promoting the world of the mushrooms, as Brincabois, in Pontevedra; Liboeiro, in Bueu; A Cantarela, in Vilagarcía de Arousa; A Zarrota, in Vigo; and A Estrada Micolóxica.

Here you will find, in alphabetical order, the "top ten" collected edible mushrooms, included in the list for their quality and for being easily identifiable. All of them are used in cooking and are a delight for mushrooms lovers.

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    1. Agaricus campestris Also known as wild mushroom or, in the Galician language, as fungo dos lameiros. It is a small white mushroom which grows in spring and autumn in meadows and rich well-fertilized gardens.
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    2. Boletus del grupo edulis Four similar edible species are included in this group: Boletus edulis, Boletus aestivalis, Boletus pinophilus and Boletus aereus. They are all brown and grow in conifer or hardwood forests. In Galician they are also known as andoas.
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    3. Cantharellus cibarius y Cantharellus pallens These are very similar species. They are known as cantarelas in As Rías Baixas, and they resemble a trumpet in shape. Chanterelles' colour depends on the features of the soil where they grow, although it usually ranges from whitish-yellow to orange.
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    4. Coprinus comatus Also known in the province as chipirón de monte (squid of the woods) because of its shape. It has a long very characteristic cap. It grows in meadows, gardens and grasslands.
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    5. Craterellus tubaeformis Known in As Rías Baixas as angula do monte (elver of the woods), because the stalk of the mushroom resembles this fish when cooked. It can be found in deciduous forests, pine groves and eucalyptus plantations in late autumn, when temperatures drop.
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    6. Hydnum repandum The sweet tooth, wood hedgehog or hedgehog mushroom, also known in Galician as lingua de gato or lingua de vaca, grows, as the previous one, during late autumn, that is, from November onwards. It is cream-coloured and can be found in hardwood forests, pine groves and eucalyptus plantations
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    7. Lactarius deliciosus The saffron milk cap, also referred to as fungo da muña in some Galician areas, is a type of mushroom very appreciated in gastronomy. In fact, many mushroom hunters only collect these species. It is common in pine groves and has a very characteristic orange colour and latex.
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    8. Macrolepiota procera The parasol mushroom, also known in Galicia as zarrota, monxo or choupín, is easily distinguishable because it is large and thin and its cap diameter may reach 40 cm. It grows in light forests, meadows and well-fertilized soils.
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    9. Neoboletus erythropus Formerly called Boletus erythropus. It is a mushroom of the boletus type. It has a brown cap, red pores and yellow flesh which turns blue when it comes into contact with air. Its habitats are hardwood forests and pine groves.
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    10. Tricholoma portentosum This mushroom, known as tortullo, has a grey cap and a whitish stalk with touches of pale yellow. It develops in pine groves when the cold temperatures arrive, that is, from November onwards.