Useful information and super sites if you are thinking of picking mushrooms

Collecting edible delicacies in the wild has a long tradition in Hungary. The adventurous often wander the woods in search of elderberries in early summer, mushrooms in autumn and reddish rosehips when the weather turns colder. Of all these, however, mushroom picking requires the most attention from the collectors, and it also does matter when you start wandering through the forests. Picking mushrooms is, of course, only possible when there are mushrooms; usually after heavy rains. But we also have some good advice for those who decide to visit the woods or meadows at a certain time of year to search for edible mushrooms.

To pick mushrooms, you should go with someone who is familiar with the various types of mushrooms. And if you don’t have an expert on hand, it’s a good idea to pick only one type of mushroom – ceps, for example, are very easy to spot – to avoid mixing different species. Unfortunately, if you put just one toxic in your basket, you can destroy all the others. If you want to be sure – and when it comes to mushrooms, you shouldn’t leave it to chance – show your collection to a mushroom expert! So that the expert can tell with certainty which mushroom has been picked, never remove the distinguishing features of the mushroom, i.e. the stalk, the stump or the collar. Do not pick unknown mushrooms in the wild, especially not with the same tool you use to pick your “good” mushrooms, as this can easily transfer spores. It is also important not to tear the mushroom, but to gently twist it out of the ground. This way, the fruiting body is not damaged and the mushroom can regrow in the same place.

Mushroom season is generally thought to be in autumn, but it is also easy to find mushrooms in winter, spring and of course summer if you know what to look for and where. It is worth reading up on the different species, as there are some, such as the enoki, which can be collected even in December. With the spring rains and the better weather, mushrooms proliferate, and this is the season for mushrooms, including the morel. And in the summer and autumn, nature has a huge store of goodies for us to digest.

It is the best to clear the leaves and soil from your mushrooms already in the forest. Picking in baskets is the most practical, but be careful not to stack too many mushrooms on top of each other, as they can crush under the weight. Don’t pick the old, wormy mushrooms, only take the largely intact pieces with you. Store the mushrooms in paper bags at home and use them as soon as possible. You can also make dried mushrooms, for example from ceps, which you can later use in soups and stews. A really tasty regional dish from the Zala region is potato soup with ceps, for which all you need is onions, potatoes and some ceps. The soup can then be topped up with a little sour cream, but it is also delicious without it.

One thing is for sure, it is rare to meet someone who is willing to share their mushroom finding spots, but there are areas where, with a bit of luck, you might find edible mushrooms for yourself.

In autumn, head for the Őrség region

The forests of Vas County are very rich in cep. If you like this pungent-tasting mushroom, it is worth heading up into the woods after heavy rains.

Head for the Börzsöny Mountains in winter

One of the best places to find the above-mentioned enoki is Börzsöny. The mushroom species, which grows on the trunks of trees, is easy to spot from a distance, and its distinctive colour and smell are also enticing.

1 tip: Körös-Maros National Park

This site is also a great destination for mushroom pickers because you can take guided mushroom picking tours.

Important rules!

1.   Hungary has 58 highly protected mushroom species, so don’t pick them! (http://www.miskolcigombasz.hu/vedett_gombak.php)

2.  You need a permit to collect mushrooms in protected forests.

3.  According to the Forest Act, you can collect a maximum of 2 kilograms of mushrooms per person per day in state forests.