Why do we love mushrooms?

Four images from 2017 answer the question succinctly. The summer bolete Boletus reticulatus is a well-known delicacy mushroom. As a wild food, edible mushrooms are catching the attention of many. I was a little kid when I discovered that shaggy inkcap Coprinus comatus mushrooms growing in the town were edible. People living in cities get their food from shops. The first time we are confronted with a mushroom growing edible fruiting bodies in the street, we are shocked. This is a positive shock. I was totally blown away by the fact that shaggy inkcap is edible and even medicinal. As a child I knew I wanted to know more about mushrooms. Over the decades I have tasted at least thirty edible mushrooms. Some people do double that and I know some people who also try the less tasty edible mushrooms.

A memory from August 2017 that brings back the joy of mushroom hunting. In one hand I had my very simple first compact, in the other I had the fruiting body of one of the important character species of the oak plantations of Békés county. (See my previous post. It is indeed my favourite.) Chalciporus rubinus is edible but I only pick up one fruiting body, that I show my students. Fortunately, it thrives in the dwindling oak plantations of Békés County and is surprisingly common. Otherwise, Leccinum duriusculum is our best edible bolete in the Békés county. I encountered about twenty species of the order Boletales in Békés county. None of these are seriously poisonous, the inedible ones are stomach upsetting and some can be made edible by careful cooking. The cap skins of Suillus species should be peeled off, "Xerocomus" species should not be picked when mouldy and I could go on with the little warnings, but the point is that most species of the order Boletales are good, edible mushrooms.

In this picture my sweetheart is holding Macrolepiota caps. This is a very nice moment from an autumn hike in 2020. The parasol mushroom is very popular, because it is common and easy to recognise. Although the meat of the cap is very thin, it is popular stuffed or fried. Despite the extreme extent of agricultural land in Békés County, there are many good edible mushrooms growing. Unfortunately, arable farming has led to excessive drainage of water in the county and drought has been a growing problem for decades. Prolonged droughts and hot spells have a severe impact on the remaining natural values, and oaks are dying of thirst, even though oak is an important wood partner for mycorhizza fungi as Chalciporus rubinus. The destruction of trees will cause a significant loss of species in Békés County, as they are not only important for fungi.

Last year, in early October, I had the opportunity to go on a very good mushroom tour, when I was able to show the fruiting bodies of more than thirty species. These included poisonous, inedible and edible. It felt good to talk about them. The richness of shape of the fruiting bodies and the different textures, tastes and smells of the edible ones are incredible. Yes, mushrooms are a popular food because they add variety to our diet. The seasoning value of mushrooms is particularly high. Last year, in four articles, I presented twenty edible mushrooms that live in Békés County. I put the links to the four articles in one place where you can open and read them. Now the spring season for mushrooms has begun. The popular species of this period are the morels. (The linked article is from 2020, so it is in Hungarian.) I ate a lot of mushrooms as a beginner mushroom picker and to this day I still enjoy them, but only as a gourmet. My source of pleasure now is mostly documenting them and introducing the species to novice shroomers.
Finding and eating delicious mushrooms with friends is good for the body and soul.