The tradition of gathering mushrooms is deeply rooted in Catalonia. Mushrooms are the most important ingredients for the preparation of many of our typical dishes; in some they are the main, or even the only, ingredient.
This consumption has brought about considerable trade of both mushrooms that grow spontaneously in the forests, during the season, as well as cultivated varieties.
But the interest of Catalans in mushrooms is not merely limited to culinary or commercial reasons Equally important, if not more so, are the leisure or sporting aspects which mean that, when the autumn rains come, large numbers of people go into the forests to enjoy a pleasant walk while filling their baskets with mushrooms.
The mushrooms that grow in our country include, however, toxic species, some very dangerous Ignorance, confusion with edible species with a similar appearance, means that each year, when the mushroom season arrives, there are cases of poisoning, some even fatal.
Types of mushrooms
Mushrooms are the reproductive organ of the mycelium that constitute fungi. Fungi transform the organic remains of animals and plants into substances that can be used by vegetables.
Furthermore, the mycelium of fungi form part of the structure of the soil, an absolutely necessary support for the development of vegetable life and, by extension, all types of life. There are various types of mushrooms. Some are toxic, others edible.
The majority have no culinary interest.
The name of mushrooms is usually given to the above ground, visible parts of fungi, whose most important purpose is to create and spread the spores, the elements that enable the species to reproduce.
Mushrooms come in a large number of sizes: some are hardly visible, whereas others may even measure more than half a metre, such for example, some giant common puffballs.
They come in varied shapes that resemble an umbrella, a funnel, a nightstick or coral; some are even flat, like a button, or rounded, like a ball.
They often come in a wide range of colours, sometimes very attractive.
TOPParts of a mushroom
Correctly identifying mushrooms requires examining all their different parts. In the case of amanitas and species with a similar appearance, it is important to verify the presence of the volva which is sometimes covered with leaves.
Not all mushrooms have all the parts indicated in this illustration; there are many species that do not have the volva or ring and others have no gills (lamellae). Some also come in shapes that are vastly different from those shown here.
For example, meadow mushrooms have a ring, but no volva; Saffron milk cap, Red pine mushrooms or rovellons and Russulas have no ring or volva; and Queen boletes have no gills, but tubes. And Ramaria are quite different in shape from almost all other mushrooms.
It is necessary to carefully examine all the characteristics of mushrooms to correctly identify the species.
