Autumn Forage: Beginners Mushroom Hunting
Foraging for wild mushrooms is such a joy and a privilege, and in the Adelaide Hills we are blessed with an absolute abundance of wild food every autumn and winter. They’re not here just yet, but why not get accustomed with the two most common kinds of edible wild mushrooms in Australia (and one we’re lucky enough to get in the Hills)?
***Before we get started we must stress, 1. Don’t eat anything you’re not absolutely sure is the right mushroom. These are very easy to identify and there are no toxic doppelgangers, but be sure before you put it in your mouth. We’ll link to some more resources, and if you’re keen it is best to find an experienced forager or join a workshop. 2. Make sure you’re on public land. We’re more sympathetic to Scandinavian values of the right to wander, and acknowledge our claims over this land are poorly founded, but Australians can be very sensitive about ‘their’ land. ***
Saffron Milkcaps
These are absolutely endemic in the hills, you turn a corner or look off of the side of the road and you’ll spot hundreds of these bright orange tasty guys. These came to Australia with the pine plantations via Europe, and are one of the oldest recorded mushrooms eaten by humans with accounts stretching back to before the Roman Empire.
By far the easiest to harvest and identify of the local species, Milkcaps are the perfect beginners mushroom. Check this link for some notes on identification
Great for pickling, sauteing, we’ve even made an umami packed mushroom powder by dehydrating and grinding fine.
Do yourself a big favour and pick some fresh ones for yourself for free! The advice give is generally to check out Pine Plantations like Kuitpo or Mt. Crawford, but to be honest we haven’t had much luck there. A better bet is to keep an eye out for pines in your drives around the hills. Particularly fruitful are the back roads of Aldgate and Stirling, and also across Uraidla and Basket Range. Go for an autumn cruise and look for little flashes of orange!
Slippery Jacks
To be honest, we don’t really get on with these ones, but some people love them! Characterised by a slimy slippery top, they have a great flavour, but the texture is a little soft. More Info.
Porcini
We are so lucky to have these growing wild in the Hills! Finding these is a really special and unique opportunity that you won’t find anywhere else in the country or outside of Western Europe. They’re delicious fresh or dried, and they can be yours for free with a keen eye and a nice walk.
They can be the trickiest to find due to their rarity, sporadic fruiting, and natural camouflage, but nothing beats the joy of finding and eating some!
