Everyone associates mushrooms with autumn, but in spring we also find very interesting varietiessuch as morels or gurumelos, very abundant in Andalusia.
What is more strange is that, in the month of May, some particularly autumnal specimens appear, such as boletus. But it is what, according to the experts, could happen this week in the mountains of Soria.
At La Lobita restaurant, in Navaleno (Soria)the benchmark in Spain for mycological kitchen –with a Michelin star– are serving these weeks morels, marzuelos and senderillas. Also boletus. “Small, but of very good quality”, according to the cook Elena Lucas.
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And it is that, if May continues to be rich in rains, as it seems the weather reportit is possible that in addition to morels (the most typical spring mushroom in Castilla y León), we can also find chanterelles, perrechicos, boletus and amaenitas caesareas.
Lucas, however, believes that it is early to say that it is going to be a good spring mushroom season: “It is raining, and the conditions do seem to be suitable, but if 15 hot days come… If it is very hot, the mushrooms are crushed”.
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Aside from visiting restaurants like La Lobita, where they always get the best mushrooms, spring is a good time for hobby collector: the smaller influx of staff makes it worth going out into the field.
If you want to catch boletus, yes, you should bear in mind that the spring species are not exactly the same as the autumn ones. This season they come out more in oak forest than in the pine forest. And it is important to collect them as soon as possible: if they are little ones, the more likely it is that they are not “chopped”, that is, eaten by larvae and worms.
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