On September 23, autumn begins and with it the star season of one of the delicacies of Castilian gastronomy: mushrooms. In Spain there is a long and strong mycological tradition and in Madrid, in particular, a great culture when it comes to mushroom hunting. After the last (and almost first) summer rains, the first chanterelles appear in the forests of the region. .
Where to pick mushrooms in the Community of Madrid?
As in any area of life, each master has his own book and each mushroom picking enthusiast has his favorite places. There are not the same varieties of mushrooms in each area, nor the same influx of people. However, these are some of the parks, ports, mountains, valleys or forests of Madrid where you have more chances to get a good handful of mushrooms. Logically they are usually wetlands near rivers or streams.
But first you have to take into account that this activity is regulated by the Use and Management of the National Park of the Sierra de Guadarrama in its article 59. And although it is allowed as long as it is recreational, it is important to consult the permits and restrictions of the different areas.
- Puerto de Cotos
- Alameda del Valle
- Puerto de la Fuenfría
- Puerto de Canencia
- Mount Abantos
- Lozoya Valley
- Paular Valley
- Puerto de los Leones
General recommendations
Among mushroom picking enthusiasts in Madrid there are a series of recommendations that are almost taken as dogmas or as obligations in the collection:
- Mushrooms are collected in baskets and never in plastic bags. In this way they are ventilated and their spores are distributed throughout the mountain.
- Do not be greedy: the amount collected should not exceed an unreasonable number of mushrooms. This can be regulated to a maximum of 5 kg.
- The mushrooms are cut by the stem (that is why it is advisable to be accompanied by a knife or razor). They should never be pulled off. In this way they are able to grow again.
- It is important not to collect young specimens because doing so prevents multiplication. The same applies to very mature specimens.
- Leave the forest as you found it: respect the environment.
How do you know if they are edible?
The first advice that can be offered when faced with this question is that if you are not absolutely certain that it is edible, it is best to be prudent and discard its ingestion.
The Community of Madrid has an entry in its communication portal in which it points out that “mushrooms are a delicacy that can be very expensive. The best mushroom is not worth an intoxication” and adds that “in the Community of Madrid there are very toxic and deadly mushrooms”. In this entry they also offer tips to identify which wild mushrooms should not be collected.
To go deeper and to be able to carry out this activity with greater safety and knowledge, it is advisable to take a course on mushrooms, fungi or mycology in general. The Community of Madrid itself has a Network of Centers on environmental education that offers this type of training, and the Sierra de Madrid Mycological Conference, organized by the Central de Reservas de la Sierra de Guadarrama, is also highly recommended.
And since you are going out to look for mushrooms, we recommend that you take advantage of the trip and discover some of the most beautiful villages of the Community of Madrid because they may be close to you.