The mildness and rain of the last few days are perfect conditions for mushroom growth, enough to delight many residents of Ariège.
If anyone is excited about the recent rains, it's the mushroom picker. The drop in temperatures and the rain, after the summer heat that warmed the earth, favors their appearance in the Ariégeois forests.
Mushroom season tends to be fall, but since late August, mushroom hunters have been delighted with their finds. Some picked up to 7 kg of porcini mushrooms and 2.5 kg of orong in one day. Porcini mushrooms enrich dishes and attract nature and kitchen lovers. They are picked young and firm and must have white legs. Oronge, or Caesar amanita, which is characterized by its orange cuticle and its rarity, was prized by the Roman emperors.
“Continuously Growing”
On social networks, Benjamin and his friends, with the account “Leschampignons09”, share their passion for mushrooms, good practices and above all show off their booty, which has grown in recent days. “It's crazy this year, with the alternation of sun and rain, it's continuously growing. We're finding a lot of porcini mushrooms this summer, which is quite unusual,” the sports instructor rejoices. Introduced to the practice by his father at the age of 5, he goes picking three times a week: “It's a kind of excitement during research, it's like a treasure hunt.” The 27-year-old has been serious about it for four years and is looking for other, lesser-known species, such as death horns or orong: “They are quite rare some years, but here we have had some in 5kg. .”
They try the practice in different areas of Ariège, before Pamiers and all the way to Spain – the picking area is big because it is kept secret – with respect to the owners and the places. “Nature gives, there are a lot of shoots, but we do not collect everything, it is not useful to have too many.” Passionate people give their crops to their loved ones and keep them for their own consumption: “I fry porcini mushrooms in strips in a pan with garlic and herbs. I also tried a crème brûlée with porcini mushrooms for a sweet – salty mix, it was really good The Orongs, I made them a carpaccio with shallots, oil and balsamic vinegar”.
A supervised practice
Although it is tempting to pick mushrooms during forest walks, it is still necessary to find out in advance who owns the land. On private property, the law is clear: it is theft. According to Article 547 of the Civil Code, the mushrooms belong to the owner of the land, the absence of the “picking of mushrooms prohibited” sign does not authorize the practice. Next, you need to ask the owner's permission.
Gathering is authorized in public, so-called state forests, provided there is a reasonable harvest, for family consumption for example. The limit is 5 liters per person per day. Withdrawals must be moderate because, in principle, the authorization of the owner, in this case the State, region, department or municipality, would also be required.