Lake environments are ideal for mushroom hunting
As all food lovers know there’s nothing like mushroom aromas and flavours. Autumn is a veritable treat for mushroom lovers who get to indulge two of their favourite things here: spend a bit of time in the natural world, with woods and footpaths, and pick some of the area’s tasty mushroom delicacies. The humidity levels and green areas around the large Italian lakes make them especially well suited to mushroom hunting. Great lakes such as Maggiore, Garda and Como are favourites with mushroom lovers who take the opportunity for a weekend away at this time in search of these delicacies, offered up so spontaneously by mother nature, and star players in so many mouthwatering recipes. So let’s explore some of the best areas for mushroom lovers, remembering a few good practices: make sure you have your permit, wear suitable clothing and – preferably- join a mycological association.
There’s no end to the variety for mushroom lovers around Lake Maggiore. The microclimates around the slopes of peaks like Mottarone and the Vergante area have a great many mushroom types. Just think of the delicious and much prized porcini mushrooms, or morels with their elongated shape and honeycomb texture. Near Lake Maggiore there are also chanterelle mushrooms whose golden yellow colour stands out. The experts also advise taking a careful look around chestnut, beech and oak woods where mushrooms tend to prosper. Lake Garda is also a good place to find mushrooms, both around the lakeside towns and in the immediate hinterland. From Veneto region Cavaion Veronese and San Zeno di Montagna, in the hills, to Brescia’s San Felice del Benaco and Puegnago, there are plenty of options. Mushroom hunting is very popular in the woods around Riva del Garda, in Trento province, too. And then there’s Lake Como. Rezzago and Val d’Intelvi are some of the most popular areas with local mushroom lovers, especially in autumn.
Ad hoc exhibition
Gruppo Micologico Cantù e Como
Milan, 2015: many Expo visitors took advantage of the proximity of the Lombard lakes, with their stupendous views and prestigious lakeside villas. At the Tremezzo Lake Como boat pier, hordes of tourists disembarked for a visit to Villa Carlotta, famous for its art collection and its famous botanical garden. At the same time, the villa hosted an exhibition entitled Mushrooms: History and Science from Another Kingdom organised by Gruppo Micologico Cantù e Como A.P.S, whose title shows the extent to which it harmonised with the theme chosen for the Expo: ‘Feeding the planet, energy for life’. In fact, with its bilingual panels and dioramas, the exhibition illustrated mushroom biology and the part these play in the various ecosystems and the history of human nutrition. The itinerary began with history – showing the way mushrooms have interacted with human life, from early peoples to our own day, in which plant and crop diseases are threatening agriculture and forestry. Next came the heart of the exhibition, which explained what mushrooms are, what they feed on and the key part they play in the life of our planet, paying special attention to the importance of the many ways they interact with other living beings. The exhibition was a great success, with over 30,000 visitors and many school groups. An updated and modified version of the exhibition is now on show at the Bergamo Botanical Garden and, from September onwards, a selection from it will be hosted at the Milan Natural History Museum.
