Passion mushrooms: from August to mid-October we are in full season for hunters and gourmets, who can finally go hunting and then taste porcini, chanterelles, eggs, drum mallet and the many other varieties of edible mushrooms.

Encouraged by the theories of those who say that mushrooms are good for the immune system, however, they should not exaggerate people who digest them hard: they may be lacking in some enzymes able to reprocess substances such as mannite, trialose and chitin. Even if raw in salads they are delicious, for those who find it hard to digest them it is better to consume them cooked.

In general, the most delicate step is that of cleaning: you have to remove the earthy part well and then proceed with the preparation.

Drum mace
The drum mallet stands out for its showiness and beauty in the woods and moors.
When these mushrooms are still young they look just like drum bats, hence the name; once ripe, when the hats open, they appear umbrellas so much so that they are called parasols or parasol mushrooms.
The stems, slender and slender, are generally discarded because they are fibrous; while the hats have white and delicate meat and, once breaded and fried, they become a real delicacy. They are consumed exclusively cooked.

Chanterelles

Chanterelles, on the other hand, are also known as chanterelle mushrooms, gallucci or chanterelles and with other regional names.
They have a delicate flavor, are characterized by a yellowish color and a trumpet shape, in a single body with the stem.
They are fleshy, firm, with a smooth surface and dense elongated gills on the stem. They are generally small in size. They also hold up well for long cooking.
They give their best in risottos, pasta sauces, in oil and as a side dish.

Barbara Roncarolo
September 2020
photo credits: Martina Palazzolo / CC BY-SA