“Iutari” – The Romanian name for Lactarius piperatus

These mushrooms I discovered a few years back. I didn’t eat them when I was a child. Not even my parents. My dad found about them when I was an adult and then cooked them for us and show us how good they are. When we couldn’t find any other mushrooms these were the ones to have for dinner or lunch.

They are spicy, so if you don’t eat spicy don’t try them. Some say that are not comestible, but this is just because they don’t taste so good as boletus or other luxury mushrooms. But I say everything depends on your own taste. I like food that other persons don’t like and the other way around.

Lactarius piperatus is the mane of the mushrooms. They can be used as seasoning when dried. You can find it in Europe and North America.

As I always say, if you don’t know them don’t forage them. If you want to learn about wild mushrooms go in the forest with someone that really knows them or at least some of them. I know a few wild mushrooms and they are the only ones that I forage.

So how to eat those wild mushrooms:

1. Dry them and use them as seasoning
2. Some recommend to fry them in butter with bacon and onion
3. We make them on the barbeque and then add a little butter and salt
4. Use them in pies or pastries
5. In Finland they boiled them repeatedly, disposing of the water each time and then refrigerate. After that you can pickled or use them in salad.

Enjoy foraging! And you are afraid to forage them just go in the forest and enjoy the nature. In the fall nature is amazing. Smell it, see it live it! Spend a few hours in the wilderness and it will change your day.