This summer is prolific for mushrooms, and in particular for a species that all mycologists covet: the oronge, or amanita of the Caesars.
We don’t always know it, but it’s not only in the fall that we can go picking! In July-August, there are already beautiful specimens. And in Burgundy, this summer of 2023 is particularly prolific.
“It’s a summer we haven’t seen for a long time, after a catastrophic spring for me with the morels“, says Florian, a Dijon picker. “The end of July was explosive in porcini mushrooms, chanterelles, and above all the Holy Grail, oronge.“
Oranges in Côte-d’Or • © Florian Perri / Facebook
Oronge, or Caesar’s amanita: a large mushroom, recognizable by its bright orange cap, with yellow lamellae and a white volva. “It’s the happiness of the mycologist”, “the best of mushrooms”say fans.
Oronges, or Caesar’s amanites, in the Nièvre • © DR / Facebook
“It’s everywhere this year!” rejoices Stefan, who has made “extraordinary pickings the last days of July” in the Côte d’Or. On social networks, many Internet users share their findings, sometimes in impressive numbers.
Good harvest of amanites or amanites des césars in the Nièvre mid-August • © Coulie Lee / Facebook
“The Caesar amanita is an excellent edible, a super beautiful mushroom. It is not exceptional to find it, but this year’s growth is exceptional”confirms Philippe Czerwinski, founder of the Verona mycological association in Yonne. “It happened 20 years ago, we found hundreds of them”he recalls.
Philippe Czerwinski explained to us on August 18: “It’s a bit tropical weather: we had rain, heat, almost no wind – the wind is bad for the growth of mushrooms: all the conditions are met!”
According to the specialist, this is an explanation for this spectacular rise in the Caesar’s amanita. “It was as hot this year in Burgundy as in the South. In fact, the Caesar amanita came from Latin countries, as its name suggests: the Caesars appropriated it.”
“As the climate changes, much like grapes, there are shoots that are growing further and further north.”
Philippe Czerwinski
mycologist in Yonne
Global warming also leads to the appearance in our latitudes of other “exotic” species: this is the case of the archer’s anthurus, or “witch’s fingers”, with an unusual and very recognizable shape. “A subtropical mushroom that comes from New Zealand”, specifies Philippe Czerwinski, and which one finds today a little everywhere. (It is not toxic, but tasteless.)
The archer’s anthurius or “witch’s fingers” is now abundant in our latitudes • © Lisa Guyenne / France Télévisions
It’s not just oronges that delight gourmets! It is also the peak season for porcini mushrooms. “In addition at the moment, we find the four ceps at the same time: Bordeaux ceps, bronzed ceps, pine ceps and summer ceps. For the pine and summer ceps, it’s quite normal for the season. But we were quite surprised to find porcini mushrooms from Bordeaux”by Philippe Czerwinski.
Ceps found in mid-August in Yonne • © Paulina Bos / Facebook
Another very tasty discovery: the chanterelles. They usually sprout as early as July. This year, there are good quantities even at the end of August.
Basket of chanterelles found around Le Creusot in August 2023 • © DR / Facebook
And more surprisingly: the trumpets of death have already appeared. North of the Yonne, Nicolas says he harvested “really abundant” August 20. However, traditionally, the trumpet is an autumn mushroom!
Basket of trumpets found north of the Yonne, August 20 • © Nicolas Millet / Facebook
Caesar’s amanitas can be confused with other poisonous amanitas. Similarly, porcini mushrooms can be confused with poisonous boletus or without culinary interest. Chanterelles can be confused with the poisonous clitocyble of the olive tree.
► READ ALSO: TESTIMONIALS. Mushroom poisoning: “everyone had confirmed to us that it was chanterelles”
The gourmet trio: oronges, chanterelles, trumpets • © DR / Facebook
Finally, you can find an edible mushroom, but wormy, too old or of a poisonous subspecies. This is what happened to six unfortunate pickers from Côte-d’Or recently.
In case of uncertainty, refer to a pharmacist or seek advice from knowledgeable people: mycology societies or Facebook groups of mycologists. Remember to take the entire specimen (including the stipe), as this helps to determine its variety.
Mushroom harvest (trumpets of death and autumn chanterelles) • © Lisa Guyenne / France Télévisions
#Oronges #porcini #mushrooms #chanterelles #trumpets #exceptional #summer #mushrooms #Burgundy
