April to June
St George's mushroom
Calocybe gambosa
EdibilityGood edible mushroom
- Raw
- Do not eat raw
- Cooking
- Thorough cooking required, minimum time not established
- Review
- Review by an experienced specialist required before any consumption
A pale spring gilled mushroom for experienced observers, assessed through its crowded gills, solid stem without ring or volva and mealy smell.
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Guide contents
Guide contents
Season
From April to June in western Europe, earlier in warmer regions and later farther north.
Habitat
Spring meadows, old pastures, grassy banks, hedge and path edges, old orchards and open woodland margins.
Method
Check several visible features before retaining a species name.
Three features to check on the specimen.
Fleshy, matt cream cap
The white to cream cap is smooth, dry and sturdy, almost hemispherical at first, then flatter and sometimes irregular.
Very crowded cream gills
The true gills are narrow, numerous and white to cream, without a pink tint in a normal reading of the species.
Solid stem without ring or volva
The white to cream stem is solid and sturdy. It has neither ring nor volva, while the firm flesh has a pronounced mealy smell.
Examine the specimen in this order.
- Confirm very crowded white to cream gills without a pink or browning cast.
- Expose the entire base to confirm a solid stem without ring, volva or marked reddening.
- Use the mealy smell only together with the other features and a grassy or woodland-edge spring setting.
Features incompatible with this species.
- Inocybe erubescens may have a fibrous cap, reddening flesh and gills that turn pinkish brown: a critical poisonous lookalike.
- Entoloma sinuatum is a very poisonous pale species whose gills turn pink as its spores mature.
- Any white Amanita-like form with a ring, volva, warts or sack-like base must be rejected immediately.
From an inspected basket to the kitchen
From an inspected basket to the kitchenDrying, storage and two recipes for St George's mushroom.
St George's mushrooms may flavour an omelette or soup only after rigorous assessment against poisonous pale gilled mushrooms.
St George's mushroom omelette
A simple omelette in which the assessed mushrooms are thoroughly cooked before the eggs are added.
- Preparation
- 20 min
- Cooking
- 27 min
- Serves
- 4
View the complete recipe
Ingredients
- 350 gSt George's mushrooms assessed by an expert
- 8Eggs
- 25 gButter
- 1Shallot, finely chopped
- 2 c. à soupeParsley, chopped
- 1 pincéeSalt and pepper
Method
- Prepare the assessed batchClean the accepted specimens, keep them separate from other species and quarter the larger ones.
- Cook the mushroomsDry-fry for 12 minutes, add 15 g of butter and the shallot, then continue for 8 minutes.
- Add the eggsBeat the eggs with the seasoning, pour them into the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes with the remaining butter.
- ServeAdd the parsley and serve immediately.
Expert assessment is mandatory before this recipe. Cook the mushrooms for 20 minutes before adding the eggs and never identify them by smell alone.
St George's mushroom and leek soup
A smooth soup combining an expert-assessed batch with potato and leek, cooked for a long time before blending.
- Preparation
- 25 min
- Cooking
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
View the complete recipe
Ingredients
- 350 gSt George's mushrooms assessed by an expert
- 1Leek, sliced
- 300 gPotatoes, diced
- 80 clVegetable stock
- 10 clDouble cream
- 20 gButter
- 1 c. à soupeOil
- 1 pincéeSalt and pepper
Method
- SautéClean the assessed batch, then cook the mushrooms and leek in the oil for 12 minutes.
- SimmerAdd the potatoes and stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
- BlendBlend until smooth, add the cream and heat for another 3 minutes.
- FinishStir in the butter, season and serve piping hot.
Prepare this soup only after expert assessment of the whole batch. Blending removes identification features, so it must occur only after validation and thorough cooking.
Documented limit
Drying St George's mushroom: no retained protocol
This guide validates no species-specific drying time.This guide does not apply a generic drying time to St George's mushroom. It recommends short refrigeration before cooking so that the method remains documented and appropriate for the species.
- Keep the batch whole, identifiable and separate until the inspection required by the guide.
- Do not automatically apply the temperature or duration intended for another species.
- Use the “Short refrigeration before cooking” method detailed in the Storage section instead.
- Read the general drying guide to understand equipment, checks and safety limits without inferring a protocol for this batch.
Recommended storage
Short refrigeration before cooking
Preferably 24 hours, no more than 2 days at 4 °C or below after picking.Because of the critical lookalikes, keep the assessed batch whole, identifiable and separate until cooking.
- Have every whole specimen assessed and immediately separate every rejected one.
- Do not wash the batch before storage and place it in a clean paper bag.
- Refrigerate at 4 °C or below, separately from other foods and species.
- Cook preferably the next day and discard specimens that have become soft or unreadable.
- Never preserve wild St George's mushrooms by home canning.
