The mushrooms of Florina

The region of Florina has a long tradition of collecting wild mushrooms, which nature has generously gifted them. Throughout the prefecture there is a great variety, although not all items reach the trade and collectors’ tables. Mushrooms are everywhere in Florina. They are seen in the mountains of Varnouda, Vernos and Vora that enclose the basin of the Municipality of Florina. We look for them in dense oak, pine, and beech forests, as well as in meadows and river banks.
In terms of species, the wild mushrooms eaten are usually boletus, such as boletus (boletus edulis), boletus (boletus aereus) and basil (boletus reticulatus). Black trumpets (craterellus cornucopioides) are also popular and truffles are rarer.
Wild mushroom picking is a beautiful experience, but it should always be done under the supervision of an expert to avoid toxic species (mainly the amanita genus). One can try the delicious mushrooms in the taverns of the area and get them from the local grocery stores. The search and collection of mushrooms, in the rich and wild nature of the mountains of Florina, is a unique experience.

TEXT: Christos Tegos