The porcini season in West Sweden last year was extra special. The quantity of mushrooms to be found, growing all over the place, even in our garden, was extreme. These events happen perhaps twice in someone’s lifetime, and EVERYONE talks about them, not just the mushroom enthusiasts. We gathered a bumper harvest to beat all other bumper harvests and sliced and dried around 200kg of hand picked, top quality fresh mushrooms in total. That’s definitely worth celebrating, so we’re going to have a porcini bonanza at Barbakan Deli in Chorlton, South Manchester on Saturday, 18 April from 11am – 2pm. You’ll be able to taste our delicious wild mushroom going to have a porcini bonanza at Barbakan Deli in Chorlton, South Manchester on Saturday, 18 April from 11am – 2pm. You’ll be able to taste our delicious wild mushroom risotto and a rich, creamy porcini soup.

Now we’ve noticed there’s a big difference in the condition of dried mushrooms available in the shops, especially the larger stores. You really have to use all your senses when you’re buying, especially sight and smell. If they look shrivelled and dark brown they might be getting old. They should have a sweet nutty smell, not a sour, unappealing odour. We’ve heard too many stories of people being put off buying dried mushrooms for life after using ones of a quality that would probably be classed as rotten, if they were in the meat cabinet! So come and see, smell and taste our hand picked wild porcini so you know what to aim for in the future. You’ll never look back.