Any mushroom lovers heading to Borgo Val di Taro, just south of Milan, will want to check out the Borgotaro Mushroom Fair on September 14-15 and 21-22.
This year will be the 49th year of the festival, which offers tastings, street food, and exhibitions dedicated to the Borgotaro Porcini Mushroom. The valleys around Borgo Val di Taro are famous around the world for this special variety of porcini mushroom, and it has now become protected under a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), the only fungus in Europe to do so! The protection covers four species of Borgotaro mushroom, including Boletus edulis, Boletus aestivalis, Boletus pinophilus, and Boletus aereus. They’re considered superior to other porcini mushrooms due to their olfactory and aromatic qualities, sporting compact flesh with a sweet, delicate, and aromatic flavor with just a hint of nuttiness.
The Borgotaro Mushroom Festival Committee, the Consortium for the Protection of the Borgotaro Mushroom, and the Municipality of Borgo Val di Taro organize and run the festival. All of their members are appointed volunteers, and they coordinate with the Tourist Information Office of Borgo Val di Taro.
The fair kicks off at 9 am on Saturday September 14 with the opening of the fair for visitors to look around and take in all the stalls and other attractions. The days activities will round off with a mushroom disco at La Baita Disco Club, which starts at 10 pm and continues well into the early hours.
The second day, Sunday 15, also opens up at 9 am, and includes music from Gat Ross Folk Group, playing traditional and popular southern Italian songs.
And the next weekend it starts all over again, with the fair opening up on September 21 at 9 am, with a mushroom dinner and disco wrapping up the day at 9:30 pm. The wonderful double weekend finishes on Sunday 22, with mushroom and wine pairings at the Castelnuevo di Magra.
Those who wish to collect mushrooms from the surrounding area do need a special license, but never fear! Tourist packages are available for guided tours and excursions, which include collecting the mushrooms and even tasting them prepared fresh in the morning!
Not able to make it to Italy? Bring the taste of the festival home with their official recipes. Just a quick warning: the website is in Italian, so get your Italian dictionary ready (or just use Google Translate…).
