Webcaps
Cortinarius spp., Thaxterogaster spp. …
mushroom
⚠️ Toxic look-alike
Never eat this mushroom unless you are certain it is not its toxic look-alike.
Webcaps are a very difficult genus: the fool's webcap, deadly and the second cause of severe poisoning after the death cap, is one too, and many others have the same purplish colours. Never eat a webcap that a mycologist has not identified. Have every harvest checked by a pharmacist or a mycologist.
If in the slightest doubt, leave it. If you feel unwell after eating it, even several hours later, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or 911.
The few webcaps allowed on sale: the goliath webcap, probably the best, the violet webcap, dried to a powder as a flavouring, and a few other large webcaps.
- Origin
- Forests of Europe
- Season (United States)
- September to November
- Preparation
- They are cleaned with a damp cloth, without soaking, the earthy stem base cut off, then pan-fried for about ten minutes; like all wild mushrooms, they are eaten cooked, never raw. If you pick it yourself, have the mushroom checked by a pharmacist or a mycological society before eating it.
- Molecules
- Mushroom beta-glucansIn small amounts, not counted Ergothioneine
- Did you know?
- Dried and very finely ground, the violet webcap gives dishes a powerful mushroom flavour.