This beautiful specimen of the mushroom can be found in coniferous forests, where the soils are quite sandy, calcareous and well sunlit.

This mushroom is nothing more than a cousin of the farmed champignon we know, but it occurs naturally.

The hat can reach quite large sizes, even 20-25 cm in diameter. A young specimen looks almost like a ball, similar to specimens of the mushroom we know. It becomes almost flat with age.

The color of the mushroom is slightly different from the classic champignon, because it is ocher, light orange or even light brown. The hat is covered with small scales, and the edge is curled inside.

The gills of the fungus are initially covered with a thread-like membrane, which disappears over time. The gills are most often gray in color, which may change to pink with age, and dark brown in old age, as in farmed mushrooms. They are quite wide and dense.

The thick leg, reaching up to 5 cm thick, is relatively short. It has a color similar to a hat and has a characteristic collar and ring. The stem is full inside in young mushrooms and hollow in mature fruiting bodies.

This champignon is a very tasty edible mushroom with white, firm flesh with a pleasant mushroom taste and smell. Older fruiting bodies are dry and stringy, and brown gills have an unpleasant smell.

The use in the kitchen is identical to that of farmed champignon.

Good luck 😉