There are foods that win us over for their organoleptic characteristics, others for their nutritional properties and others because they serve as an essential ingredient in turning a simple dish into a gourmand delight.
Mushrooms fall under all of these categories, and they are one of the the most widely used ingredient in many dishes in Italian cuisine - both for everyday meals as well as those for special occasions.
During weekends in autumn it is not at all unusual to see families or groups of friends walking in the woods in the Alps or Apennines in search of mushrooms, later enjoying them together during a dinner cooked together.
There are as many species of mushrooms as there are recipes, which lends to the preparation of thematic menus in fine dining restaurants: a simple salad with mushrooms and hazelnuts is most definitely a light and unusual appetizer with which to surprise guests and start a dinner dedicated to the scents of autumn.
To continue the menu in your themed dinner, we suggest an aromatic meat-based main course, to be combined with S.Pellegrino sparkling water and a DOCG red wine from Tuscany: Roast Pheasant with mushrooms.
Would you like to learn more about mushrooms in the kitchen? Read the Fine Dining Lovers articles.