Wild Food Guide — 'W'

This is the description page for Wood Blewit (Clitocybe nuda) and includes a description as well as an image, if available and a selection of recipes from this site that relates to the wild foodstuff: Wood Blewit.

The Wood Blewit, Clitocybe nuda [syn Lepista nuda, Tricholoma nudum) (also known as Blue Stalks) is a species of basidomycete fungus (filamentous fungi composed of hyphae that reproduce sexually) and is a member of the Tricholomataceae family of the Agaricales (agaricus) order that have pale pink spore prints. It is a fairly common species in both broad-leaved and coniferous woodlands as well as in hedges and parklands or in leaf-litter and compost in gardens. It is typically gregarious in nature and is found in clumps and sometimes in rings. Typically if friuts initially in September but is most common October and can continues fruiting through December. This is quite a large mushroom (it can grow between 5 and 10cm tall and 5 to 15 cm broad in the cap). The caps start out closed and convex (and violet to tan in colour) but flatten out as the fungus matures and can even become concave. The most disinctive feature is the lilac-tinge to the stem and gills (and also the cap) with the colour persisting but fading even as they mature. The stems themselves are thick and often appear swollen at the base and have pronounced violet fibrils. The gills are sinuate, crowded and are coloured lilac but can colour off brown as the mushroom ages. The flesh is firm and resists cutting and the flesh is typically distinctly fruit in smell and is sometimes likened to frozen orange juice.

The firm flesh and mushroom-like but slighty nutty and fruity flavour make this an excellent eating mushroom and it is highly prized in Western Europe (indeed it is commercially grown in Britain, France and the Netherlands). It is excellent fried in butter and once lightly cooked in this fashion it can be stored for later use by ether drying or pickling; indeed this mushroom contains plenty of the fungal sugar trehalose which makes it perfect for drying and rehydration. It should be noted that wood blewits are often infested with fly larvae, which is why they should always be cooked before preserving. Older speciments also tend to become watery and it's best to eat young specimens. It should be noted that though the wood blewit is generally considered an excellent eating species it can be mildly poisonous to some people and should always be well cooked before eating. However, its firm flesh makes it excellent in stews and casseroles and the traditional method of cooking in the British Midlands is to stew in milk for 40 minutes or more.

The lilac colour of young specimens mean there are few species with which the wood blewit can be confused. Indeed, it is most often confused with its close cousin the field blewit which has off-white gills and which is also an excellent eating species. It shold be noted, however, that certain species of Cortinarius also have purple stems but these can easily be distinguished as they have a cobweb-like veil protecting the gills and have a rusty brown sproe print. Under no circumstances should these be consumed as they are very poisonous (these however tend to be rare and occasional species). When there have been poisonings due to mis-identifying Wood Blewits it's often due to confusion with one of the Cortinarius species.

Blewits in a Herb Crumb
Blewits Stewed with Sage
Partridge with Blewits
Blewits on Toast
Nottingham Blewits
Macaroni and Cheese with Blewits
Mushroom Pickle