Anyone who is a little familiar with the wild territory of the Alta Murgia knows how many unique and precious fruits a territory like this is capable of offering. Of course, you have to be willing to tackle long and meticulous searches through often inaccessible terrain but at the end of the journey you are always rewarded.
On the Murgia, for those who know how to search, every season of the year offers the opportunity to discover extraordinary products, such as the delicious cardoncelli mushrooms, once called by shepherds "sons of thunder", perhaps because they grew with the first autumn rains.
Until recently, the extinction of this fungus was feared due, above all, to climate changes that in recent years have affected the balance of nature. Fortunately, thanks to the commitment of local institutions and some associations, attention has grown around this product so strongly identifying our territory, with a careful awareness campaign and the organization of real mycological training courses for the achievement of the license, necessary for the collection of wild mushrooms. Undisputed protagonist of the Apulian autumn tables and, in particular Murgese, the cardoncello mushroom is tasted in many ways, from the more traditional "cardoncelli, lamb and lampascioni" to the simpler recipes: fried, sautéed, baked au gratin ... the ways to taste it are really many. With its delicate but unmistakable flavor and pleasant "earthy" aftertaste, the cardoncello mushroom has become the protagonist of some of the most popular autumn festivals in recent years: Minervino Murge, Spinazzola, Ruvo di Puglia, Gravina and Cassano are now essential stops for all fans of the cardoncello mushroom which, with good reason, has been included in the PAT, the national list of Traditional Agri-food Products.
