The Staff Canteen

This is one of a series of bi-monthly blogs by Dorset-based forager, Will Newitt, owner

Forager Will Newitt with parasol mushroom

of Down to Earth Bushcraft. It’s turning out to be a glorious autumn down here and the mushroom basket has become a perpetual walking companion. After ceps, the subject of my last post, one of my favourite mushrooms is the rather noble looking parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera). The flesh is chunky with a beautiful smell of warm milk and it’s not unusual to find them growing to the size of dinner plates. That said, they are at their most tender when quite young and just coming out of their drumstick stage (as the name suggests, this fungi opens out as it matures). This is also the stage when they cry out for a good stuffing- let your imagination

Close Message - I might contribute in the future

I love what you do, let me contribute right now

go wild but anything with tomatoes, garlic and herbs is a good start.

With the more mature specimens, I like to keep it simple and grill them with a good olive oil drizzled over the top. Antonio Carluccio, in his ‘complete mushroom book’ also dispenses with the frills- coating them in an egg and breadcrumb batter before gently frying until golden brown. Please note: the shaggy parasol (Macrolepiota rhacodes), a closely related species, can cause stomach upsets in some people. Will is a wild food obsessive. He is a forager based in Dorset, where he runs a fledgling bushcraft business, specialising in introducing people to the edible pleasures of woodland and hedgerow. More info can be found at www.downtoearthbushcraft.com

Small Contribution. Big Impact.

The Staff Canteen has always been more than a website—it’s a community, built by and for hospitality. We share the wins, the challenges, the graft, and the inspiration that keeps kitchens alive.

We believe in staying open to everyone, but creating this content takes real resources. If you’ve ever found value here—whether it’s a recipe, an interview, or a laugh when you needed it most—consider giving just £3 to keep it going.

A little from you keeps this space free for all. Let’s keep lifting the industry, together.