When friends who visit Portugal tell us they tasted some amazing mushrooms, we always worry they are mistaken. During hard times, Portuguese cooks found ways to make tasty dishes out of many animal parts to make sure nothing went to waste. So those delicious “mushrooms” were probably pig ears in coriander sauce or sautéed veal kidneys.
But Portugal does have amazing wild mushrooms. They’re called “míscaros” (pronounced “meescaros”) and grow in the pine forests of the Beira region. You can stew them, cook them with meat, or combine them with rice. Míscaros are one of the crown jewels of Portuguese cuisine.
One of our grandfathers loved eating míscaros. He was always happy when it rained in August because that meant that míscaros would be abundant in the Fall. We remember him very fondly for many things, big and small. And we always like it when it rains in August.
You can often find míscaros in the Fall at Salsa & Coentros, one of our favorite restaurants in Lisbon. Click here for more information about the restaurant.
Salt of Portugal 
Now that is another one I’ve never tried.
Reblogged this on The Portugal Years and commented:
Just as people in the USA have learned to turn skimpy meals into a gourmet meal, the Portuguese have their own secret recipes to carry hungry people through the tough times.
Míscaros, hummmm! Bem bom! Obrigado por continuarem a divulgar o que o nosso país tem de bom!
Obrigado por ler o nosso blog!
I hope you get rain this month…janet.
Thanks, Janet.
E a chuva que teima em não cair!
É verdade!
Hello Salt Of Portugal! I really like your blog!! I am currently starting a new project in Lisbon: Belavista 158, a high tea salon in Graça. I would like to introduce my project to you and thus would be happy if you could please get in touch with me!
Kind regards,
Judith
Hi Judith: thank you for visiting our blog! We are currently traveling but we will be in contact the next time we are in Lisbon.