Blewit

Lepista nuda · Fungus

40 pairings

The blewit, or wood blewit (Lepista nuda), is a stout, fleshy woodland mushroom remarkable for its lilac-to-violet colouring, which suffuses the smooth cap, the crowded gills and the fibrous stem when young. It is a late-season forager's prize across Europe and North America, valued for a firm, meaty texture and a sweet, perfumed aroma often likened to frozen orange juice; like many wild fungi it contains a heat-labile irritant and must always be thoroughly cooked before eating.

Picking a good onedrag

Firm, dry, freshly cutSlack, wet, sour

Colour fadingThe all-rounder — saute, roast or fold into cream, always cooked right through.Everyday best

Cap surfaceLilac fading toward buff, cap still dry

Flesh in the handFirm, springs back, cool and dry

Stem and cut endCut end tanning, stem still firm

SmellFaintly floral over a mild mushroom note

What to look for, from firm, dry, freshly cut to slack, wet, sour.

Preparing