Tecomate: edible Mexican wild mushroom

What is it?

The tecomate is an edible wild mushroom belonging to the species Amanita caesarea, considered one of the finest and most prized of Mexican forests. It also goes by the names yema de rey, hongo cesáreo, oronja or oronja de los reyes, the latter referring to its high status on the ancient Roman table. In Mexico it is called tecomate because of the shape of its orange or golden yellow cap, which is reminiscent of the fruit of the tecomate tree (Crescentia alata). It grows exclusively in temperate oak, pine and fir forests, in mycorrhizal symbiosis with these tree species. Harvesting takes place during the rainy season, from July to October, mainly in states such as Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla and Veracruz. It belongs to the dangerous genus Amanita, which also contains deadly toxic species, so identifying it requires expert knowledge. It is an emblematic mushroom of Mexican ethnomycological heritage.

Origin and history

The consumption of Amanita caesarea dates back to Roman antiquity, where it was the favourite mushroom of emperors, especially Julius Caesar, from whom it took its scientific name. In Mexico, the pre-Hispanic peoples of the highlands consumed edible mushrooms of the genus Amanita, knowledge that has been passed down through generations in Nahua, Otomi, Mazahua and Totonac communities. Sahagún records in the Florentine Codex several nanácatl (mushrooms) consumed by the Mexica, including orange forms that could correspond to the tecomate. The ethnomycologist Gastón Guzmán, founder of modern Mexican ethnomycology, was one of the first to scientifically document the traditional use of A. caesarea in Mexico during the 1960s and 1970s. Later research by Adriana Montoya in Tlaxcala and Roberto Garibay Orijel in the State of Mexico has further explored its cultural and economic importance. The name tecomate is also used for other edible Amanita species such as A. basii (yema de huevo), which shows the complexity of popular nomenclature across different regions of the country.

Characteristic ingredients

Amanita caesarea is a basidiomycete fungus of the family Amanitaceae, with a convex cap when young and later flattened, of intense orange to golden yellow colour, smooth and shiny. It measures between 8 and 20 centimetres in diameter. Its gills are yellow, free from the stem, and the stem is golden yellow with a characteristic yellow membranous ring and a white volva at the base, remnants of the universal veil. This volva is one of the key identifying features of the genus Amanita, which also includes extremely toxic species such as A. phalloides (death cap) and A. virosa (destroying angel), of white flesh and white volva. Correct identification requires distinguishing the colour of the cap, gills and stem. The flesh of the tecomate is pale yellow, firm and aromatic. In the traditional cuisine of the highlands it is prepared roasted on the comal with salt and lime, stewed with epazote and lard, in mixiotes with chile guajillo or battered with egg. In Veracruz and Tlaxcala it is added to soups, broths with maize dough and egg scrambles. Its flavour is delicate, sweetish and with notes of nut and butter.

Cultural significance

The tecomate is one of the finest and most representative wild mushrooms of the Mexican ethnomycological heritage, part of the dossier of traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed in 2010 by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Its harvesting is a seasonal activity sustained mainly by women harvesters from Nahua, Otomi and Mazahua communities, who sell it fresh in rural highland markets. Wild mushroom fairs such as those of Cuajimalpa, Tlaxco, Senguio, Ozumba, Acaxochitlán and San Juan de las Huertas, held annually between August and September, pay special attention to the tecomate because of its gastronomic prestige and its high market price. Contemporary Mexican cuisine in restaurants such as Pujol, Quintonil and Nicos has incorporated it into signature menus for its refined flavour. Research by INECOL and the Colegio de Posgraduados highlights its ecological importance as a mycorrhizal fungus, essential for the health of the oak and pine forests of the highlands, as well as its cultural and economic value for peasant communities.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the tecomate and other mushrooms of the genus Amanita?

The tecomate (Amanita caesarea) is edible and is distinguished by its bright orange cap, yellow gills, yellow stem with ring and white volva at the base. Other Amanita species are deadly toxic: A. phalloides (death cap) has a greenish cap and white gills; A. virosa is entirely white. Expert identification is absolutely essential before consuming any mushroom of this genus.

What does the tecomate taste like?

It has a delicate, sweetish and elegant flavour, with notes of fresh nut, melted butter and an aromatic background reminiscent of fine European mushrooms such as boletus. The cooked texture is firm, fleshy and slightly juicy. Its flavour justifies its historical prestige as the mushroom of kings. It combines very well with lard, butter, epazote, garlic and mild dried chillies.

How is the tecomate served?

Traditionally it is prepared roasted on the comal with salt and lime to appreciate its delicate flavour; stewed with epazote, garlic and lard; in mixiotes with chile guajillo and pasilla; battered with egg and bathed in tomato sauce; or in egg scrambles. In contemporary cuisine it is served sautéed with butter and herbs, or as a main ingredient in soups and broths where its aroma stands out.

Where does the tecomate originate from?

Amanita caesarea is native to temperate forests of the northern hemisphere, with a wide distribution in Mediterranean Europe, North Africa, North America and Asia. In Mexico, the main harvesting and consumption areas are the oak and pine forests of the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz and Hidalgo, where it appears between July and October during the rainy season in mycorrhizal symbiosis with forest trees.