Oak, chestnut and pine tree forests are the ideal habitat for the king of mushrooms. You can increase your chances of finding it if the forest you choose has these three species of trees, and if you know where to go. Before going into a wood, make sure it is not a private property. If you don’t feel you have what it takes to be a mushroom hunter, you’ll find the Bordeaux cep on markets, a few fine food stores and well as in the small businesses that pop up along the roadside during mushroom picking season. Go visit one of the two big cep mushroom markets in the region: the Villefranche-du-Périgord market or the Monpazier market.
Going by the scientific name Boletus Edulis, the Bordeaux Cep can indeed claim to be the king of mushrooms. Going out in search of this mushroom gives you at least the chance to discover the region’s beautiful forests if you fail to find it.
After all, you need to earn the right to eat a Bordeaux cep and it’s only through perseverance, good eyesight and knowledge of the area that you’ll scout it out. Whether picked when young (domed-shape cap) or old, the Cep will deliver a whole host of flavour and a vast array of textures for you to make hundreds of recipes, as the Cep is a major product in French cuisine.
The aim of the Confrérie Gastronomique du Cèpe de la Pointe du Médoc association is to promote this mushroom and the cuisine associated with it.