Where Do Cep Mushrooms Come From?

Ceps are part of the family of boletus mushrooms and grow in the wild throughout many parts of Europe. They are highly prized in French and Italian cuisine. UK fungi hunters can now make good money from picking and selling wild grown ceps to upmarket restaurants. The popularity of the cep is dated back to the 18th century and the court of Stanislas Leszcynski in the region of Lorraine. The adjective "polonais", meaning Polish, is applied to ceps in the French region of Bordeaux as a result of this history. Ceps are cooked widely in France and many are foraged for locally to be sent to the best restaurants in Paris and Bordeaux. Regional specialities include stuffed ceps in the Auvergne region, ceps grilled in walnut oil in the South of France and ceps cooked in oil and dressed in parsley and garlic in Bordeaux.