St George’s Day, celebrated on April 23rd, is a time to honour England’s famous dragon-slaying patron saint and the unique English history and culture. Food is, of course, one of the most powerful ways to do this. English food has a wonderful heritage dating back hundreds of years, but also incorporates ideas from different cuisines from across the world. Whether you fancy a delicious roast beef dinner with yorkshire puddings, or a tasty pasty, you can add mushrooms for an extra twist to tradition.
Mushrooms in England
Mushroom growing has an important role in the nation’s agricultural landscape, supplying a variety of mushrooms to the public through supermarkets and local markets. From chestnut to oyster to exotic shiitake, English-grown mushrooms bring umami depth and versatility to any dish. There are around 280 commercial mushroom farms in England, Wales and Scotland. Farm-gate value of sales is approximately £200 million. Businesses are spread over the country. The UK’s mushroom production is forecast to grow steadily over the next five years. By 2026, it’s expected to reach 109,020 metric tons – up from 103,200 metric tons in 2021.
Mushrooms in English folklore
English forests are full of wild mushrooms, many of which are edible but many are also poisonous. Folklore stories tell tales of warning to prevent people from being tempted to taste them! Today, there is a growing interest in foraging for wild mushrooms and it’s common to find groups led by expert foragers take to the forests with baskets.
Springtime in England brings the arrival of the St George’s mushroom (Calocybe gambosa), named for its tendency to emerge in grassy fields and verges around St George’s Day.
Celebrate St George’s Day with mushrooms
These quintessentially English dishes add a mushroom twist to make your celebrations even more delicious:
Mushroom and ale pie
Swap out steak for sautéed chestnut mushrooms simmered in English ale, thickened with onions and thyme, and topped with golden puff pastry.
Try this recipe from BBC Good Food
Mushroom and brie-stuffed Yorkshire puddings
Fill your Yorkshires with creamy garlic mushrooms and serve as a vegetarian-friendly main or hearty starter. Stuffed with quinoa, walnuts, cheese, mushrooms and spinach, it is the perfect example of fusing a traditional English recipe with foreign influences.
Get the recipe from Great British Chefs
Toad-in-the-Hole with mushroom Gravy
Toad in the hole is a traditional British dish consisting of sausages baked into a giant Yorkshire pudding. This version uses meaty portobello mushrooms instead of mushrooms, and is served in a rich garlic, porter & onion gravy.
Get the recipe from Jamie Oliver
Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington is a baked steak dish of English origin, made out of fillet steak and duxelles wrapped in shortcrust pastry. This Gordon Ramsay version uses chestnut mushrooms and Aberdeen Angus beef.
Get this gorgeous recipe here
Celebrate England’s heritage this St George’s Day with a meal that’s hearty, rooted in tradition, and just a little bit magical—thanks to mushrooms!
