A mushroom picker found a real treasure in a Polish forest. "Something amazing."

While not all mushrooms found in Polish forests are equally appreciated, there are always those who admire even the less common specimens. The pine scabious mushroom is certainly one such example. It seems that sometimes it takes on unusual dimensions and surprises forest visitors. An interesting account appeared on the TikTok profile @fikoty.pl.

This mushroom delighted the Pole

A giant pine deer was picked in the forest by internet creator Paweł Błoński. His daily activities include creating comics and promoting Masuria and fishing. His TikTok profile also features reports from forest visits and mushroom-related videos.

The pine doe mushroom the man showed was impressive. "Something incredible," he commented at the outset, adding that he had no idea this species could grow so large. The video shows a dark brown mushroom with a distinctive shape. Instead of gills, it has dense spines (whitish, grayish, or brown) beneath the cap, and its stem is massive and fibrous.

An underrated edible mushroom

As Mr. Paweł points out, the pine sardine mushroom is edible, though not everyone appreciates its flavor. (It's easy to deny that many mushroom pickers are primarily interested in boletus, chanterelles, and butter mushrooms.) It seems that it's also worth reaching for lesser-known treasures, although care should be taken not to confuse them with poisonous species. In the case of the sardine mushroom, the distinctive thorns are important, which are similar only to the sardine mushroom. This one is also edible. However, you should be wary of the rough sardine mushroom , also known as the rough sardine mushroom – it is protected and inedible.

Internet users commenting on the TikTok post assured us they had tried pine deer mushrooms themselves and found them delicious. This mushroom is used for things like making cutlets, but also for marinating and stewing. It's also easy to make soups and sauces with. Besides being versatile, it also boasts nutritional properties – it's rich in protein and contains B vitamins, which support metabolism and the nervous system.

Read also: Which mushrooms are the healthiest? You won't find these in Polish forests. Read also: An unusual find among mosses. Nature has surprised us again.