Edible Mushroom Varieties Growing in the Kaz Mountains Region and Their Importance for Gastronomy Tourism

Abstract

Mushrooms have been used as a source of food and medicine since their discovery, as a result of humankind's effort to exist in nature. Mushrooms that grow spontaneously in nature have recently begun to anract people's anention again as a source of food and medicine. In terms of gastronomy tourism, the importance of this study is the effort to gain economic value of mushrooms and dishes made from mushrooms, which are one of the main food sources of local cultures. The aim of this study is to reveal the types of mushrooms that grow in their natural habitats in the autumn and spring seasons in the Kaz Mountains region and their local names. Based on this purpose, 12.10. between 2021 and 22.11.2022, Kaz Mountains villages were visited with local people, mushrooms were collected, photographs were taken and their consumption panerns were investigated. As a result of the research, it was revealed that there are 12 types of edible mushrooms in the region. One of the most important findings of the study is that mushrooms have not yet been introduced to gastronomy tourism.