Amanita caesarea(Ovolo buono, Blagva) is a delicious highly mushroom. It’s native to southern Europe and North Africa but can be found in any oak wood in the world. Because of its delicious meat, the fact that is never rotten and it causes no stomach discomforts even to people with a very sensitive stomach, this mushroom has become very rare in many countries. Here in Croatia Amanita caesarea is protected by law. It’s can’t be bought on the market. Large-scale collecting is forbidden. It can be collected for personal use only, but only in private woods and only if you collect 1/3 of the amount of mushrooms in that woods. So if the area contains 3 Amanita mushrooms you may collect one. Amanita caesarea is a part of the Amanita genus. Because of its similarity to other toxic varieties unskilled mushroom collectors and hikers destroy it even though it’s one of the most appreciated mushrooms in the world. 
What does Amanita caesarea look like? 
Amanita caesarea is a very easy-to-spot mushroom even when it’s still small. Its orange-red cap is visible even while the mushroom is very small.Like all Amanita mushrooms, it grows out of a white egg that later opens and lets out a beautiful cap and yellow stipe.

Gills are also pale yellow.

The surface of this mushroom is very smooth when it’s raining even a bit slimy.

How to eat and prepare it?
This is one of the rare mushrooms that can be eaten completely raw. It can also be cooked, fried, used as mushroom topping on pizza(delicious!), and dried. If you want to store it in the freezer, just cut it into pieces and place it in a small bag. There is no need to cook them before saving them. Its delicious meat will never be firm or too dry.

Can it be mistaken for toxic mushrooms?
Amanita caesarea can be mistaken for toxic mushrooms by inexperienced collectors. It’s very similar to other Amanita varieties called Amanita muscaria (Fly agaric). But the main difference is that Amanita caesarea never has white scales on its cap. It is always smooth and its color is always more orange than red.