Let's go mushroom hunting - a delicious tradition

It’s that time of year again! Mushroom-picking season! Yes, it’s the perfect chance to head into the forest and pick your own food. When I was a little girl, my aunt and uncle always took me mushroom hunting. They taught me which ones were good to eat and which ones could make you sick, very sick! Believe me, as a kid, I was terrified when they told me what could happen if I didn’t listen and just picked any mushroom I wanted. Yap, don’t do that.

I became so interested in learning the right way to do it, and boy, was I proud when my friends were like, wow, you know which mushrooms are safe to eat? And I’d say, yeah, my aunt taught me! 😉

But over the last few years, life got busy, and I stopped going. That was until a few days ago when my aunt called me up while I was visiting my parents. She asked if I wanted to join her and my uncle again. They have this cozy little piece of forest near their summer house, and I have so many fun childhood memories there. You can be as loud as you want, and guess what? No one cares because no one else is around!

So, of course, I said yes. I mean, who can resist fresh mushrooms that you picked yourself? There’s something so satisfying about it. Plus, lunch tastes way better when you’ve done all the work yourself!

Now, let me give you a little mushroom-picking 101, so you know which ones are good to eat!

Porcini Mushroom (Boletus edulis)

This one is a superstar in the mushroom world! It’s also called "King Bolete" for a reason. They’re not too hard to find, but be careful—there are lookalikes that aren’t so friendly to your stomach. My favorite way to cook these bad boys? A creamy pasta sauce with big chunks of porcini mushrooms. It’s just... there are no words! So good. Picture this: tender mushrooms in a cream sauce over a bowl of pasta...mmmmm yum!

Golden Chanterelle (Cantharellu)

These guys are another favorite and super easy to spot because of their bright color and unique shape. And oh, do I have a recipe for you! Chanterelle risotto – a meal so good, you’ll feel like a chef. It’s simple,cook the rice, finely chop some garlic and onion, fry them up, toss in the chanterelles, pour in a little wine (don’t worry, it evaporates!), and then add the rice and cream. Cook it down, and voilà! You’ve got yourself a fantastic, quick lunch.

Parasol Mushroom (Macrolepiota procera)

Ah, my all-time favorite! This one’s great because even if you’re a beginner, you’ll recognize it easily. And it has the simplest recipe ever. Just cut off the stems, clean the caps, dust them in flour, dip them in beaten eggs, roll them in breadcrumbs, and fry them until golden brown. Serve with tartar sauce (trust me, you need the tartar sauce), and it’s crispy, crunchy heaven.

Oh, and yes, I did have to Google their fancy Latin and English names because I only know what we call them back home!

Tomorrow, I’m diving back into my childhood tradition, and I’m not sure yet which mushroom dish I’ll make, but whatever it is, it’s going to be the best lunch ever! So, here’s my advice, grab a basket, throw on some comfy shoes, and head into the woods. There's nothing quite like the thrill of finding that perfect mushroom and then turning it into a delicious meal.

Let’s go pick mushrooms! You’ll come back with the tastiest lunch of your life.

Mushroom picking is fun, but you have to be careful. Not all mushrooms are safe to eat, and some can make you really sick. So, only pick mushrooms if you know for sure which ones are good. If you're not sure, don’t go! Go with someone who knows, like I did with my aunt and uncle. It's always better to be safe than sorry.