Basketful of strange mushrooms of the Finnish forest

 

August 2021

Yesterday, we went mushrooming to the national park Nuuksio and I thought it would be a good occasion to share what we had in the basket. And maybe describe more about mushroom picking with my Finn and mushrooming in Finland in general. In my family, we only pick boletus mushrooms. From mushrooms that have strings on the bottom of their heads, I'm completely sure I can recognize only chanterelles and parasol mushrooms. Of course, we always say to each other at home, these are definitely blushers (Amanita rubescens), these are honey fungi (Armillaria sp.), but we lack the courage to actually add them to the basket.

During the last year I have tasted all kinds of mushrooms and there is still a lot to try. At the same time, I've expanded my area of picking. Fins are very connected to nature, which is also obvious from the Finnish mythology, where thy have all kind of nature Gods. For example, the God of the forest is Tapio. So, no surprise, that it is essential for them to use all kinds of nature resources. For us too, but we often look for nature outside the city. 

Anyway, I changed this stereotype, and my Petri and I are mushrooming in Prague as well. We call it harvest and we have already found suitable locations not only for mushrooming, but also for apple/pear/cherry picking. There is a lot to write about, but I will keep it for the next time.  

Now, I am in Helsinki and soon we are going to a cottage nearby Savonlinna, where we will spend a lot of time in the woods. Should be fruitful on mushrooms, because it rained so strong last night that my favourite phrase, and also my first Finnish words "sade ropisee" (gently raining) couldn't even be used. My next Finnish word was probably "kantarellit", chanterelles in English, because here is everything about them.

Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius)

Mushrooms from the Christmas forest

Last Christmas was such a special mushroom experience for both of us. We spent it in Finland, where there was surprisingly no snow, but mushrooms were growing. Forest had an amazing atmosphere because it was darkening already in the early afternoon, and it felt mysterious. Towards the end we were picking almost blindly, and it was harder and harder to tell what was a mushroom and what was a leaf. We filled our basket with funnel chanterelles (Cantharellus tubaeformis), which don't mind freezing over. We also found wood hedgehogs mushrooms (Hydnum repandum).

Funnel chanterelles (Cantharellus tubaeformis)

White mushroom on the top is wood hedgehogs mushroom, the rest are funnel chantarelles

Poisonous but delicate

But I'm most fascinated by the brain mushroom (Gyromitra esculenta). One afternoon, I was phoning with Petri and he told me that he is boiling mushrooms, which require open windows because the smell of them is so bad and irritate coughing, maybe a bit poisonous. I didn't understand that it is worth it. Moreover, boiling twice for ten minutes is only the first step, after that the mushrooms are only ready to be prepared according to the chosen recipe.

I told my mom about this mushroom, and she responded: "Don´t dare to eat something like that." Of course I did, and it was very good decision. The consistency is a bit crispy, and the flavour is strong. Great for making a creamy pasta sauce. My Petri likes to give these mushrooms to his close friends. It's very nice, but considering the challenging preparation process, I don't know if it's quite something you want to get.

Brain mushroom (Gyromitra esculenta)

Elixir of health

Another mushroom can be classified among superfood. When I was spending the winter in Helsinki, I was searching for some dried supplies in the cupboard and I discovered something interesting. It looked like a piece of black hardwood. I asked my Petri what is it and he replied that this is the most valuable thing he has in his kitchen: a mushroom with health benefits, the chaga (Inonotus obliquus).

It's a wood-destroying fungus that grows most often on birch trees, and since the birch is Finland's national tree, the conditions here are ideal for the chaga´s existence. I had to try it. I found the preparation instructions on the internet and made us a tea that tasted like a peat. It wasn't bad at all, especially when drinking it with the knowledge that it is a health miracle for our organism.

Rainbow in the basket

Our last catch in the basket looked like from a wizards'. We had there yellow, red and greenish coloured russula mushrooms. It never stops to amaze me that we collect something like this, and moreover, eat it too. We fried them in a pan with pepper and salt, cut into larger pieces so I could compare their flavour. They all tasted different. Delicatesse.

Yellow swamp russula (Russula claroflava)

Red russula (Russula sp.)

Grass-green russula (Russula aeruginea)

One of the best things about mushrooming in Finland is "eväät", which is a snack you take with you into the forest. We never lack in our backpack a thermos with hot water, Carelian pies and something sweet.

Our last mushrooming couldn´t be more perfect. We were sitting on the shore of the lake with a basket of mushrooms, sipping coffee which always tastes better outside, eating a cinnamon bun and watching how young Red-throated loons (Gavia stellata) learn to fly above the water surface. I thought how happy I am and what more is needed in life. From the loons flying rehearsal, I concluded that the flight itself is fine, but the landing is a task. They often hit the water like a bag of potatoes.

Lake with Red-throated loons

I guess a lot of the mushrooms described here can be found also in Czech forests. At least russula mushrooms, which I can recognize now.