Last Sunday, thanks to the good weather and the pleasure of mushroom picking, we went on a mushroom foraging trip for a few hours to the mountainous area high up in the city where I live.
The type of mushroom we were looking for was the one we have been consuming for years, locally called Chintar, but in some places it is called blood mushroom because of its bloody appearance. It grows between October and February in years when rainfall is early and there is no extreme cold.
The season, which started dry at the beginning, seems to have provided the ideal environment for the growth of mushrooms suitable for consumption, with the effect of the rains after the rains and the weather being above the seasonal norms.
I say mushrooms suitable for consumption because there are still cases of poisoning due to mushrooms collected unconsciously and it is necessary to be very careful. Not all mushroom species are suitable for consumption, some have toxins that can cause poisoning.
Fortunately, we have enough information about the Chinthar mushrooms we consume and we have been consuming them for decades without any problems. The place where we went to collect mushrooms was opposite a mining site, so we had the opportunity to see the damages more closely. The small area seen in the background is the organized industrial zone.
The area where we picked mushrooms still looks green and natural. Of course, I don't know what the future holds, I hope there will be places where we can do similar activities in the future!
Anyway our real activity is mushroom picking and I better get back to the real purpose. Chinthar mushrooms are found in thorny forests or under coniferous pine trees. The underside of dried leaves provides them with the environment that allows them to grow.
Like many mushrooms, they are invisible in the open. They hide themselves under dried leaves and soil. Their mystery adds extra difficulty, making the effort of collecting them more enjoyable. Just as laborious tasks are more enjoyable when they are completed, the Chinthar mushrooms will give you pleasure as long as you find them.
Where they grow, they lift up the soil or dried leaves. When you look carefully, the bulge is the first sign that there is a mushroom there. When you gently dig into the soil or dry, damp leaves with your hands, you will find rows and rows of mushrooms.
All this is the result of a few hours of mushroom picking. Every mushroom found is a feast for the evening and a reason for the whole family to gather together. Have a good weekend and a delicious weekend dinner!
