The Lost Mushroom Hunters Of Russia
This BBC article is the first I’ve heard about mushroom hunting in Russia. They are wild about the fungi, but there’s a problem…
A bumper mushroom crop in Russia this year has pleased everyone except officials of the Emergencies Ministry in St Petersburg.
They are the ones that have to go looking for mushroom hunters who get lost in the forests near the city - a total of 121 people since 1 August.
One explanation given for all these missing people in the former evil empire is the type of fungi they sometimes locate:
The discovery of hallucinogenic mushrooms in the area in recent years raises the possibility that some lost people may not just have taken a wrong turning.
Fascinating stuff, but here’s the most intriguing part:
Mostly mushrooms are appreciated as a nourishing pickled or fried dish or as a base for healthy soup.
Pickled! Time to consult Google. These from Siam! – Long-stemmed beauties, but a bit expensive. This tapas recipe! An authentic Russian dish – a pate! Here’s Mary’s Pickled Mushroom Appetizer – with parsley, garlic, and oregano. Pickled Mushrooms with Sauce – I intuitively trust recipes presented by someone named “Olga.”
They’re not all foreign – here’s a southern variation for pickled mushrooms. This one uses canned mushrooms, with red wine vinegar and brown sugar. From the Food Network, a version that uses traditional canning methods – with coriander, toasted mustard seeds, jalapenos and bay leaves.
Those mushrooms hunters may be getting lost, but they’ve helped me find some recipes that I’ll have to try soon. I’d never heard of pickled mushrooms until that article.
4:27:27 PM 
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