How To Collect Mushrooms

Growing up, I knew the best places where mushrooms grew and I could identify them. Later on, as a teenager, I even went down to the villages in Austria and sold them to the local restaurants, who paid me nicely.

September and October when the sun was still high in the sky used to be the best months, however, the recent trend of warm, dry autumns and mild early winters is changing the calendar. November has now become a mushroom month. As long as it rains and there is no freeze, it’s still collecting time!

Mushroom picking has always been a popular hobby, especially in Europe, which makes sense. Money was tight. After two World Wars, many families struggled to have food on the tables. Mushrooms, dried or fresh used in soups or in gravy. Fried as an appetizer or mushroom stew with dumplings, a main dish I grew up with. Cheap, filling, and comforting, the perfect meal during cold fall and winter days.

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On the plate, they are not everyone’s cup of tea. I knew people who didn’t eat them but walked for hours in the forest collecting them. They gave them away, either dried or fresh.

How exciting it is to get up in the morning and walk into a forest, away from the walkways and path, trying to find the perfect mushroom. They hide in the local woods and only stick their caps out of the ground when the weather suits them.

And even then, mushroom pickers still need a sharp eye and a little bit of luck because in the fascinating ecosystem of the forest, mushrooms –or rather their fruits– are still on the menu of many other inhabitants. This makes it all the more important for us humans to stick to a few basic rules when it comes to mushroom picking.

Mushrooms are neither plant nor animal –and somehow fascinating.

Mushroom picking! The most important rules

The first and foremost rule when picking mushrooms is, that what you don’t know, you don’t touch. The same applies to specimens that cannot be clearly identified as edible mushrooms with the identification book.

Such a book is a must on every trip to the forest. Even experienced collectors like me prefer to look up mushroom guides once again –and if in doubt, leave unknown objects to other forest inhabitants. The risk of confusion, and also the risk of poisoning is too great. Best of all, rabbits, deer, and snails also eat mushrooms that are inedible or even poisonous to humans. With the help of enzymes, they break down toxic substances. Apparently, these forest dwellers can also tolerate higher doses of the poison, which is life-threatening for humans even in small quantities.

Don’t overdo it!

In the worst case, this not only overwhelms your stomach but also your wallet from a certain basket size for certain mushrooms. What many people don’t know is that all native mushrooms are under nature conservation, some of them even under strict nature conservation. The Federal Species Protection Ordinance regulates how many mushrooms of each species may be collected for personal use. It’s the same in Austria, Germany, the US, and most other countries.

No permit is required for spontaneous gathering of mushrooms for personal use- even when it’s not really incidental. For a single species, the daily limit for personal use is one gallon or, when it’s a large-sized mushroom, one mushroom, whichever is greater. For multiple species, the daily limit is three species, one gallon each. For commercial use, permits are necessary.

Young, old, and spoiled mushrooms are better off remaining in the forest. In particular, old specimens eaten by maggots or snails should never be cut because even in the nibbled ones, there are important fungal spores that are blown away by the wind, germinate, and root elsewhere and ensure that the fungi that are so important for the ecosystem can continue to be found in the forest. In addition, fresh ones simply taste better. In the case of young mushrooms that have just put their heads out of the ground, there is a very high risk of confusing edible with poisonous species. Mushroom newcomers in particular should leave the knife in the basket when they are not sure.

Twisting instead of tearing.

Do not pluck mushrooms –especially species you know– from the forest floor with brute force. In the worst case, you destroy the actual fungus (the mycelium), which spreads as a large-scale network underground, instead twist the find out of the ground as carefully as possible.

For some mushrooms, the lower end of the stem can be important for identification. Nevertheless, in addition to an up-to-date identification book, a small sharp knife is the most important tool of every mushroom picker. Especially in the case of known species and in rough terrain, the inflorescence of the fungus may also be cut off near the ground.

Roughly clean each mushroom on site while still in the forest and, if possible, store it in an air-permeable container –for example, a basket or a basket cotton bag. The mushrooms should be loose and not crushed. In plastic bags, the mushrooms sweat and decompose much faster.

Mushroom picking! What else you should pay attention to

• Keep your four-legged friend on a leash when you are in the mushrooms
• Avoid spares and freshly planted areas
• Mushroom picking is strictly prohibited in nature reserves
• Behave calmly and considerately towards all forest dwellers
• Do not leave rubbish in the forest
• Take advantage of official hiking car parks. Do not park your car on forest paths or wildly on the side of the road. (I learned that the hard way!)

If you’re still in the mood for a risotto with fresh mushrooms this year, you should hurry. Depending on the weather, the chances of finding what you are looking for in the woods and meadows by the end of November are not bad. If you stick to the most important rules, you are not only doing something good for your palate but also for the flora and fauna of the local forest.

Different kinds:

The Porcini Mushroom, the King of the Mushrooms, and my favorite! It’s at the top of the list for most mushroom hunters. The mushroom can reach up to 12 inches in diameter and spots a violet-brown, dark brown convex cap. In Austria we call it ‘Steinpilz’ (Rockmushroom) and forty years ago I got $5 per pound.

This edible mushroom grows around oak trees and other broadleaf trees. The mushroom can be eaten fresh or cooked. If you have more than you need, you can dry them and store them in an airtight jar.

The Chanterelle Mushroom

An omelet with chanterelles and onions, a little bit of parsley, or cooked in a cream sauce with noodles. It can’t get better than that. Even meat eaters like my husband can hardly resist.

These delicate mushrooms have a peppery flavor that some people describe as lightly fruity. The best part about them is the aroma, which is almost apricot-like. As you cook them, they soften and create a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

• 2 TBS Olive Oil
• 2 Onions, finely diced
• 2 TBS Butter
• 1 Puound Chanterelles
• 200 ml Vegetable broth
• 400 ml Heavy Cream
• 4 TBS Parsley, chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Spaghetti 

Nature has so much to offer.