This is funny! I don’t know if you know how to pick mushrooms but I do! And I love those rainy days that brings mushrooms here in Latvian forests. Latvia have forests and forest this year have mushrooms. How do I know?
Simply! Mushrooms like boletus type are at the same place every 3 years. It’s not like they aren’t there every year, they are, but… a lot – only every 3 years.
I thought that’s some old lady humor but it’s not. I remember how we spend the first summer here in this house and in September while Linna was sleeping run into woods for 20 minutes (Janis is working from home, so no worries, we never let our child alone!) to get a basket full of boletus mushrooms. And back home to clean, cut and cook them before Linna woke up!
And that is 3 years ago. So, I went to woods today and guess what!? I found lots of mushrooms. Hurray! Now it’s time to tell you how to pick mushrooms. Easy!
This is something I do since childhood. It’s easy peasy cause mom or grandma was around to help identify edible mushrooms. Also, I never take those I don’t know for sure. Doesn’t matter if someone says it’s edible.
How to pick mushrooms was the title of this post (stay on track Ilze)! SO:
- Find the mushroom.
- Identify it. And be sure you know this mushroom is edible and also looks fresh. Leave old ones in woods.
- Hold it, cut above the ground but don’t pull it up. Be gentle.
- Put them in a basket. Better the one that lets spores escape.
- Get home and clean, cut and cook your mushrooms.
Like I do!
Ilze
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a day in the life of a latvian mom 
I can’t wait to go mushroom foraging in Finland! I will take your advice. I have so much to learn!
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You will learn, I’m sure! But be 100% sure you are picking edible mushrooms. Go with someone who know mushrooms!
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Yes, I definitely will! Not worth the risk.
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I really enjoy your posts. I would be so afraid to try them – even if it matched a picture in the book. Is it easy? And how did they taste?
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Interesting. Have you ever ate wild mushrooms. Perhaps in your childhood!? In our family it’s kind of thing that pass from one generation to another. When I was 3 years old I ate mom’s made mushroom gravy and at age 5 I went with my mom and granny to the forest for mushroom foraging. This is how knowledge & confidence about mushroom picking stays alive in our family.
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I’ve only eaten them in a restaurant. I love them! It’s great that this tradition has been carried on in your family. I like your blog because it reminds me of how things used to be. keep sharing!
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Thank you! I guess we are living a simple life and that is what I share. It’s nice that my blog reminds you of how things used to be.
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You’re living a great life!
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🙂 Thank you!
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Wish I was a mushroom lover.
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Aren’t you!? What’s the reason!?
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I think it is the wobbly texture that bothers me. I am trying to like them. 😉
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Then you are like my mom! She don’t like the texture either. She just cut them in small er peaces and cook longer. Until all the water is gone and mushrooms are brown. If it’s boletus than you have to clean them right.
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Just this past weekend we had wild mushrooms at the home of a friend that is also a chef. Delicious! There were three different kinds that he combined, saute’ with garlic and wine then served with grilled chicken. So good! I love mushrooms but never learned what is safe and what is not so I just let others go hunting then truly enjoy their expertise.
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I guess that Latvia is special with all the forests and mushrooms and that we don’t have big cities and all the mushrooms are only half hour drive away. Or if you are living in small village – few minutes!
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I love mushroom picking! It’s like going tresure hunting. 😀 Chanterelles are my favorite! I always try to find them but pick whatever (edible) I can find. 🙂
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I love Chanterelles as well, but at this time of the year they are hard to find. That’s why I’m writing about boletus 🙂
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Ok, I must have read this wrong.
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No, no! You haven’t! I thought you are commenting on other post. Silly me!
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