Mushrooms!

Eep, looks like I made it through Vappu people :) Was ok, although felt a little sick (as in flu) so took it quite easy. Bad news is, I dont have any pics, well a few of my friends. The thing is, I have an Ixus 75 (canon) camera, which is pretty good - atleast I like it, but the damned thing doesnt seem to have any battery state indicator! Sure, it will start flashing a battery icon when it's low, but thats often quite (far) (too) late. So, thats what happened, annoying - damnit! :)

So, todays subject...Mushrooms. Yes, I love 'em - actually had some horn of plenty pasta just a moment ago - yum yum. So, since Finland has a Everyman's Right mushrooms are very common and quite plenty. All sorts of 'shrooms grow here, some of which are even exported. One of my very favorite dishes is...mushroom sauce/stew, particulary one made of chantarelles or false morels. Yes, you heard me, false morels - and no Im not writing this from the beyond. See false morels (Gyromitra esculenta) are eaten here, and sold fresh in stores (during season ofc). And yes, they are deadly - if not prepared correctly - after that, very yummy.

They must be parboiled several times in plenty of water, the water has to be discarded and 'shrooms rinsed in between and all of this has to be done in a well ventilated space to avoid poisoning. So, even preparation is dangerous, and I do NOT encourage YOU to try them in this fashion anywhere else. Canned false morels are parboiled and usable out of the can once rinsed and the liquid discarded (read label though, just in case). Or if you decide you want to try such a dish, go to a restaurant.Enough about 'em, quite a lot of different mushrooms are sold/consumed here, here's a few common mushrooms one might find here:

Different Boletes (porcini), inc. Brown birch bolete (Leccinum scabrum),Orange aspen bolete (Leccinum aurantiacum) etc..
Brittlegills (russulas)
Milkcaps
Family Cantharellaceae: Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius)
Funnel chanterelle, trumpet chanterelle (Cantharellus tubaeformis)
Horn of plenty (Craterellus cornucopioides)
Yellow-footed chanterelle (Cantharellus lutescens, C. xanthopus)

Family Cortinariaceae: Gypsy mushroom (Rozites caperatus)
Family Hydnaceae: Terracotta hedgehog (Hydnum rufescens)
Wood hedgehog (Hydnum repandum)
Family Hygrophoraceae: Arched woodwax (Hygrophorus camarophyllus)
Family Morchellaceae: Conical morel (Morchella conica, M. elata)
Round morel, yellow morel (Morchella esculenta)
Family Polyporaceae: Sheep polypore (Albatrellus ovinus)
Family Tricholomataceae: Boreal honey mushroom (Armillaria borealis)
Fine-scaly honey mushroom (Armillaria cepistipes)
Matsutake (Tricholoma matsutake)
Yellow honey mushroom (Armillaria mellea)
...and so on...:)

Since Im going on about mushrooms, I might aswell post a recipe for...mushroom salad! Which is a common sidedish here:

Mixed Salted Mushrooms (buy 'em in stores here)
Smetana/Creme Fraiche
Onion (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Parlsey (optional or for decor)
Lemon Juice (optional - to taste)

Soak salted mushrooms in fresh water overnight (dont remove all the salt)
(Finely) Chop your onion.
Mix all of the ingredients together into a thickish consistency and season with pepper.
Cover and let sit in the fridge to season before serving.
Eat. :)

NOTE: when picking mushrooms NEVER pick something you are not absolutely sure of! A Destroying Angel might look yummy but will kill you.

Darn, now I feel like goin' pickin' mushrooms. :)
Till next time people!