Mushrooming (Houbaření) is a Czech national sport. Throughout the woods and forests, especially early morning, you’ll find hunters armed with knives and baskets.

Mushrooming . Houbaření Oil on Canvas 60 x 60 cm courtesy of https://martinakrupickova.com/

Baskets are important – mushrooms can go bad in a plastic bag.

Knives are important – use the knife to cut the mushroom off about five centimeters from the ground. Do not pull on the mushroom or dig it up.

Where do you find mushrooms?

Most Czechs already know where to look. A day or two after it rains, the combination of moisture and hot weather make for ideal mushrooming conditions. If you want to add some science, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has a map that charts peak conditions throughout the country: https://info.chmi.cz/bio/mapy.php?type=houby

How do you know the mushrooms won’t kill you?

Most Czechs started foraging from a young age and will usually be pretty certain of the mushrooms that are safe to eat. If you’re not sure, you can send a picture to the Czech Mycological Society and they’ll tell you (probably in Czech) what you have: https://www.myko.cz/poradna/zeptejte-se-nas/

Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi.

What to do next?

When you get home:

  • Clean the mushrooms.
  • Cut off the bottom of the mushroom, including any roots.
  • Cut the mushroom lengthwise in half to see if it’s healthy. You should be looking for any worms that might have found their way in, marked by dark dots. Throw out any tainted mushrooms.
  • Soak the mushrooms in a bowl of warm water to clear off any excess dirt.
  • If you plan to store mushrooms in the fridge, avoid using plastic wrap as they will lose their freshness.
  • Dry mushrooms by thinly slicing them and leave on a thin drying screen -depending on the temperature, it can take one to two days to dry.

If in doubt throw it out!