The other week, I went foraging for mushrooms.
No, not for those kinds of ones.
And no, definitely not those kinds of ones either (though I am partial to beef Wellington).
In the morning, I woke bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, armed with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for the sound of a primary school bell and a day spent away from my desk (sorry, job). That’s because I was heading to the fresh-air-filled Blue Mountains. As not only is it autumn – it’s also mushroom szn.
It took us around an hour and a half to reach our destination: a pine forest. That’s where we met Diego Bonetto – a lifelong forager, wild food advocate and mushroom enthusiast who runs workshops on foraging. Over the next few hours, we ventured deep into the forest, collecting not only pine mushrooms – or saffron milk caps – but Diego’s pearls of wisdom, like tiny droplets of rain after a dry patch. I experienced what is known as ‘mushroom fever’ – and yes, it’s a real thing. I think I even became a little mushroom-obsessed.
RELATED READ: This magical farm, cellar door and apple orchard is a must-visit in the Blue Mountains.
There were many brilliant moments during our day – and if you’re keen to know more, I’d recommend booking an experience with Diego yourself. But for now, here are three things that shocked me the most.
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Mushrooms are bloody incredible
I know you probably know this already. And looking back, I knew fungi were great. Cooked until golden, finished with butter, thyme and salt, and served with jammy eggs and crisp bacon. Grilled on the barbie and bolstered with garlic and soy. Sautéed before being paired with cream, parsley and fettuccine. You get the gist.
But man, did I not know just how incredible these little ground umbrellas were. Diego told us mushrooms were here before plants – and actually, all plants are a result of them. That we have no idea how many species of mushrooms there are, ’cos there are so damn many. They don’t even care about sunlight! And below ground, they form a massive underground network called mycelium.
Mushrooms naturally decompose organic material, and they even help clean the environment of toxins with a process called mycoremediation. I could go on.
It’s legal to forage for mushrooms in New South Wales
For legal reasons, I need to state the obvious: you're allowed to forage for legal mushrooms in New South Wales. This isn't the case across all of Australia. So that’s pretty cool, don’t you think?
I mean, the idea that you don’t have to go to Woolies or Coles and give your money to a conglomerate, but can instead head to a fairy-tale-coded forest and find dinner, is refreshing in this cost-of-living situation. Of course, not everyone can head to a forest daily. And there are thousands of toxic and super harmful mushrooms out there – so it’s important that you go with an experienced forager who can identify them correctly.
But it’s a fun activity for you and your mates to do one weekend. Plus, pine mushrooms are yum.
Foraging is actually pretty fun
Truthfully, I used to think foraging was a bit of a wank. How wrong I was. Not only have humans been foraging to survive for thousands of years, it’s so good for the mind, body and spirit. Plus, there’s a thrill that comes with spotting mushrooms growing in the ground. We were on the lookout for these cute, peach-coloured mushrooms, and each time we spotted one felt like being a kid finding an Easter egg. Foraging is also so peaceful. I remember standing in the forest, feeling the warm sun on my face. All I could hear were the birds and the gentle rustle of trees in the wind. I think it was the first time I had truly stopped in weeks.
I know this is verging on woo-woo territory, but in that moment, I felt truly connected to the environment – reflecting that I am but one tiny and insignificant speck in Earth’s magnificent, complex, multi-faceted ecosystem. It was as glorious as it was freeing.
Later, I asked Diego what he loved most about foraging.
“It’s a learning space,” he said. “If you are willing to listen, there are lessons all around.”
It took a couple of hours, a handful of mushrooms and an enthusiastic, Italian-born foraging wizard to remind me to stop every once in a while. To hop off the hamster wheel we’re all on. To get out in nature, close my eyes and breathe in deeply. And listen. You hear that? That’s where the magic lies.
Find out more about mushroom foraging here.
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