Autumn's best in a basket: how to forage for mushrooms like a Czech

From mid-May until November, Czechs head to the forest to hunt for all variety of local mushrooms to dry for use in potato soups or to cook into a traditional smaženice, or mushroom-egg scramble.

“During the war and in times of misery it nurtured us for generations and we have passed on those experiences and recipes. We just have it in the genes,” photographer Jaroslav Malý, a member of the Czech Mycological Society, said of the nation's passion for fungi in our 2015 interview.

Here’s a complete guide to where, when, and how to pick mushrooms, the Czech way:

Most Czechs swear by waiting a day or two after it rains as the combination of moisture and hot weather make for ideal mushrooming conditions. Getting an early start is also essential for beating out the competition, which is why many people keep their picking spots a secret.

Here in Prague, local mushroom enthusiasts head to the wooded areas surrounding the Czech capital, collecting houby in Kunratice, Stromovka, Klánovický, Hvězda, or Divoká Šárka.

For daytrippers, Malý says that he finds the most mushrooms in Mělník and South Bohemia, though his absolute favorite site for picking is the woodlands surrounding Mladé Vožice. 

An easy rule-of-thumb to remember is to stick with neutral colored mushrooms (tan, or brown). Colorful mushrooms tend to mostly be poisonous. But if you don’t recognize a mushroom the best thing to do is avoid it.

This Czech-developed mushroom app is another useful tool for determining what to pick.

Its appearance can vary depending on the size. Smaller specimens will have their caps quite tight to a rather bulbous stipe (stem). Larger specimens will have a separate cap showing the yellow sponge containing the spores. These are very popular edible mushrooms, which is no doubt why the scientific name is simply boletus edulis – edible bolete.

Another common mushroom is the Bay Bolete mushroom, also known as hřib hnědý. It’s similar to the first mushroom. Because of its long growing season, this is quite a common mushroom. Not as good as the edible bolete, but still a good addition to a soup. The cap is dark brown and distinct from the stipe which is yellow-brown.

Another popular pick: the saffron milk cap, or Ryzec borový in Czech. When fresh, this mushroom may smell slightly like fresh milk. It’s popular to use in many cuisines.

The Parasol mushroom, or Bedla vysoká. (Photo: Böhringer Friedrich/ CC BY-SA 3.0 AT)

Any good houbař needs a basket; while most Czechs use wicker baskets to collect mushrooms, a bucket or bag will work as well. A small knife is an essential tool as is a guide, map, or app.

Wear waterproof shoes like boots or thick sneakers, long socks, and pants that cover your legs. This is important because you are trying to protect against ticks and any other types of fauna that may irritate your skin.

To properly outfit yourself for a mushroom picking excursion, visit LesHoubeles in Prague (they also have an e-shop) a shop devoted to tools, supplies, and fun mushroom-themed goodies.

There’s an art to picking your mushrooms, once you’ve found them. Don’t pick your mushrooms like you would pick a flower – and don’t dig too far into the ground, either. You should work the mushroom out using your fingers to avoid breaking it in any way.

Alternatively, some prefer to use their knife and cut it off, leaving behind some of the stems for the local wildlife to feed on. This sustainable practice helps keep the forest alive.

Properly clean your mushrooms once you get home. Use your knife to cut off the bottom of the mushroom, including any roots. Then, 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. If you do see this throw out the mushroom. Once you’ve cleaned your mushrooms, soak them in a bowl of warm water to clear off any excess dirt.

When the mushrooms are clean, you can choose what you do with them. If you plan to store them in the fridge, avoid using plastic wrap as they will lose their freshness.

Drying is a popular and practical way to store your harvest. Thinly slice the mushrooms and place on a thin drying screen then leave in the sun. Depending on the temperature, it can take one to two days to dry a screen’s worth. As the pieces dry they shrink, allowing you to add more to the screen.

If you want to keep your mushrooms in whole pieces, lightly fry them in solid cooking oil or lard. Then freeze them. The pieces keep their shape and flavor and are great for a winter soup or mushroom sauce.

Popular ways to prepare mushrooms are to add them to soup, especially potato soup, to bread and fry the caps, or the make smaženice, a dish made by sauteeing a variety of chopped mushrooms with onions and cumin then scrambling in eggs at the end. Here's an English-language recipe for this classic autumn dish.