Tag Archives: foraging

Day 19 — Menu + Millions

Another teamwork poem today, as a collective of great fungi come together to form a complete poem around a very tasty theme.

The Poetic Factoid is a quickie about the most expensive mushroom out there.

[Disclaimer: As with yesterday’s entry, this poem was written on the correct day (Sunday) but was unable to get it online owing to never-ending mudslides, back to meetings again (should we hold/what to do), & other exhaustions.]

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Case Study: Tastiest Fungi Feast #6: Menu Wish List

[please click to enlarge image]

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Day 19 Factoid – Most Expensive Mushroom

Who wants to be a millionaire mushroom?

Yartsa Gunbu
Ophiocordyceps sinensis
caterpillar fungus 

the fact that it can 
only be found at high altitudes 
on the Tibetan Plateau 
& in the Himalayas

hand-harvested halfway up 
those huge hills while
spring briefly makes
her annual appearance 

means it’s not quite more 
valuable by weight than gold*
going by today’s prices
but it’s pretty darn close

*highest recorded price $138,000 per kg; gold today was selling for $155, 265/kg US.

Day 07 – foraging + edibility

Lovely walks past & present. [Note: photo is one of mine, taken on just such a walk.]

The Factoid Poem addresses the very real & pressing question: what mushrooms can you eat?

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foraging seasons

i.
some substantial rain & 
the passing of the March equinox 
heralds the coming season

magic is starting among the trees
but we’re all waiting
on a little more water first

to engage in our adult version
of an Easter egg hunt — the long 
range forecast delivered news

no one wanted — a dry winter
followed by another dry summer 
La Niña’s kaput  El Niño’s back baby

ii.
Chester & i enjoyed wandering 
among the pines on dank damp 
drizzling delightful delicious days 

he loved smelling every new spore
before dashing off to the next adventure 
leaving me to identify (if i could)

& artfully photograph the most alluring 
sometimes wished i could have trained 
him to seek out truffles (or similar)

but he found his enjoyment 
in his own way & that was enough 
(more than enough)            for me

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Day 07 Factoid – All mushrooms are edible

Edible

don’t listen to what
the naysayers neigh

you can eat any 
mushroom you like

whether you wish to keep
living is another matter

altogether