It’s time for the “silent hunt”… that’s what people in Eastern Europe and Russia call the search for mushrooms in the autumn forest. Everybody has their “secret spots” hidden from all others… as you can see, hoo boy, the haul is humongous. Just about everybody dries most of them for the winter. As for me, I’m partial to gribi (mushrooms) any way that I can get them… I’m not picky… get yer grubbies on and get on out there!
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Mushrooming in Ivanovo Oblast
Russians are PASSIONATE about mushrooms… we love ’em! No, we LOVE ‘EM! Any which way we can get ’em, and any which way you care to prepare ’em, most Russians are the head of the queue when it comes to mushroom appreciation. If you go mushrooming, ya gotta wear yer grubbies and your rubber wellies… no two ways about it! Use a wicker basket to carry your prizes… if you use plastic bags, they turn into undifferentiated goo. This is the most popular “hunt” in Russia, hands down… them griby be Good Eats…
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I did something “special” for my Nicky on Defenders of the Fatherland Day, as we Russians consider it “Men’s Day”. I made him a special breakfast of scrambled eggs (with a spot of tarragon stirred into the eggs before cooking), hash browns with sour cream (potato pancakes would work fine, too), and mushrooms sautéed together with onions and breakfast sausage in butter bound with sour cream. To make the mushrooms, you start by melting 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. When that melts, add half a medium onion or a whole small onion, sliced thinly. After the onion starts to wilt and separate (about five minutes), add a small can of sliced mushrooms (7 ounces (200 grammes) net… 4 ounces (115 grammes) worth of mushrooms) and about a 1/4 teaspoon of tarragon (crumble it up between your thumb and forefinger as you add it… it helps); mix it together thoroughly. Let it go for about another five minutes. Then, slice up two breakfast sausages thinly and add them to the pan. Let that simmer away for about another five minutes. When the sausages have taken on some colour, add enough sour cream to bind it all together, but not overly-so. I’d say you’d that you’d use about 1/2 cup of it, but I’d start with 1/4 cup’s worth, and work my way up. Let it come up to speed by heating it for at least 2 minutes, stirring it about with a heatproof spatula.
Serve it… you’ll get a “growl” of pleasure from your “bear”, too! I guarantee (to steal a line from the late Justin Wilson)!
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Voices from Russia 
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