Edible Vancouver Island Mar/Apr 2023

Opposite page: A foraged appetizer served at the De L’ile restaurant and bakery in Qualicum Beach. This page, clockwise from top left: a chanterelle mushroom hiding in a mossy area on the west coast; Benjamin Patarin of Forest for Dinner leads a foraging tour through the forests surrounding the Spider Lake area; Milena Ficza and Will Cook prepare foraged appetizers for their restaurant and bakery, De L’ile.

areas and don appropriate clothing for the season—as it’s Vancouver Island, always be prepared for rain. A stiff paint brush to clean off mushrooms as you pick them can also be handy and save you work when you get home. Horner also notes that mushroom picking can be very dangerous, claiming the lives of B.C. foragers every year, so it’s vital to let someone know where you will be foraging, as it’s easy to get lost or injured while your head is down searching for mushrooms. And finally, bring a knife—an X-Acto knife, pocket knife or fileting knife, but the thinner the blade the better. “A thin blade makes a nicer cut,” says Patarin. “If your knife is thicker, the cut won’t be as nice, and the mushroom won’t store as long because it kind of bruises them.” And as far as cutting mushrooms or pulling them, you can be confident that you’re not hurting the environment or their ability to reproduce in the area. There is no difference between cutting a mushroom or pulling it out, both Horner and Patarin confirm. However, it is important to be respectful of the environment when you’re foraging. Don’t rip up moss in your search or disturb the natural environment any more than necessary, and pack out all the garbage and items you bring into the forest. Also be aware of the area you are foraging in; stay away from polluted areas and private property. It’s also a respected

understanding between mushroom pickers not to pick every mushroom you find in a patch; just take what you need and leave some for others to find on their hunt. Look for second-growth Douglas Fir trees with moss for promising mushroom haunts, but stay away from the sword ferns, says Horner. Some mushrooms grow under the moss, which is where the real hunt begins, but don’t tear up the moss in your search—gently feel around and respect the area as you harvest. And don’t be fooled into thinking mushroom season only occurs during a few weeks in the fall. “Depending on the year, there can be mushrooms growing from March to December,” Patarin says. Horner also says: “When you find promising ground, move very slowly. You are not hiking, you are hunting.” And if you find yourself soaking wet and freezing cold after hunting for mushrooms for hours without luck, Horner has a secret—a few magic words that he’s sure will turn things around, but you have to really mean them. “That’s when you say the magic words: ‘I hate this. I want to go home.’ And that’s when you’ll suddenly find what you seek!”

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