 amazing

mushrooms

FOR WHOLE-BODY HEALTH

If you know how to use even a few

different varieties of medicinal mush-

rooms, you can heal and recharge your

body, reach your full potential, and

become the best version of yourself

BY TERO ISOKAUPPILA

I

grew up in Finland on a farm that
has been in my family for at least
13 generations. Much of my youth
was spent outdoors, learning from
and living off the land. These days,
when I tell people—strangers, friends,
family members, possible love interests—
that I am passionate about fungi, the
reactions I get are anything but dull.
They’re confused, surprised, skeptical,
intrigued. Some are even disgusted—
I can almost see the thoughts emerge
from their heads like a cartoon bubble:
“Mushrooms must be big in Finland.”
“Just another hipster forager.” “He must
be a chef! I’ll ask him about morels!”
These are all valid reactions. People
hear the word “mushroom” and often
have surprisingly specifi c ideas of what
they think the larger conversation must
be about. We’ve all heard cautionary
tales about the poisonous potential of
mushrooms, and we’ve seen elation
spread over the faces of world-famous
chefs as they extol certain varietals of
PHOTOGRAPHY: PORNCHAI MITTONGTARE: FOOD STYLING; CLAIRE STANCER; PROP STYLING: ROBIN TURK fungi in an almost evangelical manner.

SEPTEMBER 2017 (^) • 53