avatarAnne Bonfert

Summary

The website content is a photographic documentary exploring the author's newfound appreciation for mushrooms, detailing their presence in nature, culinary uses, potential dangers, and the art of photographing them in their natural habitat.

Abstract

The article "Mushrooms in the Forest" by Anne Bonfert is a visual and narrative journey through the world of mushrooms. It begins with a reflection on the general ignorance about mushrooms despite their commonality, and it transitions into whimsical advice inspired by mushrooms. The author shares a personal transformation from mushroom-averse to a mushroom enthusiast, incorporating them into various dishes. The piece underscores the importance of expertise when foraging for mushrooms due to the risks of poisoning, highlighting the infamous "Amanita Muscaria" as an example. The author marvels at the diversity and camouflage abilities of mushrooms in their natural settings and emphasizes the need for moisture in their growth. The article also touches on the historical and contemporary use of certain mushrooms for spiritual experiences. Finally, Bonfert discusses the challenges and rewards of capturing the beauty of mushrooms through photography, comparing the use of a DSLR camera to a GoPro, and concludes with an invitation to appreciate the splendor of nature through mushrooms.

Opinions

  • The author expresses a shift in personal taste, moving from disliking mushrooms to enjoying them in various meals.
  • There is a clear warning about the dangers of consuming mushrooms without proper knowledge, emphasizing the risks of mistaking poisonous varieties for edible ones.
  • The author admires the variety of mushrooms encountered during forest hikes but stresses the importance of not foraging without expertise.
  • The piece conveys a deep appreciation for the beauty of mushrooms and the art of photography, with a preference for capturing nature's details.
  • There is a sense of wonder about the camouflage of mushrooms in their natural environment, which can make them difficult to spot.
  • The author seems to value the spiritual connection some mushrooms have provided to different cultures throughout history.
  • A pragmatic approach is taken when discussing the limitations of photography equipment, acknowledging that sometimes compromise is necessary to capture nature's moments.
Credit: Anne Bonfert

PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY

Mushrooms in the Forest

And all of a sudden they are everywhere

Mushrooms. Everybody knows them, yet rarely anyone really knows what they are. Some are edible. Some only once. They look pretty in nature. But don’t touch them if you’re not an expert.

Advice from a mushroom:

Be down to earth

Keep a low profile

Know when to show up

Start from the ground up

Be a fun-guy!

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Food

I never used to eat mushrooms. I would pick them out of every meal if I had to. And then I don’t know what happened or when it happened. It must have been somewhere during my years of living in Africa. The change.

I add mushrooms to pretty much any meal I am cooking today. Literally. I love mushrooms. Now. All of a sudden.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Pasta with bacon and mushrooms.

Meatballs with mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce.

Stew with potatoes, cauliflower, and mushrooms.

Mushroom soup.

Pizza with ham and mushrooms.

Mushrooms with bacon, cheese, and onions grilled on the fire.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

I tried to come up with a dish that doesn’t go with mushrooms. But I couldn’t find one. However, as much as I love eating them I have no knowledge about them. I don’t know which mushrooms grow where. How I can spot the edible ones and which ones look similar but poisonous.

I just buy them on the market or in the shop. In Thailand, Namibia, or Germany. Whatever mushrooms they offer. I’ll cook with them.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Poison

There is only one mushroom I do recognize. That is the Amanita Muscaria. In German called “Fliegenpilz”. A poisonous one. It’s bright color always reminds me not to touch it. Yet someone could not hesitate and took a bite of it. It might have been some snails creeping along the forest floor. I wonder how they are doing now.

The indigenous people of Siberia actually used this specific mushroom to receive and explore spiritual experiences.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Some mushrooms are still used for the same reason. As a drug. To get this spiritual experience that occurs due to the food poisoning. But you need to know which mushroom to take and in what quantity. I definitely do not recommend it since I have no knowledge about it.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Location

Mushrooms love moisture. A wet forest floor covered in moss and slowly rotting leaves is a perfect place to let a mushroom grow. They also often appear on old tree stems covered in moss.

Wherever lots of moisture is saved up is a good living ground for them. They love and need moisture in order to flourish. That is why the German autumn is the perfect time to flourish. It’s cold and wet.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

I never used to really pay attention to mushrooms in the mountains or in the forest. Maybe because I didn’t like eating them. But now it is different. I pay attention to every detail on the forest floor.

The strength lies in the details.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Variety

I am also impressed by how many different types of mushrooms I do encounter on two single hikes through the forest. Some of them look very similar, others have nothing in common with the ones I spotted before.

A few mushrooms look like the ones I cook with. Yet I do not dare to touch them. I do know how similar poisonous ones usually look like. Trying to imitate the edible ones.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

I rather just look at them. Take a photograph. Embrace their beauty.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Camouflage

A few mushrooms you can see from far. Even in dense undergrowth in the forest. But others have such a good camouflage that you could walk past right them without noticing.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Like this tiny one for example. The tiny black stem looks just like a branch. And the head of the mushroom has the color of the forest floor. Brown like the dead leaves covering the ground.

A shiny blaze appears on its surface due to the rain.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

And that is why I almost stepped on this one. Just look at the photograph. Did you spot the mushroom immediately? I’m sure it took you a while to make it out. Surrounded by autumns' forest floor. Branches, leaves in yellow and brown, beech-nuts and other seeds fallen from the trees are covering the soil.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Photography is an art

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” — Ansel Adams

On the search for something worth capturing I explore the world. I embrace nature looking around for the small things out there. Trivial objects are being looked at from different perspectives in order to make a great photograph out of it.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

I really enjoy capturing nature’s beauty. To show the world how amazing mother nature is. How nature is thriving where we still allow it. We all just need to make ourselves aware of it again. The importance of nature. For us.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

I used to take all my photographs with a DSLR camera. But everyone knows how heavy and bulky it is. Sometimes I just don’t feel like taking it with. I don’t want to carry a backpack with me or have the camera in my hand.

Then I just take my GoPro with. It fits in every pocket and is barely noticeable. Yet I can take high-quality photographs with it and take videos at the same time. But it is not the same. There is no zoom on the GoPro. I have one frame to work with. And it is true the GoPro does take great photographs. In good weather conditions. On dark and misty days it looks a bit different.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Still better than not having a chance to capture this magnificent mushrooms. The last pictures were all taken with my GoPro. I still experiment with it in order to find out how close I can go to an object.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

The results aren’t bad. But you can see a huge difference in the photographs taken with my Canon camera. But as I said. Sometimes in life, you have to make a compromise. And this is one of those situations. I don’t think it’s a bad one.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

“A photograph is the pause button of life.” — Ty Holland

Credit: Anne Bonfert

These mushrooms overgrown by moss have been once again almost been overlooked by my eyes. Searching for wildlife in the undergrowth and watching squirrels chasing each other took away my focus.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Embracing nature’s beauty

And this was another day and another article about embracing nature’s beauty. I simply love being out there. In the forest. Surrounded by birds chirping, cracking branches, and leaves rustling in the wind.

Credit: Anne Bonfert

Roundup

If you like eating mushrooms like I do but have no knowledge about them then just buy them from the stores. To embrace them in nature walk in the forest and simply look at them. Take photographs or just embrace their beauty.

Mushrooms are amazing if you think about it what they can give us. But be careful with picking them if you’re not an expert.

Nature
Nature Writing
Diversity
Outdoors
Photography
Recommended from ReadMedium