Mushrooms in Russia

mushrooms in Russia exceptionally, require a separate entry. This is partly because of the special place which mushroom hunting and eating occupies in Russia, and in Russian literature; and partly because the whole subject has been explored, in a unique manner, by Valentina and Gordon Wasson in Mushrooms, Russia and History (1957), a brilliant work lavishly produced in a manner which precludes, intentionally, any reprint. As they point out: ‘When the Russian child learns his alphabet, he sees by a picture that “g” stands for grib [mushroom]; this has been habitual at least since the 17th century.’ The Wassons also draw attention to the children’s marching song ‘Panic among the Mushrooms’, in which the general of the mushrooms summons his hosts to war, but finds that most of them have excuses, cleverly framed to reflect their characteristics—the smorchki (morels), for example, cry off on the ground that they are elderly grey-heads. Finally, the gruzdi (probably what are known in English as ‘peppery milk caps’) rally to the flag and march off to do battle.