Mushroom picking

Mushroom picking is an immensely popular past time in the Faren culture. Mushrooms are a highly sought-after delicasy in the Faren cuisine. Local mushrooms are an integral part of their traditional dishes, but the adventurous mycologists are also searching foreign lands for potential new additions.

Tradition

In the countryside children learn mushroom picking from their parents naturally, when they go off foraging in the woods. The mushrooms are used for cooking, but also preserved for selling them to the townspeople.
In the cities there are less changes for picking mushrooms. Any edible shrooms popping up in the parks are quickly devoured by the poor inhabitants. Many people like travelling to the countryside surrounding the cities for some peace and quiet and a chance of finding good mushroom spots. The wealthy citizens can enjoy relaxing visits to their plantations, where they can enjoy freshly picked mushrooms prepared by their cooks, or go on mushroom hunting trips guided by the locals.

Legislation

Mushroom picking is allowed for all in uninhabited wilderness, but spots near to homes or in private hunting grounds are jealously guarded. The commoners are known for getting into trouble for sneaking into stealing mushrooms from private areas, even when the owners of the land were not planning to arrange for anyone to pick them.

Mushroom poisoning

Mushroom poisonings are relatively uncommon because Farens usually recognise the edible mushrooms well, and the mushrooms trade is conducted by experts. However, urban people sometimes get too exited when they find something looking like an expensive mushroom, and fall for the similar looking poisonous species. Ordering mushroom dishes claimed to containing more uncommon species in shady-looking restaurants is adviced against.
Some well-known deaths have been claimed to be caused by mushroom poisoning, either by accident or deliberate murder (details to be added).

by pixnio

Bloodfoot mushroom is a national delicacy of Arensande (Redhill), located in the far western borders of the Faren territory. Bloodfoots are celebrated for their delicate flowery taste, and the imported fresh and dry shrooms fetch good prices in the markets of central area.

Mushrooms in other cultures

Farens are the most mushroom-loving culture on Salan. Unlike them Zeribians mostly use mushrooms for medicinal and ritual puroposes only. Some mushrooms are used for food regionally, but possibly due to the great difference in species on different islands, mushrooms are not commonly eaten.
Due to the dry climate mushrooms are not a profitable source of food in the main areas of highland Ara or Saial cultures, or in the desert inhabited by the Caač people.