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| Hello, and welcome to the "Culture Class—Holidays in the Czech Republic" series at CzechClass101.com. In this series, we explore the history and traditions behind Czech holidays and observances. I’m Michael, and you're listening to Lesson 22, Mushroom Gathering—houbaření. |
| One typical custom where the Czechs might differ from many other European nations is the picking of wild mushrooms. This custom has achieved mass popularity and resembles the likes of a national sport. |
| Now, before we go into more detail, do you know the answer to the following question? |
| When is the best time to go into the forest to pick mushrooms? |
| If you don't already know, you’re about to find out, so stay tuned! |
| Not every day is suitable for picking mushrooms. However, if suitable conditions for mushroom growth occur, many people instantly brighten up and quietly prepare their mushroom picking equipment. |
| Just a wicker basket, or košík, and a knife, in addition to good shoes, which can be worn in wet conditions, are enough to get started. Czech forests, or české lesy, are freely accessible to everyone, so there’s no need to worry about whose property the forest is on. Mushroom pickers, with their eyes on the ground searching for mushrooms, can instead walk slowly in the fresh air and socialize with one another. |
| Some mushrooms, however, can be lethally poisonous, or smrtelně jedovaté, so be careful to only collect the edible ones. Once collected, mushrooms can be prepared in all sorts of ways. The most common way is in scrambled eggs—Sauté onions in oil, add chopped mushrooms, add the eggs and the appropriate spices, and then enjoy your meal. |
| Before you set out to pick mushrooms, it's important to learn how to distinguish the inedible and poisonous mushrooms from the edible ones. |
| Although, as the old joke says, |
| Všechny houby jsou nakonec jedlé, ovšem některé pouze jednou. |
| "All mushrooms are edible in the end, but some only once." |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question— |
| When is the best time to go into the forest to pick mushrooms? |
| Mushrooms thrive in heat and humidity, so the ideal time for collecting them is in the summer months, right after several days of rain. They grow in huge quantities, so you can gather some for yourself and your friends. |
| Well listeners, how was this lesson? Did you learn something new? |
| Do you also like to eat mushrooms? |
| Leave a comment telling us on CzechClass101.com, and I’ll see you in the next lesson! |
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