RealjohnnTop Russian space scientist dies of mushroom poisoning
As someone from East EU, this is actually plausibly accidental, though the timeline is suspicious.
Mushroom foraging is cultural, you can buy foraged mushrooms in farmers markets and in general it is a fairly popular leisure activity to go foraging in the woods.
I hardly know anyone over 50 who isn’t excited for the mushroom season, sometimes people do end up picking up a death cap as it can be mistaken for a couple different edible ones at its various stages of growth, though you have to be fairly inattentive to do so. That said we treat a couple of poisonings a year in our toxicoligy ward.
Some friends of mine were hosting an East EU exchange student and were excited to take her “mushroom hunting” as we are in a place where chanterelles can be found if you look hard. She couldn’t get over the phrasing, every time someone said it she would cackle and go “mushroom hunting!! BANG BANG!!!” while making finger guns.
At leadt in my language, hunting is not generally used in other contexts, so I can see why someone wouldfind it funny, maybe.
Also, chanterelles are an absolute staple, probably the most common one. Others are russula and boletes (this one being the favourite for people generally). Some others commonly picket are milkcaps and parasols (personally their resemblance to deathcaps makes me uneasy).
Deathcaps could be confused for Rusulas, some milkcaps and parasols.
That’s neat, chanterelles are a real treat to find here (northern California). If someone finds a good spot for them, they keep it a secret. If someone has a big haul of chanterelles it’s borderline rude to ask where they found them. She probably didn’t have the heart to tell us our special mushroom was her common one.
We only have one edible species of Russula, it is parasitized with a fungus that turns it orange- together it’s called Lobster Mushroom. Boletes are probably the most common here. Morels are the really rare and special ones.