The beginning of summer means different things for different people. For some, it means shedding off thick sweaters and bringing out the tank tops. For others, it means delicious watermelon, ice cream, fizzy drink, beer, or crawfish... But for Yunnan people, the beginning of summer means reuniting with their beloved wild mushrooms, and all of this will start with a safety tips message from the Provincial Governmental Office of Food Safety.

The rainy season is also the season of wild mushrooms for Yunnan people, and the message from OFS means the beginning of summer. In the southwest corner of China, where the green mountains will give birth to the savory miracle - wild mushrooms, every year in late June. But among these provinces, the wild mushrooms fuel the mania in Yunnan the most. Yunnan sits in the southwest corner of China and is marked by its mountainous terrain. Every year in late June, Yunnan hits its rainy season. Heavy rainfalls over green mountains give birth to a savory miracle, which is the wild mushrooms. In order to obtain these treats, mushroom pickers get up at dawn to scavenge the mountains. Freshness is key, and mushrooms picked in the morning are brought down the mountains and into the markets by early afternoon. 

For the delicious wild mushrooms, the “wild” part isn’t there for nothing. Most of these mushrooms are naturally poisonous. If handled incorrectly, they can cause more than just stomachaches. Mushroom poisoning can lead to anything from hallucinations to life-threatening hospital runs. Many people say they hallucinate about seeing little people dancing in front of them. Some also see themselves walking on a rainbow. More than 600 cases of poisoning occurred, and more than 2000 people became sick after eating poisonous mushrooms in Yunnan last year, including more than 20 deaths, according to a report released by Yunnan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s said that almost every Yunnan local has gotten mushroom poisoning at least once in their lifetime. So, when you eat this dangerous yet worthy dish, please be careful about food poisoning. Otherwise, the consequences will be severe.

Seeking delicious wild mushrooms in Yunnan, one cannot miss is the Mushuihua Market, which opened in 2005. It has the most complete varieties and the best quality wild mushrooms all the year round. In 2022, the trading center listed 258 types of wild mushrooms are selling and more than 44,500 tons of mushrooms were gathered and sold across the province. All the mushrooms support SF Express delivery here, so it is convenient to buy across the whole country.

Photo Resource: Unsplash

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