Grandma's Special Cupboard: Healing Mushrooms for Health and Wellness

A woven basket filled with freshly picked mushrooms sits on the grass, showcasing an abundant harvest from a foraging adventure.

As I reach for my morning blend of mushroom coffee mix, I am struck with a flood of memories. Memories of speckled, hardworking hands reaching into another cupboard. “Today we make the mushroom soup,” my Stara Babka (grandmother) says, reaching for a brown paper bag full of dried mushrooms sent to her from the old country.

“Grandma, how do we make it?”

“Watch me,” she says.

Grandma immigrated to this country before immigration was such a hot-button topic. After a long ocean journey and an even longer train ride, she arrived in Staten Island, New York, in the early 1900s with three children in tow.  There she was processed, given instructions and her surname was simplified to something more American. She and her children were granted approval to travel further by train.  1,200 miles later she arrived to meet her husband and start her new life.  She brought with her not only the children but also a rich heritage of knowledge including plants, herbs, and foods passed down from her Stara Babka. This knowledge, long before the Internet of Things, held a variety of plants and foods used to heal, soothe the body from illnesses and to keep her family strong. Included in this wisdom was mushroom soup made from mushrooms foraged in the local woods.

Today, thanks to the Internet of Things, we can all access this natural healing knowledge in some form. The mushrooms that make up this simple soup are a powerful source of amino acids and antioxidants which may help slow cellular damage. Certain types of mushrooms like Shiitake, Oyster, and Maitake, have higher amounts of these amino acids and antioxidants.  In addition to being a good source of Vitamin D, higher levels of these nutrients have the potential to promote brain health, lower cholesterol and help support a healthy immune system. Shiitake is an especially good source of vitamin B6 which plays a role in neurotransmitters, mood and brain health. Reishi and Lion’s Mane contain compounds that research shows have the potential to stimulate brain cells, protect against dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and help speed recovery from nervous system injuries.  In addition, the high levels of antioxidants make these mushrooms powerful anti-inflammatories.  Wrapping up the health benefits diversion, let’s get back to what started this inspired morning.

Today, I have my mushroom coffee blend and will make the mushroom soup from mushrooms foraged in my woods. I use no recipe because that six-year-old child sat on a tall stool in my grandmother’s kitchen carefully watching and absorbing every detail.

Mushroom soup—simple:

• Four cups of dried mushrooms reconstituted in warm bone broth.

• Strain the mushrooms into a soup pan, saving the broth.

• Sauté the mushrooms in two tablespoons of butter along with about half of a finely sliced medium onion.

• Add two tablespoons of flour and sauté until soft.

• Pour in the reserved broth and additional broth to make four cups of liquid.

• Grandma added a couple of spoonfuls of sauerkraut (fermented probiotics) and simmered it on the stove for two hours, salting and peppering to taste along the way.

• Savor the strong, earthy flavor and scents, knowing that all you eat is good for your mind and body.

Today, I share the blessings of my special cupboard.  Thank you for joining me and may nature always nourish your body and soul.

Katerina