Little Māra went into the forest…

“Little Māra went into the forest, the green forest was her home.” I heard this from my grandmothers while going mushroom picking together in the beautiful forests of Latvia. Unforgettable memories. I lived in Garciems for the first six years of my life. During the Second World War, my family began the life of refugees. On October 4, 1944, we left Riga. Upon arriving in Germany, we lived in the barracks of the Fischbach camp. That’s where I started elementary school. The lessons were conducted in Latvian. In December 1949, my family had the opportunity to go to America, to earn a living as lumber workers. Later, we moved to Milwaukee.

Ēriks and Aina on mushroom picking

They wanted to arrest me and Aina. We went to the forest to pick mushrooms, and they wanted to arrest us. Apparently, we were trying to poison someone!
The police arrived. The English people who walk there saw us picking mushrooms and had reported us to the police.

When we bought that other house — the bungalow — it was near the forest. During the day, my friend’s dog and I would go for walks after work and pick mushrooms. Sometimes Erik and the children came along too. And then — ‘What are you doing? Picking mushrooms? They’re poisonous!’
I said, ‘If they were poisoned, I’d have been dead long ago

Fermenting for three generations in Canada (Aija Zichmane)

Aija Zichmane (née Bramane)’s parents began fermenting cabbage in Canada in the 1960s. When they grew older, the sauerkraut-making tradition — along with the large fermentation barrel — was taken over by Aija and her husband Klāvs. Every autumn, they organized sauerkraut-making gatherings, involving a wide circle of relatives and friends. Today, the tradition is carried on by the next generation, and Aija’s son-in-law, a Canadian named Brad, has been crowned the “Cabbage King”!

Liene pickles cucumbers

Liene is marinating cucumbers for the first time, which she says is a skill every Latvian should know. She partly follows her grandmother’s recipe, half vinegar and half water, and partly improvises.

Madara Riley – Mushroom Maddie

On Facebook, you can find Madara Riley, a Latvian living in the United Kingdom, who is very passionate about mushroom picking. She shares her stories, experiences, knowledge, and inspires others.

Certified mushroomer from Michigan (Larisa Mednis)

Larisa Mednis thinks that her interest in mushrooming comes from her Latvian roots. A number of years ago Larisa joined a mushrooming club in Michigan, USA, where she learned to forage and identify mushrooms from specialists in the field. Today Larisa holds a certificate in wild mushrooming from the State of Michigan, which allows her to legally sell mushrooms. As a vegetarian, Larisa uses mushrooms as a meat substitute in various favourite recipes.

Liene makes kotletes (rissoles)

Liene’s grandmother Biruta always makes the yummiest kotletes (rissoles). But in her childhood Liene didn’t realize that they contained onions…

Sauerkraut-making workshop in Melbourne

A sauerkraut making workshop was held in the Latvian House in Melbourne on 26 July 2025. The workshop was organized and led by Arturs Landsbergs, and proceeds were donated to the organization of 3×3 camp. Video filmed and edited by Agnese Krūze.