Mycoscope
May 2026 – The Defrost | | 20 Years Already – Thank You to Our Many Friends | You showed up in great numbers!
We are delighted by the success of our anniversary event and sincerely thank you for being there. We hope you enjoyed our specialties: porcini popcorn, truffle chips, risotto, black trumpet mushroom tart (see recipe), candy cap profiteroles, and Myco beer, brewed by Les 3 Brasseurs. Our friend and collaborator Catherine Prévost performed on the accordion, featuring her song Cèpe Extra. | | To mark this memorable occasion | 20th Anniversary Special Edition The cap: Featuring a clean embroidered design, both distinctive and practical for hiking. The poster: Created by Myriam Turcotte, depicting our journey since 2006. And the adventure continues! | | In Honor of Mother’s Day: Jewelry | For the mother who loves the forest: these wooden earrings celebrate morels, chanterelles, and fly agarics. Hand-painted, they are absolutely charming. | Here, wood gives way to silver. Creations by Montreal jeweler Bilak: earrings, pendants, and bracelets inspired by mushrooms. | Also available: enamel pins featuring around a dozen species, including what are sure to be her favourite mushrooms. | | Our wine-cap grow kit is perfect for a green-thumbed mom. She can easily plant the mycelium directly in the garden. With the addition of moist chopped straw, the mushrooms will grow alongside the other plants in the vegetable patch. Wine-cap mushrooms are delicious grilled. | | In mid-May, Mycoboutique is immersed in comics | On May 15, 16 and 17, 2026, Saint-Denis Street will host the 15th edition of the Montreal Comic Arts Festival (FBDM). For the occasion, the street will be closed to vehicle traffic, allowing you to stroll freely and meet more than 350 artists. The Mycoboutique team is extending its opening hours for the event: We’ll also be offering you a taste of our umami salt popcorn! | | Not to be missed: On Saturday, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., come and enjoy the talent of the next generation. Animation students from Cégep de Maisonneuve will sketch your “mushroom head.” The day after the festival, on Monday, May 18, the shop will be closed for Victoria Day (National Patriots' Day). | Discovering Local Wild Mushrooms | Join us where the joy of discovery meets the pleasure of hiking in the forest. | | Practical and Safe Accessories | Tong Sui (literally “sweet water”) is a silky soup made with snow fungus, served hot or cold. Traditionally prepared with Asian dates and goji berries, we’ve reimagined this recipe using local ingredients: apple, blueberry, and cranberry. The result? A light, refreshing, and surprising dessert! | | Journeys into the Mycosphere | A startling discovery In the late 1990s, in the ruins of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, researchers found an abundance of unexpected fungi. Through a mysterious process of radiosynthesis reminiscent of plant photosynthesis, a mould, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, was found to thrive in highly radioactive environments. | | The melanin in the cell walls of these fungi is thought to play a crucial role in producing energy that supports their growth. Thirty years later, this discovery could lead to practical applications: for example, growing the mould on filters to protect space travellers from radiation. | Mushrooms and mental health Increasingly, psychedelic mushrooms and other psychoactive compounds are being used in the treatment of mental health conditions that are resistant to conventional medication, including addictions, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders. Among these substances, psilocybin mushrooms are particularly used in efforts to treat severe depression. In April 2026, the U.S. federal government launched an initiative to encourage research in this field. | | A decree, Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness, aims to facilitate access to substances once their effectiveness has been demonstrated. This initiative is part of a broader trend that is generating considerable hope in psychiatry. Several U.S. states and Canada have already authorized such treatments in recent years, but their use is restricted to accredited clinics. Commercial sale and recreational use remain illegal, and this decree does not change that.
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