Ep. 221: Fungi, Citrus, and Berries OH MY! with Olga Tzogas

Find out all about Olga and her Greece trips at Smugtown Mushrooms

AC and Isaac welcome returning guest Olga Tzogas of Smugtown Mushrooms, calling in from California where she’s teaching frequent classes, connecting with mushroom and herbal communities, and harvesting no-spray citrus for an east-coast fruit share. They discuss shifts in mushroom education interest, regional and international mushroom diversity tied to trees and rainfall, and favorite Greece finds like shaggy parasols and almond-scented wild Agaricus, plus simple grilling methods with olive oil, oregano, and lemon. Olga explains truffles—trees they associate with, how quickly they can be found with trained dogs, why prices are high, preservation challenges, and ways to use them. Olga shares details on her Greece trips in May and October (including truffle hunting, medicine making, hydrosols, dyes, and food), early bird timing, and mentions the upcoming New Moon Mycology Summit in September.

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:33 Guest Intro and Teasers

01:50 Greece Trip Announcement

03:33 Olga in California

06:55 Teaching on the Road

08:27 Mushroom Trend Talk

10:09 Foraging Origins and Fungi Magic

11:48 California Mushroom Season

14:00 Mushrooms Around the World

18:49 Greece Mushroom Favorites

22:23 Citrus Share and Bitters

25:51 Peels Oxymels and Aronia

31:04 Sea Buckthorn and Ojas

36:16 Thorns Hawthorn and Cornelian Cherry

37:52 Wild Fruit and Wood

38:47 Truffles and Host Trees

39:46 Cultivating Truffles Fast

41:30 Training Truffle Dogs

43:24 Truffle Prices and Shelf Life

44:43 Preserving Truffle Aroma

47:09 Cooking With Truffles

50:13 Greece Foraging Trips

56:28 Trip Dates and Lodging

01:00:15 Workshops and Slow Travel

01:07:20 Why Greece Feels Free

01:12:28 New Moon Summit Update

01:16:35 Early Bird and Giving Back

01:18:39 Final Thanks and Farewell