The Museum of Natural History of Meteora, Thessaly, which features an extensive section on the life cycle of mushrooms, has been awarded nine new awards in the past two months.

In a recent announcement, the first three awards were from Greek Tourism Awards: two golds in the “Museums” category and one for “Rural Tourism,” citing the unique truffle hunting activity hosted by the Museum. The products of the Museum also won the bronze award in the category of “Local Products.”

The additional six awards came from this year’s prestigious Mediterranean Taste Awards (MTA) in London. The mushroom collection of the Meteora museum, which constitutes a museum in its own right, scooped one platinum, three golds and two silvers for its range of mushroom-based products, including Balsamic Vinegar with White Truffle, and EVOO with Black Truffle.

Referring to these awards, the director of the Museum, Mr Nikos Pallas, said: “These awards are a justification of the efforts of all the people and collaborators of the Museum, while at the same time we give strength to continue for even better services.”

The purpose-built Mushroom Museum consists of a wealth of information on the many different varieties of mushrooms growing in Greece and the surrounding region. Visitors can explore each ecosystem – beech, pine, fir, oak, meadow, etc. – to learn about the various species of mushrooms, humankind’s relationship with them throughout history (myths and traditions), as well as their nutritional and therapeutic value.

Mushroom hunting in Greece has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially as more and more people come to appreciate their gastronomic and financial value. This is especially true in the northern regions of Macedonia, Epirus and Thessaly, blessed with and incredible range of microclimates.

Check out our juicy recipe for oven-roasted mushrooms with prawns here.