Sunday, November 7, 2010

Farming & Foraging


The last couple of weeks have been prime mushroom weather here on the Northcoast. The fever hit us shortly after a friend dropped by a bag full of freshly plucked chanterelles. At $13.45 a pound at the local Coop, we decided it was high time we get out there and learn for ourselves where to find these tasty forest nypmhs. Our first attempt a couple of weekends ago netted us nothing. Between cloudbursts we trekked up the hill a few miles, tromped through the forest and found fungi of many shapes sizes. Soaked, cold, and disappointed, we headed home chanterelle-less (or is that chanterelless?).

This past week however we decided to try closer to home on the local bike path we frequent. Within a few feet of the well-trodden trail, we uncovered our first patch! Tiny little baby fruits peeked out from under the forest duff. Here, there, practically everywhere. Mostly they are still very teeny so we are monitoring them regularly as if they were a new brood of chicks...in hopes that someone else isn't doing the same. It is inexplicably satisfying to farm and now forage for food locally, bring the bounty still damp with dirt into the kitchen and dream up an epicurean delight based on our harvested.

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