Oyster Mushrooms!
Vermont white gold.

 Finding: Our Vermont woods are perfect in the summer for finding oyster mushrooms!  Keep your eye out especially on fallen or decaying hardwood.

 Washing: "They" say not to use too much water, if any, when washing mushrooms.  I like to soak them for just a couple of minutes in salt water,  then spin dry in a salad spinner and let dry flat for 30 minutes.  When you find oysters mushrooms in the wild, often time they have bugs in them that will float to the top when submerged in the saltwater.   I still check each one out after the quick wash and pat dry.

 Cooking: We like to cook our mushrooms with just butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Some like to add white wine too.

Freezing:  I just spread the cooked leftover mushrooms out on a tray a freeze.  Then, I transfer to a freezer bag.

 Eating:

 Wild Oyster Mushroom Bruschetta

      This should only be made on fresh bread sliced and baked with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.   Once the bread is baked a little while with just oil and garlic, I layer sliced tomatoes, a mushroom and Oaxaca cheese (quesillo) and bake untill the cheese started to bubble.

Don't forget a glass of wine!

The Photo Booth

Baby snapping turtle in a coffee cup!  Salisbury by. A.C.

If you have taken a picture in Vermont and would like to post it, send it to me!

Include the name of the area you took it.

 A Simple Seasonal Cake.

I found a fool proof, simple cake recipe that can be combined with any seasonal fruits.   Have fun!

 Wild black berries and fresh peaches makes a great combination!

1 stick of unsalted butter

1cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla (or what ever kind of extract will complement you fruit choice.)*

2 eggs

1&1/2 flour

1&1/2 tsp. baking soda

A reasonable amount of fresh fruit*

 Preheat oven to 350 , spray cake pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour.

1.  In a mixer beat butter and sugar until fluffy. ( I let it go for a while I prepare the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.) Add vanilla and eggs one at a time.

2.  Add the flour and baking soda.

3.  Stir in fruit.

  

 

Bake for 50 or so minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Run a knife around the edge and let cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan to a cooling rack. Sprinkle with confection sugar.

 Enjoy with homemade whip cream!

* So here are some ideas for fruit combinations:

*Cherries with dark chocolate chunks.  Substitute vanilla for almond extract. Sprinkle shaved almonds on batter.

* Blueberries  and lemon zest.  Poke holes in the baked cake with tooth picks and drizzle a lemon glaze on the top. (2 cups of confectioners sugar, 3 tables spoons of buttermilk and a dash or two of fresh lemon juice.

* Strawberries and rhubarb.  Add orange zest and drizzle with orange glaze. (2 cups of confectioners sugar, 3 table spoons buttermilk and a dash or two of flesh orange juice.)

*Apples.  Add 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp cinnamon. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Do you have any ideas?

The Photo Booth

Bridport.

If you have a picture that you've taken in Vermont, email it to me and I'll post it!

Include the name of the area you took it.

The Photo Booth

Addison Field Days

If you have taken a picture in Vermont and would like to post, send it to me!

Include the name of the area you took it.

 Caution!

 The Trumpet Flower!

( Datura Stramonium/ Candida)

 A beautiful flower and a sad patient.  So what do these two pictures have in common with each other? I think a lot.

    I love Trumpet flowers!  They are evening bloomers but by the next afternoon their blooms wither and droop.  Some verities have a sweet, pungent smell that can fill the night air.  This is my third year with Trumpet Flowers and for the last two years I've kept them in pots on my patio right near my front door.  The fragrance is incredible and spirit lifting, the blooms breath taking.  Everyday as I walk by these plants into the house, I snap off the old blooms and toss them aside-bad idea!

     A few weeks ago I went to the emergency room with a dilated pupil, blurred vision and dizziness!  I was treated for a possible stoke or aneurysm.  It was really scary!  I spent the night in the hospital in the stoke unit, and underwent a MRI and CAT Scan.   I was poked, and prodded, it scared my husband and family to death (sorry everyone). Nothing was found wrong.  In the end I was released because my symptoms started to go away.  "Maybe we'll never know," the doctors said as they scheduled me for more tests.  The crazy thing about this is we are uninsured, so....

    Since I've left the hospital I've doing a lot of research which is when I stumbled across people that had the exact same experience as me.  It turned out to be poisoning from one of my favorite flowers! 

Blurred vision

Dilated pupils

Extreme thirst

Headache

Dizziness

Confusion

*Please note that if you ever have these symptoms, you need to go to the hospital right away.  The knowledge of the Trumpet plant can give you more information to give your doctors if you've been exposed to them.

      My Doctor told me he feels it is very unlikely my symptoms resulted from exposure to the Trumpet Flower. (At this point, I tend to disagree.)  I might not ever know what in the world happened. However,  I think you all out there should know about this anyway.  These can be very dangerous plants if not handled very carefully.  Please research this plant before you buy one, there is a lot of information on line.  

     In some areas it is illegal to buy or sell this plant, but not in Vermont.  You'll see them in many Vermont gardens.  I was told they are in the landscape at UVM and I've seen them downtown Middlebury.

Guatemala 2011.  I've always known that the type of Trumpet Flower in Central America was one to admire from afar.  For some reason I didn't connect this huge plant with my small potted plants right on my front porch.

     Trumpet Flowers contain a chemicals called alkaloids.  They are stimulants, from what I've read, and can effect the nervous system.  Alkaloids are found in the plant that is used to make cocaine (which might be why the doctors asked me if I had taken cocaine).  Anyway, kids die from the drugs they try and make from this plant every year.  It's serious stuff.

Please be careful and if you have any more information or even a correction,  please share.

 A country baby shower.

My friend Crystal just put on the cutest baby shower.  She had so many neat ideas for a outdoor,  Jack n' Jill, country baby shower.

 It's a girl, so pink was the color of the day!

find at etsy.com

 High ball jars with fun labels added such a nice touch.

 Vintage tables clothes and a gift wheel barrel added to the country feel.

Alyssa's cupcakes.

Tree swing fun!

Onesies hanging  on clothes line served as decoration but also for a fun activity.  All the guests could decorate one! (or two)

 Some examples:

My favorite.

Hola!

Estoy nuevo aqui!

 Recipe for refreshing Pink Raspberry punch! *

In a large jar mix:

1 cup of homemade raspberry syrup (adjust to taste)

1 quart white grape juice

2 liter lime seltzer water

2 liter seltzer water

1cup crushed mint

1cup fresh black or raspberries

2 bags of ice

*vodka/white rum would go very nicely in this much as well.
Renamed- Pink Raspberry Mojito

 The Photo Booth

Bridport

2146 Grove Street Brandon

Cattails Restaurant!

  Ok just one more Creemee entry.  I just wanted to squeeze this in before the summer's over! 

Cattails makes a very good creemee.  It should be on the top of the list if you decide to go on a Vermont Creemee Tour.  Creemees are just as "Vermont" as maple syrup or cheese, so they never should be over looked.

The perfect creaminess! Cherry, White Chocolate Twist.

...with rainbow sprinkles.

I'll have to write more about Cattails another day because there is more to say....but for now, I just what to say, it's one of our places to go out to eat! 

Great drink specials!  The drinks actually taste like there is alcohol in them and to me, that's one sign of good restaurant.  

To be continued....

 

 

 

A good Idea?...

Audra saw this at the PITT-STOP in Pittsfield