Mushroom Hunting

The Last Call 

 Mushroom hunting season is drawing to a close.. Here a few late edible bloomers we spotted while walking around the woods. Remember always do your own research before deciding to feast on wild fungus delights. Don't use this site for making your final decision,  I'm a beginner too.
 

Lion's Mane

Look for on dead or dying hardwoods, especially the Beech Tree.

Shaggy Mane

Look for them in short grass.  If you see them collect them quick, they go by very quickly!                                                                  



Puff balls are spotted!

Puff Ball

Make sure when you cut them they are all white inside.


What have you found during your walks in the woods?

                                 October                                                               

O Husband October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O Husband October morning mild,
begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.

Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes' sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost-
 For the grapes' sake along the wall.
-Robert Frost.

Here's to the Fall!

Chicken of the Woods!

The Elusive Mushroom

      My husband and I went mushroom hunting one beautiful summer evening a couple of weeks ago.  Mostly we were after oyster mushrooms because we are not seasoned mushroom hunters at all and they are easy to spot.  We did find some but then we spotted beautiful orange-yellow mushrooms growing on a dead cherry tree!  We stopped to get a better look. The mushrooms had a very nice mushroomy smell and a firm but spongy feel.  We picked some and stopped at his brother's house to investigate further in his mushroom book.

      Sure enough these are a hard to find, edible, choice mushroom!  What a find!  We harvested them for about a week but then a big storm came along and smashed tree, ruining what was left of the mushrooms.  It was nice while it lasted...

 

If you would like to hunt for the Chicken Mushroom make sure to do your research.  There is a lot of information online, YouTube I think is the most helpful.  One thing we learned that it's just as important to know your trees as it is to know your mushrooms. (Chicken Mushrooms love cherry trees,  do not eat if found on coniferous trees.)

             To prepare these mushrooms we cut them into slices, sauteed in butter and then simmered in chicken broth.  They have a dense, buttery texture- absolutely amazing!  Also, another great thing is that they freeze well.  When we want to use some of the frozen mushrooms we just put them frozen into a little chicken broth and simmer until they are warmed through.

Shrimp Alfredo with Chicken Mushrooms

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

Bridport

The Photo Booth

Ripton. by J.A.

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

The Photo Booth-

Bethel Mountain, Early Morning. by C.A.

If you have a picture of somewhere in Vermont, email it to me and I'll post it!

A Bee Swarm in Ripton!

At first, I was just going to add these pictures to The Photo Booth page.  Then when I was reading a little bit why honey bees swarm, I thought it was so amazing!

by C.A.

by C.A.

This is something that mostly happens in the spring time.  The cause can be anything in the hive, from disease and lack of food to over population. The swarm is formed when a queen bee leaves the nest, taking with her the majority  of the worker bees.

The swarm will land for a few minutes up to a few hours, swarming around the queen bee. Meanwhile, scouts are sent out looking for a new potential home.

For someone like me that is allergic to bees, the good news is that it's not much of a threat!  They gorge on honey before leaving their hive, which makes it difficulty for the bee to sting.

Know anything else interesting about this phenomena? 

Jack in the Pulpit. Ariaema Triphyllum 

Jack in the Pulpit is my favorite Vermont wild flower.  The first time I saw it I thought I must have found something really rare.  Come to find out, it's very common here in the Eastern United States.  Now that I know where to look I see them everywhere!  They grow in the shade, are found in the woods and floodplains and love rich, moist soil.  

I think to truly enjoy these flowers you need to take the time to get down and lift up their "hoods."  You'll see the amazing stripes and the spadix, or spike.  If you look really close, down at the base of the spadix, you'll see tiny flowers or berry like things.

I transferred one flower from the woods to my shade flower bed.  That was about 4 years ago and now I have about 6 growing.  In a flower bed they grow much bigger then they  do in wild.  Just beware while handing, they can be a skin irritant.

Parts of the Jack in the pulpit are edible after being cooked.  I've never done this, but there are directions on the Internet if any of you want to try.  Let me know if you do!

Wild Asparagus hunting!

This is not a "foraging for wild food" blog, but it's part of the fun during spring in Vermont.  I've never gone wild asparagus hunting (or even seen wild asparagus) but it's been all around me!  Our friend took us around to some of the "hot spots" her Dad took her to as a kid.  Thank you Alenna!

Sometimes the asparagus was hard to spot, so we looked for last years dead growth.  I think later this week will be best hunting time, when they get just a little taller.

 Roast the asparagus with salt, pepper and olive oil for about 15-20 minuets.  Sprinkle with goat cheese and enjoy!

Leeks! and a short, spring walk in our backyard.

Leeks are found in damp, sandy woodlands.  They especially like hillsides.

Warning: Don't eat a raw leek and try to kiss your wife.