For most of my life, I never cared for mushrooms. The texture, the taste – not for me. Last August, that all changed. My transformation began with an unexpected hunt for chanterelles in Duluth, Minn. It developed further when a farmer in Frazee, Minn., shared some of his freshly harvested shiitake mushrooms with me.
A recent weekend at Fall Mushroom Camp at the White Earth Indian Reservation clinched it. Done deal. I’ve become a lover of fresh mushrooms. Stuffed, stir-fried, paired with pasta or simmered in soup, I eat them.
At Mushroom Camp, I thought it best to try to learn to identify just two or three edible wild mushrooms. I focused on shaggy manes, lobster mushrooms and honey mushrooms. Now, after spending time under the tutelage of experienced mushroom foragers, I feel confident I can safely harvest and eat these three mushrooms.
I find it thrilling to forage for them – it’s a wonderful way to enjoy a fall day of sunshine and crisp air. And Hungarian Mushroom Soup, full of creamy fungi, dill weed and paprika, is a marvelous way to enjoy them.
Sue Doeden’s recipes can be found at http://sdoeden.areavoices.com/. One for the Table is an online magazine at oneforthetable.com. © 2012, One for the Table. Distributed by Tribune Media Services Inc.
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The Cookery becomes transformative venture in West Durham
