Julia and I headed south to get a gauge on Minnesota’s spring mushrooms some time in May. Here’s what we found. And here we are, November 1.
6 comments | Foraging, fungus, Minnesota, Mushrooms, Photography, Wild Mushrooms
In the early season, when trips to the farmers market yield just a few bits of local produce, the pressure’s on. As a cook, you’ve got only one or two chances to enjoy the fruits of the land before it’s back to the winter slog of canned whatever, dairy, starch and meat. So you’d better […]
No comments | Cream, Local, Local Food, Mushrooms, Pasta, Pea Shoots, Prosciutto
It may be only April, but it’s already time to pull on your mushroom hunting fashion boots. You’ll fend off ticks and look good while slinking through the woods. Tom found this pair of morels nestled in the grass. Excited at an early find, he didn’t even wait for me to take their picture before […]
6 comments | fungus, hiking, Minnesota, Morel Hunting, Morels, mushroom hunting, Mushrooms, Wild Mushrooms, woods
Tom and I spent Memorial Day visiting Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield (a first ring suburb of Minneapolis). The weather had been off-and-on all weekend and when it began to clear up on Monday we headed out, not wanting to wait too long… considering the sky might turn on us again. When we arrived our […]
1 comment | birding, hiking, Local, Mushrooms, Nature Center, Richfield Minnesota, trail running, turtles, wildflowers, Wood Lake Nature Center
Hoping to catch the earliest of the season’s morels, Tom and I headed south last weekend in search of the Minnesota State Mushroom. As with any mushroom trip, the central goal – the one that we try to convince ourselves of over and over, as we continue to tote an empty basket – was to have […]
2 comments | fungi, fungus, Local, Minnesota, Mushrooms, Spring, Wild Mushrooms
Tom and I visited New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut (four states!) over Easter and shared some great walks with my brother and sister near each of their new homes. In terms of fungal activity, it’s a little early for morels and off-season for the many summer and fall varieties, but I still kept an […]
2 comments | Connecticut, family, Mushrooms, New York, Spring, Wild Mushrooms, witch's butter
“OH MY GOD, A MOREL!” I cried, after having given up the search and nearly abandoning the woods. Tom, a more seasoned mushroomer, hissed for me to, “Keep it down.” While it’s likely obvious, I have only been out looking for mushrooms, or mushrooming, once before (twice if you count our hike in Muir Woods outside San […]
2 comments | Foraging, Minnesota, Morel Hunting, Morels, Mushrooming, Mushrooms
“They just don’t make cocks like they used to.” So laments just about every modern recipe for coq au vin, the venerable French braise of rooster in wine. The story goes that the dish was developed as a way to use the meat of tough old roosters past their prime; only a long braise could […]
1 comment | Braise, Chicken, Coq, Foul, French, Game, Mushrooms, Pearl Onions, Pheasant, Poultry, Provincial, Wine
Martha and I celebrated our anniversary at Restaurant Alma last month. Alma is well-liked in Minneapolis and I’m not going to add my voice to the chorus by writing a review; suffice it to say that its reputation is deserved. Instead, I’ll just document our meal for your vicarious pleasure. Course One: Parmesan Flan and Bison […]
No comments | Beets, Bison, Black Beans, Cheese, Flan, Fritters, Gouda, Horseradish, Local, Mushrooms, olives, Parmesan, Ravioli, Sauce, Seasonal, Tartare, Trout, Wisconsin
Since I make pizza regularly, I am always trying to come up with new ideas for toppings to keep things interesting. I also have been trying to buy food that is local and in season. Those two concepts intersected recently to result in: the beetza. Beets are not, strictly speaking, in season since everything here […]
No comments | Basil, Beets, Brie, Capers, Feta, Food, Local, Marinara, Mushrooms, Pizza, Pizza Stone, Rosemary, Seasonal, Technique