This is such a great post. I love porcinis, but have only ever found one solitary one, last year. It would probably be my favorite, too, if I could at least find a second one. I probably need to work up a song. Or find some better porcini hunting grounds.
I really like your suggestion of not eating anything for the first foraging season. The offering's a great, idea, too, having some reverence for this place that's offering so much to you. Wonderful post!
I should probably stop double-pluralizing the porcini, at least. Can't be helping.
Ugh, commercial pickers. I spotted some very old and crusty looking chanterelles at the supermarket here last week that were 50 bucks a pound. I sent a pic to my foraging partner, as they were ones we'd probably have just left in place.
Our local restaurants aren't supposed to take any foraged mushrooms, cultivated only, but many of them do it. That's actually how I found out about maitake. There was a guy in our back yard when we just moved in, and I said hi, can I help you? And he was carrying a maitake from a massive oak stump out back, and he said, oh, I forage here every year and sell them to restaurants. I always say it was golden oysters first, but that was technically the first thing I started foraging, after I took over from him. What got you started?
In that spirit, I should probably be singularizing the porcini to porcino occasionally, but I can't bring myself to.
That's really interesting about the local restaurants not being supposed to take any foraged mushrooms. We have laws here that foraging isn't meant to be for commercial use unless it's on private land with the landowners permission, but SO much land is private. It used to be mainly one restaurant that the commercial pickers were filling their crates for, but foraged food is so trendy now I imagine it is many many more.
You're so lucky to have a maitake fruiting stump in your garden! I've only found Hen of the woods (as we call it here, though I prefer the name Maitake) a couple of times, but it's always been a bit too maggoty by the time I've found it.
When I was little my dad used to take me mushroom foraging, but I don't feel like I properly caught the bug until my mum showed me how to find porcini in my 20s. Do you forage flora as well as fungi Rob?
Yeah, saying porcino is like pronouncing Bach correctly. I could do it, but... no.
I'd like to learn more about foraging flora. I do forage ramps in the spring, which are a favorite. I collected nettles once, but I think I over-blanched them and they came out mushy. I'm definitely walking past all sorts of things that I've seen on local menus (dandelions, plantains). I have a lot to learn!
Yes, thank you! Writing with that pen almost always makes me neat, <3 a papermate fibretip flair.
I nearly, nearly recorded the mushroom songs, but I worried that people might not realise that I know I sound worse than a bag of cats being swung around. I kind of wish there was a job coming up with jingles for non-branded stuff, because I have a great song for pineapple upside down cake too.
Great piece, Sarah—helps make mushrooms less intimidating. They help us become immersed in the outdoors, the trees and seasons
I love the idea of bringing an offering and thanks for the Shroomify app suggestion. There are times I use ID apps an embarrassing amount, so an app that asks questions and facilitates learning is great.
I wish there were more apps like that too, or websites. The RSPB used to have a great bit of their website where if you saw a bird you couldn't identify you could select size, colour, habitat, and beak shape, and they would give you a list of options, but alas they got rid of it. It was such a helpful tool.
This is such a great post. I love porcinis, but have only ever found one solitary one, last year. It would probably be my favorite, too, if I could at least find a second one. I probably need to work up a song. Or find some better porcini hunting grounds.
I really like your suggestion of not eating anything for the first foraging season. The offering's a great, idea, too, having some reverence for this place that's offering so much to you. Wonderful post!
Thank you so much Rob. You definitely need to work on a song, the mycellium appreciate a bit of opera I reckon.
I feel very lucky to live in such a porcini rich area, but you do have to get up real early to beat the commercial pickers here.
I should probably stop double-pluralizing the porcini, at least. Can't be helping.
Ugh, commercial pickers. I spotted some very old and crusty looking chanterelles at the supermarket here last week that were 50 bucks a pound. I sent a pic to my foraging partner, as they were ones we'd probably have just left in place.
Our local restaurants aren't supposed to take any foraged mushrooms, cultivated only, but many of them do it. That's actually how I found out about maitake. There was a guy in our back yard when we just moved in, and I said hi, can I help you? And he was carrying a maitake from a massive oak stump out back, and he said, oh, I forage here every year and sell them to restaurants. I always say it was golden oysters first, but that was technically the first thing I started foraging, after I took over from him. What got you started?
In that spirit, I should probably be singularizing the porcini to porcino occasionally, but I can't bring myself to.
That's really interesting about the local restaurants not being supposed to take any foraged mushrooms. We have laws here that foraging isn't meant to be for commercial use unless it's on private land with the landowners permission, but SO much land is private. It used to be mainly one restaurant that the commercial pickers were filling their crates for, but foraged food is so trendy now I imagine it is many many more.
You're so lucky to have a maitake fruiting stump in your garden! I've only found Hen of the woods (as we call it here, though I prefer the name Maitake) a couple of times, but it's always been a bit too maggoty by the time I've found it.
When I was little my dad used to take me mushroom foraging, but I don't feel like I properly caught the bug until my mum showed me how to find porcini in my 20s. Do you forage flora as well as fungi Rob?
Yeah, saying porcino is like pronouncing Bach correctly. I could do it, but... no.
I'd like to learn more about foraging flora. I do forage ramps in the spring, which are a favorite. I collected nettles once, but I think I over-blanched them and they came out mushy. I'm definitely walking past all sorts of things that I've seen on local menus (dandelions, plantains). I have a lot to learn!
Wonderful. Is that your notebook ? So tidy. And the chanterelle song 🎧.
Yes, thank you! Writing with that pen almost always makes me neat, <3 a papermate fibretip flair.
I nearly, nearly recorded the mushroom songs, but I worried that people might not realise that I know I sound worse than a bag of cats being swung around. I kind of wish there was a job coming up with jingles for non-branded stuff, because I have a great song for pineapple upside down cake too.
Great piece, Sarah—helps make mushrooms less intimidating. They help us become immersed in the outdoors, the trees and seasons
I love the idea of bringing an offering and thanks for the Shroomify app suggestion. There are times I use ID apps an embarrassing amount, so an app that asks questions and facilitates learning is great.
Thank you James.
I wish there were more apps like that too, or websites. The RSPB used to have a great bit of their website where if you saw a bird you couldn't identify you could select size, colour, habitat, and beak shape, and they would give you a list of options, but alas they got rid of it. It was such a helpful tool.