It’s been exceptionally wet this year in some parts of the United States. Here in the Northeast, terms like “biblical floods” and “once in a lifetime” have been used so often that it’s clear lifetimes go fast. We’re reminded of Garcia Marquez’ 100 Years of Solitude, where entire dwellings are taken over by the jungle moisture.
The crazy summer of earthquakes and floods has finally given way to Autumn, where weather changes and the leaves seem to be telling us that we should not become complacent because winter will be here soon, maybe even earlier and more fierce than we expect. But for now, we are using a few breaks in the rain to get some air, mold spores and all. Lucky us.
All the freak winds and rain have felled many trees over the last year or two… which has meant mushrooms! On a short walk today near our headquarters, we were lucky enough to spot pounds and pounds of oyster mushrooms growing on one of those downed trees. With their delicious woodsy smell — like a chocolate bar in the forest — they are truly a treat.
We harvested some (and left some) and headed home to pick some parsley still growing in our garden. After chopping some of our garlic harvested in July, we gently brushed the mushrooms clean, trimmed them up and sauteed slowly with the garlic in a bit of olive oil and the chopped parsley. What a great reminder that mushrooms can indeed have deep earthy flavor (unlike the ones harvested from sterile medium that taste, well, sterile) and a treat like this is available courtesy of Mother Nature.
Fall has fallen.