🍄I lived much of my youth in Sweden with a large family (Swedish is my first language) and while the winters are long, and dark, the summers are oh so glorious. I talk a lot about what I grow in my garden and in client's landscapes, but one of my most wonderful memories are the treasures that we foraged for in the wild, open woods of Sweden. Most of that abundance came in July and August. 🌲So I just thought it would be pretty cool to share a few fun and inspiring posts about some of those hunting expeditions. And I thought I'd start with the wild chanterelle mushroom. 🍄I've just recently seen several of my cousins back home in Sweden sharing images of their first Chanterelle mushroom hauls of the season. It's pretty funny because everyone is just SOO excited to share what they've collected. But when someone else asks about "where did you find them?", the response is often something like "it's a long held family secret location and I cannot possibly tell you or I'd have to...". This mushroom is mostly found in this golden yellow color, but I believe they can also be red and sometimes brown, although I have never seen those colors. Here's quite an assortment of mushrooms along with the chanterelle and also a small bit of wild strawberries, which I will do a post on in a week or two. Stay tuned. 🌲These treasures are usually hiding just under some pine needles or leaves, in the high grass, but often very close to the base of a large tree. The work of sorting and cleaning them is quite the project (better know your mushrooms and have a big table to work). This was some of the haul that we had just begun cleaning and sorting while at my family's old country home in Kristinehamn, Sweden a few years ago. Chanterelle is one of the most earthy, rich, and heavenly scented treats that I loved every summer. Often, my Uncle or Mormor would prepare them by sautéing them in butter and cream with white pepper and a touch of white wine... need I say more? Just slather that on a piece of bread with some herbs and savor the wild goodness. Or, in this case, one of my cousins served the sautéed mushrooms in delicate little pastry cups for a little al fresco dinner.
🍄Golly. I missed them so much already, but writing this is making me a little crazy. Unfortunately, they have always been obscenely expensive to buy here in the US, even as dried (which just is NOT the same). Last time I found some they were around $26 for one ounce... and weren't really at all like the fresh picked wild gems I miss. But I still had to buy some, just out of desperation. So it's been a few years since I've enjoyed the real thing, when I was last home in Sweden. I know even here in the Arizona high country we've got quite an assortment of fungus and mushrooms sprouting like crazy this year. ➡️ If anyone finds a patch of chanterelle - give me a shout! Thanks for following along with me. I hope you're just a teeny bit inspired to go foraging for some treasure! Peace & contentment, ~Miriam P.S. Needless to say: please do NOT eat any mushrooms you find unless you know exactly what they are. Just gotta say that.
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AuthorHey there. I'm Miriam ~ and I've been doing this my whole life. It's my passion. Categories
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