There must be a Mushrooms Anonymous for those of us addicted to hunting and gathering wild mushrooms. It has to be some type of mania or psychosis to keep going out risking poison oak outbreaks, falls, wild animals and the occasional irate cannabis farmer.
I took my daughter Beverly on this latest foray. She was visiting from San Diego and I thought it might be entertaining. We went to a spot that I harvested with my wife Christine about two weeks ago. It is the most unlikely location near the side of a country road. Last time we managed a few pounds of well hidden mushroom.
Late Season Mushroom Foray
The spot proved to be a good provider as we found about 2 pounds of well concealed mushrooms. They are pretty mature at this point but still fresh with a crisp texture. I think this may be the last of the season for me as the poison oak is in full foliage and has lush, resin rich leaves.I am highly susceptible to the affect of poison oak and am a little jaded about the cost-benefit of finding chanterelles at the risk of a major outbreak.
Poison Oak
We did get enough chanterelles for a dinner I am cooking tonight for a friend's birthday celebration. Dinner is at the Carr Winery in Santa Barbara. The Carr Winery produce terrific wines and have a tasting room in the city of Santa Barbara. I am featuring some of the classic menu items from my shuttered restaurant, Michael's Waterside. The abalone in particular has been a signature dish since 1981. It features farmed abalone from The Cultured Abalone farm in Goleta, California. Sly's Restaurant in Carpinteria will be featuring a similar menu for the next six weeks. I will pop in occasionally to visit with the diners. Be sure and visit Sly's to enjoy some of these classics.
