Saturday, 2 November 2013

A Tale of Trompette Gathering.

                     
                             

This picture is from a couple of years back, but I'm using it again simply to illustrate this story.....

Mushrooms, mushroom-hunting, and mushroom-selling are a big part of local life here. If one called it an obsession, it would easily merit the name.

Many years ago, at exactly this time of year, a friend asked if there were any 'trompettes', (Trompettes des Mort, above) near my home; I replied yes. She said she would love to pop-over and pick a few.

I took her to my best spot, and we started picking. I topped-up her baskets with my own gatherings, and noticed that she was beginning to have a VERY large haul.

We continued to pick until I just had to ask if she hadn't got enough. She replied that she wanted as many as she could find.

'What on earth are you going to do with them all?' I asked.

'Sell them!' she replied.

'WHAT; I'm here picking MY OWN mushrooms, so that YOU can go and sell them', I said in amazement.

She didn't reply, and we returned home (in silence) with about 8 kilos of mushrooms, which I presume she then went on to sell for a king's ransom (which I would normally have done myself).

Whenever 'trompette' season comes around, I always think of her, and this story. Not earth shattering, I know, but a cautionary tale car mème. She was never invited again.

N.B. Nowadays, dried Trompettes sell for £25 per 100 gms on Amazon.


18 comments:

Frances said...

What a bloody cheek! Is she still a friend? Have a good weekend…..hope your weather is better than ours! ( Hertfordshire)

Jean said...

Some people have no shame - what a cheek!
It's also a shame she now knows where the best spot is to find them.

Carol said...

And didn't even offer to give you 50% of the sales

Cro Magnon said...

No she isn't; and no it isn't. We have fine drizzle today' just the sort of weather I HATE.

Sol said...

how rude! That would have driven me mental! I bought 1kg of dried chinese mushrooms in the thai food shop last week. I find adding some ground up dried mushroom (we call it secret dust), to casseroles or even plain rice gives it some va va voom

Sol said...

sorry I forgot to say I bought them to £16. if that helps with ideas of how much they cost in UK now

David Oliver said...

It's a good story and gives insight into the differences in people's character. It's a pity people like this do not have scumbag stamped on their forehead. We have to get burned before we recognize them.

Tom Stephenson said...

Sucker!

Anonymous said...

That was nervy. A 'friend' did you say?

Hippo said...

I am sure all that exercise, the walking, bending down, creaking back up again, did you good!

elaine said...

Doesn't 'mort' mean death - perhaps you should invite her round for a 'tasty' meal. Nudge, nudge, wink,wink.

Donna OShaughnessy said...

Tramp. Let me at her. No one puts Magnon in a corner with me around. Let me say it again. Tramp. Mushroom Tramp.

Sol said...

I nearly spat my tea out laughing at that comment Donna!

Molly said...

That was bad. Cheeky Madam

Judith said...

Some people are shameless. What a cheek! Some friend.

Cro Magnon said...

I need you HERE, Donna!

Knatolee said...

Trumpets of death?!! But I am jealous of your lovely mushrooms!

megan blogs said...

How galling! You should have demanded a finder's fee.

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