Sunday 23 August 2015

THEY'RE HERE.



I've been out in the woods since Tuesday, expecting to find a few of these babies, but they only began to appear yesterday.

A sure sign that mushrooms (Cèpes) are up is seeing loads of cars parked by the side of the woods. Others had obviously mis-calculated, like me, as I've been seeing cars all over the place for several days.

On Friday I was in my favourite supermarket when I overheard a conversation between an elderly, wise-looking, man and a youngish woman. I tried not to look as if I was earwigging as he explained all about moon phases, rainfall, and his stiff left knee, then eventually declared that Saturday/Sunday was when they would appear. HE WAS RIGHT. Here's some more...


I shall be out in the woods a lot in the next few days..... I have bottling to do (which has new been done!).


33 comments:

  1. I love your enthusiasm for all things that grow in nature. No work needed except for the picking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 6.50 am, and not yet light here, but I shall be out again in an hour or so.

      Delete
  2. Oh lovely! It's morels here; lovely things which only briefly appear in the spring. They're very shy.

    I could see lovely pots of mushroom and onion stew...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can never find Morels. They do grow here, but I've never really got to terms with them. Cepes and Girolles are my two usual targets.

      Delete
    2. We do have morels here, but the deer always find them first. Plus, they are camouflaged in the oak leaves in the woods and I can't smell them like the deer. It is funny about the timing, for they only grow for about a week around Easter.

      Delete
    3. That's much the same here. Quite early and elusive; I know where they grow, but finding them's another matter!

      Delete
  3. Mmm I can't even imagine how delicious fresh mushrooms would taste!

    ReplyDelete
  4. First the beautiful figs and now mushrooms on the prettiest dishes !
    Lucky.

    cheers, parsnip

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a love of dark green rustic dishes, etc.

      Delete
  5. Beware of men in orange hats!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And I won't be wearing my Deerskin coat either!

      Delete
  6. Mmmm....they do look tasty - and such a pretty plate too. Will these be sautéed in a little butter with garlic and a splash of white wine, or cooked with your secret ingredients ?
    The ones in the basket would make a lovely subject for a quick watercolour.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Olive oil, butter, garlic, and parsley, then made into an omelet. Can't beat it.

      Delete
  7. Your reply to Coppa's girl is exactly how I did our field mushrooms for lunch yesterday. The trouble with ordinary field mushrooms is that they have such a short life and need eating at the next meal from when they are picked. Other than frying them with bacon and having an omelette there seems no other way. I don't think they preserve like the ones in your photograph.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cepes are quite 'meaty', and bottle very well. I've never heard of anyone bottling field mushrooms, but I believe they make a very good sauce.

      Delete
  8. The knife is very important for scale for me today. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's what it's there for... glad to be of service.

      Delete
  9. It is amazing how much information you can get in the supermarket.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The man in the supermarket certainly knows his onions about cepes !!!!! Are there truffles in your woods ? XXXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He certainly did, he was spot-on. One of my neighbours planted some 'Truffled Oaks' but I don't think he's ever had any truffles from them. In fact I'm not sure if he even remembers where they are.

      Delete
  11. Argh! Once again I am filled with envy.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ooh, they do look good.
    Spotted a cluster of giant puffballs last year and took one home. It wasn't easy cycling the remaining 8 miles home one-handed with a mushroom bigger than a football tucked under my arm, but it sure as hell was worth it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We found a huge circle of giant puffballs this year, but I'm rather ashamed to say that we didn't eat any.

      Delete
  13. You know, I can't stand mushrooms but your photos are so lovely and you're so darned enthusiastic that I'm almost swung over.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Congratulations to you on both your excellent eavesdropping and also your excellent mushroom gathering. Your mushrooming knife is also worthy of a compliment.

    May I ask yet another question...did you learn the art of mushroom gathering in France, or in an earlier part of your life. One of my UK friends knows about such matters from following her European grandfather's foraging.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was always a mushroom forager, then when I moved to France I discovered that my village was renowned for its mushrooms... I couldn't have been happier.

      Delete
  15. I am no mushroom gatherer, but I've found and eaten exactly two morels and one puffball on our property (after checking with a mushroom-knowledgeable friend.) SO GOOD!!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...