So this fall (September to be exact)was a good year for wild mushrooms. I gathered, and was given several tens of pounds of both "Chicken of the woods" (Sulpher Shelf) and "Hen of the woods" (maitake). The chicken mushrooms have all been eaten....and I have about 2 lbs of the Maitake left in the freezer. Wild mushrooms (at least these ones) have an amazing aroma and vitality that just can't be matched by their domestic cousins.....worth a try most definitely.
Last year at this time I was also gathering and processing white oak acorns to make into acorn meal, a most amazing nutty treat....unfortunately this year doesn't seem to be working out for me in this area, as I think tropical storm Irene blew them all away.
As the year winds down into winter, and fall limps along with a lack of its usual flaming glory, I am pondering ways to gather fresh foods to see me thru the winter; walleye and fall trout, periwinkles and mussels, Jerusalem artichoke tubers, wild oyster (oh already had those), parched corn meal, actually I'll take anything that I can get before its all gone under a blanket of that cursed white stuff.....
