Stalking the wild asparagus

With so little snow this winter, and temps in the mid 50's this weekend, my mind is turning to spring and springtime activities. Yesterday, I started thinking about my 2011 garden and remembered R saying morels, or morilles grow along the fence, near the new raspberry bushes. A Google search to learn more about these springtime delicacies resulted in a pleasant find of "Stalking The Wild Asparagus". Published in 1962 it's Euell Gibbon's account of finding and eating what nature provides. I'm sort of living that life now and it's interesting to see what Mother Nature can provide, as long as you know how to identify and prepare the food.

A list of wild (and not so wild) finds. The next time you're out walking in the woods or even in Central Park, look around, up and down. You never know what you may find. In NYC, there's a mushroom expert who leads classes on foraging in NYC, something my foodie friend A and I would like to try one day.

March to April - Wild asparagus can be found nearby. I think I've seen the evergreen parts of these plants, but never gotten close enough to see the tender spears. Come spring, I will be keeping a close eye on the nearby fields, dry walls, country roads and around oak trees. If you want to try stalking them with me, take caution. The evergreen part has thorns, so wear gloves and bring a sharp knife. Harvest carefully so there will be more for the next harvest.

Walking in the woods

I should be reading about Service Operation for my ITIL certification exam - but I'm taking a break. Take a break with me...photos from Friday's outing with the local mycologie club.

Non-edible and toxic mushrooms! Please, please do not collect and eat any wild mushrooms before very, very careful identification. I don't eat any mushrooms unless they have been identified by the local mushroom expert and 3 other members of the club.

Two kinds of edible mushrooms (cep de Bordeaux, chanterelles-en-tube); marasmus oreades, quinces and sage from the garden.

The wild mushrooms I found with the club on Friday are a total taste explosion! For the chanterelles-en-tube, a quick saute in beurre, sea salt, then folded into an airy omelet. The porcinis (known locally as cep de Bordeaux)? Sauteed with fresh thyme, bay leaf, sea salt, pepper and spooned onto slices of whole wheat French bread. MON DIEU.

Photos from Land Art - an art exhibit using things found in nature:

Photo from monastery/church in Bourg-en-Bresse. We were on our way to Beaujolais but the rain came on strong so we decided to take refuge by walking through the grand church in Bourg built by Marguerite de Autriche.