My former neighbors Flo & Randy are master mushroom hunters. Flo is a Frenchwoman transplanted to the Pacific NW. Being married to the outdoorsy, bike-riding,
PDX native Randy, the union has produced an elite team of
chanterelle foragers.
Once when I lived next door to them, I invited myself to one of their mushroom sojourns. The take was a paltry 3 slug-nibbled mushrooms. I believe I am a curse, as it seems every other outing they embarked upon yielded generous amounts of lovely orange fungi.
I received an email a few days ago from Randy asking if I could take some Cantharellus cibarus off their hands. Seems they hit the mother lode, finding so many mushrooms they could barely transport them from the forest back to the car. They had the equivalent of 4 brown-paper grocery bags stuffed full of the fragrant, orange morsels.
I replied that of course I would love some and I would also like the recipe for the buttery, flaky biscuits they would make every fall using our Oregon chanterelles. We made arrangements to meet at their house (my old 'hood) to prepare and enjoy lunch.
I decided to bring dessert and this morning made a pear tart using local Comice pears, local hazelnuts, local butter, local rosemary and local flour. The "quick" puff-pastry recipe came from the Silver Palate cookbook I've had since the '80's and it was brilliant. I have made authentic puff-pastry before, and the meticulous, precision-like technique suits my style. But you need quite a bit of time and the weather has to be just right to make a successful batch. On short notice I decided to take a chance on this faster, more convenient recipe. I added a bit of sugar because this was to used for a dessert, but I plan to make some more without sugar and freeze them for savory tarts and appetizers.
Once I arrived we set about preparing our meal. The weather has been spectacular, and today was another incredible sunny, chilly, blue-skied autumn spectacular (normally at this time of year we would be in the midst of winter rain, clouds and gloom). F & R have a virtual farm-in-the-city: apple, hazelnut, Asian pear trees; garlic, onions, leeks; kale, chard, arugula, romaine, green & red-leaf lettuces; end-of-season basil and tomatoes- and that's just what they have in the garden right now! I was assigned to prepping the mushrooms, which I love! Put me in a corner with a good knife and a pile of produce and I will slice, chop, dice, julienne, mince, chiffonade, etc. happily for hours. Randy prepared the biscuits and Flo did a bit of everything: cleaning, prepping, and- most importantly- harvesting the salad.
Why do French people make the best salads? Simple assemblages of greens, oil and vinegar become sublime compositions of textures and tastes. So different from the bland, flavorless watery greens doused in gluey, overly-sweet "dressings" that Americans call "salad." Of course, the fact that every salad I've had at Flo & Randy's house has been comprised of vigorous, healthy plants enjoying sunshine, water and rich soil that were picked and gently baptized with perfectly proportioned oil-to-vinegar vinaigrette seconds before being placed on my plate has something to do with the superior texture and flavor. But still... there is something in the genes of these Francs that understands how a salad should taste an feel and they make it look effortless.
Just as we had decided lunch would be biscuits, salad, Black Butte Porter Ale (a divine local beer product), and pear tart, Flo decided we should also make chanterelle risotto and bestowed upon me the honor of preparing it. Woohoo. Though she had a recipe, we pretty much winged it and the creamy rice dish turned out beautifully- savory, creamy, toothsome bites of rice infused with mushrooms, garlic and wine.
Because the weather was just too nice to stay indoors, we set the table in the midst of their garden of eatin' and enjoyed yet another local, seasonal, communal feast in this place that I am so happy to call home.
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