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Baker. Cook. Gardener. Animal Lover.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

GOLD STRIKE !


So I am over at our local natural foods store this morning..waiting to pick up Buddy's cough syrup prescription at the pharmacy next door......and I am cruising in the produce isle and there they were. PURE GOLD ! Right there next to the lettuce. Chanterelle Mushrooms. I could hardly believe my eyes. There were only 3 of them. So I grabbed a bag and scooped them up. I could feel my heart race. I would rather have these than a bag of diamonds.

And what perfect timing. I was planning on pizza for Sunday night as the storm slams in from the Pacific Ocean. With El Nino out there...we are suppose to have a real downpour.

I saw the produce guy and asked where they came from...just as I thought...Big Sur.

When we lived in Cambria..which is about an hour and a half south of Big Sur on Highway One, a kid who worked for John knew where the "special secret spot" was in Big Sur. John went with him one time and he said they walked back into the woods for an hour... although no forager worth his salt would ever tell the truth about where to look....unless he's a really good friend.The kid would sell them to restaurants up in the bay area...he told me he used to sell them to Alice Water's restaurant Chez Panisse. The mothership..to be sure....

Julie and I have eaten there a few times...and it is all they say..and more.

To tell you the truth, the kid's name was Jim, but I called him Zipper. I have no idea where that came from either. But Zipper would show up at my back door when we lived in Cambria with bags of freshly picked chanterelles. I usually just kept it simple...I would make some fresh pasta...saute the mushrooms in butter, add a little cream or chicken stock, salt and pepper, add the pasta to the mushroom skillet, grate some parmesan over the top and serve. That was it. Simple. And it was GOOD !

For our Sunday pizza night....I will roast the sliced mushrooms in the oven with just a toss of olive oil and sea salt, then scatter them over the top of the pizza with just a simple tomato sauce ,gruyere cheese and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley from the garden.

We'll build a fire in "woodstove",make our pizzas, light some candles..and wait...for RAIN !At Last !

27 comments:

  1. Oh, yum, yum, yum!! Growing up in Germany, looking for mushrooms was a part of our lives every fall and Chanterelles were always so tasty! They truly are treasures!! We never ate at Chez Panisse when we lived in the Bay Area, but I do have one of her cookbooks and just love it!! Oh, I wish I could come over for dinner... Love, Silke

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  2. OMG, Kary! My mouth is just watering! I have never tasted a Chanterelle mushroom, but just the way you lovingly describe them I will make it my quest!

    Kat

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  3. Mmmmm, Kary, sounds superb! So what did you eat last night at Firestone? I had nothing but leftovers and I was thinking about you!

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  4. Gorgeous! Now THATS treasure, lucky you! It's so true that the more precious the product, the more simple you want to prepare it.
    I just know that your pizza, on a rainy day, will be heavenly.
    Love,
    Dawn

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  5. Thank you for stopping by! This is a cozy, creative, inspiring place to visit. Your pizza sounds delicious! Happy cooking and have a lovely weekend. Off to explore...

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  6. Your pizza sounds lovely, the simple dishes are always the best. I agree, good food, like your mushrooms are more precious than gold.

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  7. Oh! Your exotic mushrooms make my pizza from tonight pale in comparison! Does the whole Blog world make pizza on Saturday night?

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  8. I must admit I've never tried chanterelle mushrooms before...shocking, I know. I don't see them at our markets here. I'm planning on joining a mushroom hunting club this year. Maybe I'll find some gold of my own!

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  9. I don't think I've ever had chanterelles! But they sounds wonderful with the pasta or on top of a pizza! Enjoy and stay dry!

    How's Buddy doing, anyway?

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  10. Yum... melt in your mouth... yum

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  11. Yuck Mushrooms! : ) I just posted a stuffed mushroom recipe tonight.. I make them but never ever eat them.
    enjoy your pizza!

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  12. They look so beautiful! Lucky you to be eating your treasure!

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  13. You're so lucky!! Save me a slice of that pizza, it sounds fabulous!!

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  14. Sounds delicious! I remember a local chef telling a similar story about a man who would show up at her restaurant with the precious mushrooms, in a very secretive manner, never revealing the location in the hills where he and his dog found them. They are like gold, aren't they? Enjoy!

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  15. Glad you've gotten some rain, we're ankle deep in mud here...what with the snow melt and last night's rain. It finally got above freezing, first time in two weeks!
    "Shrooms look wonderful and reminds me, it's almost time for morels around here.

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  16. My Chanterelle story: A neighbor here in Cambria brought over a grocery bag of them. Okay, half a grocery bag., but still. The first thing I did was saute some for an omelette. Then there was a sauce for steaks,
    soup, omelettes again. With all this rain we're going to get there will be a big influx of mushrooms afterwards. Think Zipper will show us his secret mushroom haunt?
    xx
    donkey in the pines

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  17. wow really nice!It's going to taste good on the pizza!Enjoy :)

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  18. What a great find! I hope you will enjoy you pizza; the way you're going to prepare it is making my mouth water...

    Thank you for your beautiful comment over on my blog - it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. x

    I just love your blog, too - and the way you write is inspiring in itself, it's so fluid. You have a Dickensian knack of telling stories; it's wonderful.

    Thank you ever so much for following me - you have a new reader now, too! I'll add you to my blogroll post-haste.

    Love,
    Agatha x

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  19. I have never seen chanterelles either, but they do sound yummy on pizza : )

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  20. I wish I could have some of that pizza!

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  21. I didn't know that treasures could be eaten ! You're lucky, dear friend :)

    I wish you a wonderful 2010 with all the great things God can allow you ! God bless you and your family :)

    xoxoxo

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  22. I'm with Thomas...have never seen them or eaten any. They look delicious though and I LOVE mushrooms... especially on pizza! Lucky you... enjoy the rain :(
    I am having such trouble leaving you a message so had to log in under my seashell blog... Pam(New England's Narrow Road)

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  23. Kary, you make the pizza and chanterelles (have never tried them) sound mouth wateringly delicious,mmmmmm. Thanks for visiting my blog. Best wishes, Lesley

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  24. Thank you again, Kary, for popping by the blog!

    I'm so happy that you like it over there - I'll try to add a new post tonight - permitting, of course, that I finish my mountainload of work :(

    Love you lots,

    -
    Agatha x

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  25. Ooh please save me a slice of pizza! Chanterelles are heavenly and best served simply, so the pizza sounds wonderful :) I hope it was as delicious as they look
    Love Morwenna xoxo

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  26. I love Chaterelles!
    hope the pizza was delicious!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by. I appreciate all your kind comments more than you can know.