Mad about Mushrooms . . .

March 2009's Recipe of the Month: Pan Seared Chanterelle Crusted Chicken Breast Topped with Carmelized Shallots, Chanterelles and Pears

We were so impressed with Cheryl Perry's Pan Seared Chanterelle Crusted Chicken Breast Topped with Caramelized Shallots, Chanterelles & Pears that we had to award it a special, runner-up prize in our recipe contest.  We think you too will be impressed with the ease of preparation, the depth of flavor and the use of mushroom powder.

Our coffee/spice grinder
is also a great dehydrated mushroom grinder!

Commercial Mushrooming, Revisited...with more thoughts on Jungle George, yellow feet & sweet tooth mushrooms, the BLM & mushroom permits

One of the surest ways to find out what’s happening with wild mushrooms over a broad area is to talk with a knowledgeable mushroom buyer.  The best one we know is Jake, at the very south end of Coos Bay, and we stopped by on February 28, 2009 for a long-overdue visit. 

As previously reported, Jake’s operation is clean and well-equipped, and there is a clear level of respect and trust between him and the pickers who bring their hard-earned hauls into his place of business to sell.  Jungle George, an old friend, happened to be there, along with several other pickers who were new to us.  As we try to do on a foray, we covered a lot of ground; our conversation was wide-ranging, and we went where it took us.