Mad about Mushrooms . . .

Mushrooms are Growing Like Fungus in the Japanese Gaming World

Just leave it to the WSJ to come up with a head-shaking tale about fungal life in Japan.

It appears that there's a new sensation in the Japanese gaming world... at least, it's new to us!   And would you believe that it's a small mushroom with yellowish flesh, amber-brown gills, and a slightly gelatinous coating (reminiscent of okra) that is frequently used as an ingredient in miso soup and stir-fried dishes?  Yes, this entirely pedestrian mushroom, one of Japan's most popular cultivated mushrooms, appreciated for its slightly nutty, somewhat cashewy flavor, is the star of an addictively simple game.  

Ordinary, Nameko is not; certainly not any more.  It's been elevated to the status of rock star, featured in a trilogy of smartphone games called 'Nameko Saibai kit.'  In the gaming world, this mushroom has become a sensation with more than 32 million downloads since its debut in June of 2011.

But, wait, there's more.  WSJ reports that "The nameko song—which begins with the bulb-shaped mushrooms dancing under what appears to be Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night—has been watched on YouTube over 10 million times in less than a year. A promotional video for the game cracked YouTube's top 10 most-watched videos in Japan for 2012. An illustrated encyclopedia of the different nameko characters—of which there are more than 200—was Japan's second best-selling book in the last week of April, trailing only acclaimed author Haruki Murakami's latest novel."  Wow, nameko has made the big time!

Who would have thought that Pholiota nameko, or the butterscotch mushroom, as it's sometimes called here in the states, would become the character of a wildly popular game?

Lobsters in July on the Coast

Thanks in no small part to the alternating rainy and sunny weather that we've been experiencing over the past month or so, there are nice collections of lobster mushrooms to be found on the south coast.  What a surprise!  We've always thought of them as an early fall mushroom here in this area, but apparently that's not the case this year. 

In fact, when we drove through Bandon yesterday, we stopped and talked to a young mushroom buyer who had stationed himself in the parking lot near Ray's Market.  He stated that he represented a mushroom outfit located in North Bend and had been buying lobsters for the last couple of hours.  During this time he'd acquired a substantial quantity of young, firm lobsters (enough to fill at least 6 large totes) to take back up north at the end of his shift.  Not a bad day's outing! 

Lobsters come in different shades of red and shapes!

Guess you know what we'll be doing tomorrow!  What a great way to celebrate the 4th of July:  foraging for lobsters!

July 2013's Recipe of the Month: Marilyn Manchester's Crab & Mushroom Sandwiches

Without doubt, there are some recipes that stand the test of time; they never go out of date.  They're as fresh and delicious every time you serve them as they were the very first time.  Trust me when I say that Marilyn Manchester's Crab & Mushroom Sandwiches are a fine example of this kind of recipe.

I was first introduced to the recipe more than 20 years ago when James Beard judged a readers' recipe contest in The Oregonian and declared it to be worthy of a Grand Prize.  Of course, I've fiddled with the ingredients over time, sometimes introducing spinach into the mix, sometimes using fresh wild mushrooms such as morels or experimenting with other cheeses, and at other times updating the base with focaccio or ciabatta breads.  Whatever version you choose to make, you won't be disappointed.  They're all delicious!

Morels make the topping even more delicious!