We were out of state much of September and didn't return to Port Orford and its mushroom woods until late on the 29th ... and, wow, did it take my breath away! The first storm of the season was just beginning to die out when we drove up into the reserve, but not before it had unleashed winds in excess of 60 miles an hour on Saturday and Sunday and drenched the forest floor with almost 4" of rain in that same 48 hour period! What a welcome home that was!
September was actually quite a damp month in Curry County, with a rainfall total of about 5.5;" our historic average rainfall for September is 1.5". All in all, it's been a rather dry year, with our year-to-date rainfall for 2013 registering a paltry 33.5". In a typical year, our annual rainfall approaches 72," with about 30" falling in the latter part of the year. Looks to me like we've got some catching up to do to meet our usual accumulation in the rain gauge.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining about the rain! When you know that mushrooms relish the arrival of the rainy season, it's a little difficult not to rejoice in this kind of abundance. And, it's clear that the edible mushrooms have indeed made a powerful entrance into the reserve.
A 5 minute stop on the way up to the house yesterday at our "ace in the hole" spot probably produced more clumps of pig's ears (Gomphus clavatus or Cantharellus clavatus) growing in the animal trail between conifers than we have harvested in the last 15 years! The fruitings were perfect, firm and bug-free (which isn't necessarily the case with pig's ears), and in a location where we'd never found them before. Such abundance took my breath away!
Pig's ears are a welcome guest at the reserve.
We're particular fond of pig's ears in beef and pork dishes. Their meaty texture and bold flavor hold up well in the cooking process. I incorporated some of these pig's ears into a pork and fillo dough preparation that was both lovely to look at and delicious to the taste. The remainder of the pig's ears were sliced and then went straight into the dehydrator that evening to be savored in the future. Keep in mind that it's important to prepare or preserve pig's ears soon after harvest because of their propensity to host insects!
Of course, pig's ears (as does everything) have their nay sayers and detractors. Some people claim that they may cause a mild gastic distress, while others consider them to be insipid or tasteless. David Arora wrote in his authoritative Mushrooms Demystified that they are "considered choice by some, but I am not particularly fond of it." That's not been our experience with pig's ears, but then it could be that our pig's ears have embraced a bit of the magic of the reserve!
What else is popping up in the reserve? Along with the pig's ears, there are carpets of golden chanterelles. In fact, there are so many of the Pacific Chanterelles that today I walked into the woods and 30 minutes later walked out with 12 pounds of these golden gems in my basket. As I am fond of saying, takes my breath away!
It won't be long before the cauliflowers arise from their slumber and perhaps this year will bring us a coral hydum or two or ... well, one can always dream, can't one!
Here's hoping that Fall, 2013 will bring you a mushroom season that will take your breath away!