Mad about Mushrooms . . .

Mushrooming in Ireland - A Very Personal Perspective

A mushroom foray or two is a must when visiting unfamiliar lands, and especially so when we're overseas.  Therefore, it was with a lot of enthusiasm that we prepared for our trip to Ireland by scanning websites that discussed mushrooming in both the Republic and Northern Ireland.  However, it soon became apparent that even though there are a number of species to be found on the emerald island, there is no real tradition of mushrooming in Ireland.

On the website of RTE (Raidió Teilifís Éireann, a semi-state company and the national public service broadcaster of Ireland), the section entitled Fungi notes that "95% of Irish people avoid eating wild mushrooms due to the justifiable fear of serious/fatal poisoning." 

The author of the Fungi section goes on to pose the question:  "One of the great mycophagal mysteries is why all other European cultures have such a strong interest and knowledge of wild mushrooms, yet the Irish and to a certain extent the British, have a strictly 'field mushroom only' interest. What could explain this? In most Western and Eastern European Countries, and indeed Russia, children are given the knowledge and desire to collect wild mushrooms at an early age. Most people from these cultures are aware of how best to prepare different mushrooms, whether they should be boiled first, pickled, dried, sliced thin and served raw. Meanwhile back in Ireland we are taught that if it is not a field mushroom then it should be avoided at all costs."  The author offers no possible answers to the question of why the Irish don't have an enthusiasm for gathering different species of wild mushrooms.

While Steven and Glenda Powell, his guide, fished on the

Blackwater River, I looked for mushrooms.

July, 2014's Recipe of the Month: Neven Maguire's Irish Breakfast

We're just back from Ireland and fondly remembering the lovely breakfasts that started each day, courtesy of the bed-and-breakfasts where we stayed as we toured the island.  Dining tables were filled with pots of French pressed coffee and tea, scones and homemade breads, scrambled eggs, oak smoked salmon, bacon and sausage, marmalade and jams and honey, juices and chopped fruit, black and white pudding (an acquired taste, apparently; we didn't), yogurt, porridge and cold cereal, broiled tomatoes and sauteed mushrooms.  We were spoiled indeed by the bounty and the variety of the Irish breakfast.

When returning home, it's always fun to attempt to replicate the memorable culinary treats of our travels.  Imagine how delighted I was to find the following Irish breakfast items created by Neven Maguire (an Irish celebrity chef and television personality from Blacklion, County Cavan and head chef and proprietor of the MacNean House and Restaurant).  We loved the scrambled eggs with smoked salmon that we were served at several accommodations in Ireland, including the Atlantic Heights B&B with lovely views of Galway Bay, the Brookhaven Guesthouse in Waterville, a town on the Ring of Kerry where Charlie Chaplin spent many of his holidays, and Bay Cottage B&B sitting on the fringe of Lough Leagh in Crumlin.  

An Irish breakfast is perfect for a misty morning

in the Knockmealdown Mountains, rich with the blooms of wild rhododendron.

June, 2014's Recipe of the Month: Sherri Williams' "South of the Border Chipotle Mushroom Sliders"

Thankfully, Sherri submitted two recipes for our annual recipe contest, both of which have become favorites of our judges.  We published the first of Sherri's recipes as our Incredible Edible Recipe for the month of April.  And, we're proud to publish her second recipe, South of the Border Chipotle Mushroom Sliders, as our Incredible Edible Recipe for June.

The recipe is a little deceptive because it seems rather straight forward and simple.  It's not until you actually read the list of ingredients and think about the flavors and intensity that comes from building upon them that you begin to grasp the full burst of flavor that accompanies the first bite of the slider. 

Be prepared:  these sliders are not for the faint of heart ... and they can be quite addictive!

What a winning smile!