Mad about Mushrooms . . .

Our 2020 Winner: Lisa Benoit's Mushroom Meatless Balls with Orange Wasabi Glaze

Lisa Benoit's submission in our annual recipe contest intrigued our judges from the start.  Is this a plant based entry, hum ... how interesting!  Then, when they tasted the cooked product capped with its wasabi tinted glaze/sauce, they immediately knew that they had a very special winner this year.  Many thanks, Lisa, for your creativity and for the imagination that you displayed in creating this extraordinary entry!

We judges agreed with Lisa that the meatless balls are not just for a first course selection.  We popped them into a rustic roll and then featured them on top of a mound of rice, thereby discovering just how versatile and tasty they are in various presentations!

Lisa won accolades from the judges
for her flavorful and versatile meatless balls.

Serendipity - it's Kathmandu with mushroom growers and farmers!

Serendipity! There is no other word that can describe what happened late last fall when the golden chanterelles had yet to fruit on Mt. Hood. I received a phone call from a donor agency asking me if I would like to go to Nepal to work with mushroom growers and to develop ways to deal with their excess crop, i.e. create a process and recipes for working with dehydrated and powdered oyster mushrooms. How magical is that!

The magic came together in February when I arrived in Kathmandu and met with farmers of the Balambu Mushroom Cooperative and Mush Nepal. Memories of those two weeks that I spent with these amazing individuals will be with me forever.  Their energy and commitment have rejuvenated me and enriched my vision. Just imagine: the camaraderie of these farmers, the generosity of their friendship and their mushrooms have turned my life in yet another direction! That’s truly serendipity!

March, 2020's Recipe of the Month: Our 2020 Recipe Contest Winner Lisa Benoit's Mushroom Meatless Balls with Orange Wasabi Glaze

Lisa Benoit's submission in our annual recipe contest intrigued our judges from the start.  Plant based, hum ... how interesting!  Then, when they tasted the cooked product capped with its wasabi tinted glaze/sauce, they immediately knew that they had a very special winner this year.  Many thanks, Lisa, for your creativity and for the imagination that you displayed in creating this extraordinary entry!

We judges agreed with Lisa that the meatless balls are not just for a first course selection.  We popped them into a rustic roll and then featured them on top of a mound of rice, thereby discovering just how versatile and tasty they are in various presentations!

 

These flavorful morsels easily won
accolades from the judges.