Mad about Mushrooms . . .

Beware of yellow-eyed blossoms.

Sure these yellow-eyed blooming grasses look innocent enough. But if you look more closely, you may just find yourself actually staring at the fungus Fusarium xyrophilum which is reported to infect two types of yellow-eyed grasses (X. setigera & X. surinamensis) growing on the savannas of Guyana rather than at an actual blossom.  The Xyris genus counts over 250 species and is widespread throughout much of the world. 

Is there a trickster in the grasses?

Mushrooms are popping up in the most unexpected places!

It’s a little too early here for spring mushrooms but not so for The Peacock Clock’s mushroom. What is that you ask?

Housed in the Pavilion Hall of the State Hermitage Museum, The Peacock Clock is a 10 foot tall structure created by the English jeweler and mechanic James Cox (1723-1800) of gilded bronze and silver. It is comprised of 3 life-size mechanical birds - a peacock, cockerel and owl - that are set into motion by a timepiece which is resting in a slot cut into the cap of a mushroom. The automaton was ordered by Prince Grigory Potemkin as a gift for Empress Catherine the Great and was transported to the Hermitage in 1781 where it resides today.

Currently the clock is set into motion only on Wednesdays. If you can’t make it to the Hermitage that day, check out the following YouTube presentation of the clock in action.  Don’t forget to look for the mushroom growing under the oak with a dragonfly delicately perched on the cap located at the 1:25 minute mark.

YouTube presentation from the State Hermitage Museum

 

 

March, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Our 2021 Recipe Contest Winner Susan Mason's Secret Garden Breakfast

Susan's recipe, submitted in September of 202, was the first one that we arrived in our email basket, and, as it turned out, received the first place award in our recipe contest this year.  The tasters found it exceptional, with a unique taste and undeniably creamy texture.  "I'd like another sample please" was the unanimous comment heard around the table, followed by remarks such as "I could see this becoming a standard on my dinner table."  

Of course, the versatility of the dish was a persistent refrain.  Some advocated serving this rich sauce over mashed potatoes or cooked veggies such as green beans, or simply stirring it into a stew or soup.  Others suggested using it as the basis for a flavorful pasta sauce or casserole.  Whatever the dish, we are all convinced that this is a recipe to use and to share without reservation.

Congratulations to Susan for developing this
awesome dish that incorporates cashews and white miso.