Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Mushroom Hunt


Shin, Andra, Katrina, Scott, and I went mushrooming today out in Metchosin.  It started raining at almost the exact moment we entered the woods, but it wasn’t too bad.  Mushrooms require rain, so part of me was excited about the rain.  We found moderate amounts of White and Yellow Chanterelles (Cantharellus subalbidus and C. cibarius), Hedgehog Mushrooms (Hydnum umbilicatum) and Puffballs (Lycoperdon perlatum).  I also picked a few Milkcaps (Lactarius sps.) because I want to get more familiar with that group.  I think the mushroom season may be winding down with all the cool weather we have been having.

Back home we canned some more Apple butter and sauce, and started another batch of Garry Oaks (Quercus garryana) acorns leaching.  I ground the acorns in the blender and let the blender go for a long time to try and make the flour as fine as possible.  Acorn flour smells so delicious!  Katrina likened the aroma to graham crackers.   I hope someday to purchase flour sieves so that I can eliminate the course pieces and only the leach the very fine flour.  This would enable me to leach the acorns more quickly, and probably retain more of the flavor.
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