Chanterelle Gathering

Just got back from the forest with a basket full of chanterelle mushrooms to use for my weekend menu. Even though the local area had a mushroom festival just a few days ago which had lots of folks scouring the forest, I still had no problem getting a good outings quota. One just has to be willing to dive into the forest and the steep fern laden hillsides with gusto.... not afraid to get wet, a little muddy and sweaty. Today I walked for some time without finding one and decided to channel a little mushroom chant... actually more as an offering of exchange. I often feel the need to give back something in that I feel so grateful and gifted with the delicacy that is so freely there for my harvesting. Today a song was my offering and, no kidding, soon after I started my chant they were every where! I found enough for what I want to do and started down to find the road. That part of the journey put me in touch... once again.. with my gratitude for the giant ferns. The place where I was coming to the road was very steep. I wasn't sure if it would dump me gently on to the road or not until I got closer. It was a VERY steep decline and those ferns are such a good anchor to hold on to. As it turned out when I finally got to the edge it ended up being too much of a drop down to the road after all... so with the help of the firmly rooted ferns I pulled myself back up (quite a ways) until I could traverse to find a way down. I think that is really one of my favorite forest experiences is bush wacking through the ferns... or would you call that fern wacking :)? The thought also crossed my mind today that maybe I should tell someone where abouts I am going when I go shrooming... as I don't exactly like to stay on any beaten path and I'm often alone.... hmmmm.
I think I am going to bake some spaghetti squash and mix into it a rich thyme scented chanterelle cream sauce this time.

Edible Flowers and more...

It has been a full on 3 months of one group after the other. While extremely grateful for the abundance of work during these times when many are struggling to find employment, I am deeply appreciating a week in between jobs to sit here and add SOMETHING! to this blog.
I love the late summer and fall 'season' of jobs in that it is the season of abundance. August still carries forth a few straggling cherries, strawberries and raspberries and hails in peaches, nectarines, melons and .... I don't even know why I started to list because the list goes on and on. My favorite aspect of this time of year though is the edible flowers that are so easily and abundantly available. I love using nasturtiums, bachelor buttons, johnny jump ups, pansies and borrage flowers along with the various flowered out vegetable tops. It is really interesting to watch peoples reactions to seeing so many flowers in their food. People are very often afraid to eat them. I am constantly announcing "the flowers are not only edible but tasty". It is fun to hear peoples conversations about eating them and just the extra delight it brings to their eating experience. They really add such a delightful and special touch to not only the presentation of the food but to the flavor. I always tell people that it will make them giggle if they eat the flowers... or at least smile... They certainly do make my heart smile.
I often hear of a certain flower that is edible that I don't tried and true know of. One of those has been the fuchsia. Many sources say that fuchsia is edible but I found information that says otherwise. Here is a blog link with some good information about edible flowers: http://blog.clareflorist.co.uk/flowers/2007/06/delicious_edibl.html You can find lots of different info on the web. My main recommendation is that you USE EDIBLE FLOWERS when ever available! :)

ADVENTURES IN ACQUIRING A TUNA

On my way and shopping for my first job after a 2 month break this summer I was in Newport’s little Asian store, “Mai’s”. Mai is this wonderful little Asian woman who I have been shopping from for years. Her store is a lifesaver for me numerous times through the years for picking up any last minute Asian ingredients right there at the coast. She’s very personally friendly with everyone and is quick to offer a sample of some unusual item… usually sweets…

As I was shopping a couple of guys came in with a box with 2 large beautiful fish and gifted it to Mai. I asked them what kind they were and found out they were tuna. These guys were fisherman who just came in from being out for a week. I asked if it might be possible to get one, as I needed fish for the group I was shopping for and they agreed to have me follow them down to the boat. It all happened so fast… they were obviously tired and were ready to be going home but kindly were willing to give me one so I quickly paid Mai and without knowing how big a fish I might get, how much it might cost and most importantly how in the heck I would deal with it, as in have it in my van (my coolers were already filled) and how I would clean it!

I regularly shop in Newport through the years and have always been aware of the possibility of getting fresh fish from the docks but have never truly explored this option, as my shopping days are usually plenty busy and full. While it is true that efficiency of time and energy is important on the shopping days, I don’t at all regret the adventure of acquiring and bringing to the table this beautiful tuna…. Even with the extra effort.

Parked at the docks I had a sweet conversation with William, a young Hawaiian man who told me a little about himself… fishing over here on the west coast for the last couple of years….. While his buddy went to fetch me a fish. They were both very enjoyable and really kind to make the extra effort to get me a fish. I found out that it is actually illegal to sell fish off the boats so I considered the fish a gift and gifted them with a little beer money!

After our good byes there I was with a rather large whole tuna in a double garbage bag with a little ice in it and wondering now how best to get it cleaned. Mai had told me as I was rushing out the door to follow these guys that there were a couple of people at the south beach docks that clean fish so off I went in the next part of the adventure to see about finding them. The first place I came to was a cleaning station with a bunch of guys busy cleaning their days catch. It was a sunny beautiful Saturday late afternoon and the place was really busy… boats and trailers parked everywhere… coolers and sport fisherman… wives taking pictures… sea gulls hovering. I walked over gathering my courage to see about asking someone if they might be willing to clean my fish for me but it was pretty evident that they all had their work cut out for them. I did ask a couple of guys who directed me to a different area where these folks Mai told me about hung out to clean fish for people for hire. I schlepped my heavy garbage bags over and found them and sure enough, for only $4 they would fillet it out for me.Yeah! Well, when he took it out of the bag and realized it was frozen (I didn’t quite realize this myself until than) he said no way… He had apparently cut himself in the past trying to fillet a frozen fish.

So…” Hmmm. I guess I am going to have to clean this fish myself after all tomorrow …. Hopefully it will be thawed enough…. Where am I going to do this?.... How am I going to do this?” By this time, tired from driving and shopping the last 2 days on my way to this job I was really wondering what I had gotten myself into.

Fortunately there were some other people with fresh, unfrozen tunas needing cleaning so I had the opportunity to watch and learn… took some video with my iphone.

I left the fish out to thaw overnight (hoping it would stay cool enough to stay fresh yet thaw enough to cut into by morning). I decided to take it down to the beach to clean it at the tide pools figuring it would be better than making a mess in the kitchen. Oh, yeah!.. First I watched a couple of “youtube” videos on how to clean a fresh tuna and reviewed the video I took… I really wanted to honor this beautiful fish… do a good job cutting it without wasting much if any and I wanted to keep it safe temperature wise and cleanliness wise as I would be serving the retreatants.

Well, after all the energy and internal fretting, once I got down to actually cleaning it, it was not that difficult and actually fulfilling and enjoyable! As with any first time experience our minds can trip us out and get us to fretting and making a bigger deal out of something than it is… Once again I got to see, feel and experience that whole process… learn once again to trust my intuition and skills and resourcefulness and move forward with confidence and joyful anticipation …. Trust…

The next time will be easier and I can imagine looking for fish off the boats again. There is something joyful and fulfilling in getting our food closer to the source… in processing it ourselves and bringing it to the table. It cultivates a respect and appreciation for, in this case, the fish itself as a being…. The energy of that being that we are bringing into our own bodies…. A general consciousness about feeding ourselves and the effects of that food on our own being.

I ended up cutting some of the loins into steaks and briefly searing them on the grill. I first marinated (only for 15 minutes or so… more like dipping them) in a mixture of a little mirin, sake, sesame oil, garlic, fresh ginger and tamari. I than served it with a fresh mango salsa. On the side was a beautiful quinoa edamame salad, fresh green salad with lots of nasturtium flowers and home made spelt bread.

I put some on ice which I served later in the retreat as sashimi and spicy tuna rolls.

The rest I refroze and am having some for dinner tonight. I think I’ll sear it and serve it with some fresh local organic pea pods.

The moral of this story!..... Don’t let fear or apathy stop you from new experiences… You might be missing out on one of life’s wonderful, rich and nourishing experiences…and a fabulous meal!

Organic blueberries, ready for drying....
I have been drying some since yesterday and it is important to pick out the ones that dry first as to not turn them into little hard pebbles... a bit labor intensive.... the verdict is yet to be out as to if I like dried blueberries enough to do it again. They are so good frozen...

Season of Abundance!

First post of my first blog. The intention here is to start a collection of reports, stories, passions, photos etc. centering around the subject of food and rippling out into who knows where. At this first "blog" writing on July 18, 2009 I am in the process of finalizing my 2nd cook booklet... with the goal being to have copies in my hand by my next contracted retreat which is in early August. I am intending that this blog is the beginning of book 3 which aspires to be a more refined book with color photos, metaphorical food to life wisdom, perhaps a book on retreat catering/cooking for groups.
For today: I picked 1 1/2 gallons of beautiful organic blueberries at my dear friend Beth and Ricks farm in St. Helens, Oregon. A beautiful peaceful hour or so in their blueberry field. I was remembering a prompt from a yoga teacher earlier in the week about "communicating"... communicating with our environment as well as people... non-verbal communication... just bringing awareness into our moments. In remembering this as I was picking I turned from the incessant always going/flowing mind chatter to the possibility of "commune" icating with the breeze, the blueberry plants, the grassy ground I was standing on, the birds I was hearing, the air I was breathing.... just being present and lo and behold a hummer buzzed me...than shot straight up in the air and came down and buzzed me again... and again until it had my full attention at which point it went and perched on the fence close by while I deeply smiled inside and out at the remembrance of the medicine cards identification of Hummingbird = Joy medicine/energy...
Such a presence of gratitude washed over...
I'm going to take those blueberries and try drying them this batch to enjoy with my breakfast cereals this fall and winter (if they last that long!)... and no doubt will remember the joyful hummingbird dance as I do. I have never dried Blueberries before so I will let you know how they turn out. Beth was expressing a bit of her experience with drying.. that you have to pick out the ones that dry first so as to not let them get to hard while you are waiting for the others. She also said that she read that if you really want to get down... you can prick each with a needle which supposedly helps them dry a bit faster... We shall see if I get to that laborious task.
I also bought Fresh Salmon from the Native Americans (or I believe I have heard that it is more "PC" to say "Indians these days) at Cascade locks. Beautiful blue Chinook salmon about as fresh as you can get at $4 per pound. They fillet it right there for you or steak it or sell it whole.. as you like. I prepared some fresh tonight with my favorite mayo and fresh dill and simply grilled till just barely cooked through. The recipe is in my "'Alma de Casa" cookbook along with 3 other excellent and easy recipes for salmon.
Ok.. that's my first entry... short and sweet as it is the end of a full day and I am ready to head for the tipi for a bit of reading and a good sleep. Will post a photo tomorrow... wish I had taken one as I was buying the fish at the roadside... Now that I have this blog I will perhaps remember to take some interesting photos to add...
I think I might sign my posts by a little play on words....... "Chow"