Thursday, August 27, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Shrooming
I spent a lot of time out in the woods hunting for mushrooms in Maine, much to the chagrin of my in-laws and annoyance of my husband. Mushroom hunting is a great activity for anyone with a hopeful streak of OCD, especially if you don't mind taking very small gambles against an Audubon Society field guide, crouching in the dirt with mosquitos, and some labor-intensive dirt removal. It's a also fun way to have a low-carbon-footprint meal.
I learned about chanterelles from my aunt and uncle, Ute and Hans, while travelling with them in Sweden as a teenager. I decided it was time to branch out, so busted out my new above-mentioned field guide and set about gathered specimens that were either unique, pleniful and/or and interesting-looking (to improve the chance of positive identification).
Once identified, I cooked a small amount - one - up and ate myself to confirm no any adverse reactions. This is the government-approved way to proceed when testing a food when you're not 100% sure it won't kill you, if you're ever stuck in the woods and not sure what to eat.
I discovered the painted siullus mushroom which had a slight slimy beef flavor when cooked, which were great on top of hot dogs with coleslaw.
And cooked up a lot of coral mushrooms - these looked like brain with a nice texture - these were all over the place, but intertwined with bits of dirt. And, yes, I also found a couple chantrelles, mixed in below.
I learned about chanterelles from my aunt and uncle, Ute and Hans, while travelling with them in Sweden as a teenager. I decided it was time to branch out, so busted out my new above-mentioned field guide and set about gathered specimens that were either unique, pleniful and/or and interesting-looking (to improve the chance of positive identification).
Once identified, I cooked a small amount - one - up and ate myself to confirm no any adverse reactions. This is the government-approved way to proceed when testing a food when you're not 100% sure it won't kill you, if you're ever stuck in the woods and not sure what to eat.
I discovered the painted siullus mushroom which had a slight slimy beef flavor when cooked, which were great on top of hot dogs with coleslaw.
And cooked up a lot of coral mushrooms - these looked like brain with a nice texture - these were all over the place, but intertwined with bits of dirt. And, yes, I also found a couple chantrelles, mixed in below.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Personal care (from Sarah and Sydney)
Zach very much enjoyed spending time with his cousins, as evidenced by his half hour of crying after watching their car drive away when they left him. And it's easy to see why. Sarah and Sydney took good care of him, by reading to him,
feeding him,
getting him dressed,
and brushing his teeth - when he refused to let mom or dad near him with the toothbrush, even.
And, kicking back sharing blueberries on the porch.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Damariscotta Ducks
Just got back from a week on Lake Damariscotta in Maine. Feeding ducks... always one of my favorite activities, never mind the kids. Zach lured 3 lady-ducks (later named Quackle, Flapple and Scrapple) by plopping a couple rolls in the lake after breakfast. By lunch time, Q, F and S were loitering and following the boat around for more.
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