Molly Moochers

The spring rains have arrived and so has my favorite springtime fungus- Morels.

About this time every year my eyes are peeled and my nose can find the scent of a morel from a mile away. I remember when I was a kid, my dad and I went morel hunting. I think we came home with a measly 2 morels. But I remember the little morsel. We battered it in flour and fried it.

So then 20 years later, when my interest in cooking was starting to bloom, and I saw the familiar fungus at whole foods, I could not resist. Aside from the $50 / lb price tag I was happy as a clam.

I took my fungi home and read read read about how to prepre it. I ended up following the combined wisdom of both Alice Waters and Paul Bertollli. Heat up butter add morels aadd a tad of white wine and reduce down untill a little jammy. Towards the end add a little tarragon (another one of my favorites).

To my delight the morels ended up being little morsels of goodness. I had just a tiny plate of the fungus but was never so satisfied.

Now, every May I look out for the sponge-cone shaped fungi for a little treat.

Three publications this past month have picked up on the morel craze:

Molly Mooching on Bradly Mountain: The Aestetic Ecology of Appalacian Mountains, Mary Hufford, Gastromomica, Spring 2006.

- some year I want to go to the kentucky mountain mushroom festival and take part in the fungi festivities.

Magic Mushrooms, Gary Wolf, New York Times Magazine, May 7, 2006

Even Michael Pollan in his new Book Omniviore's Dilema writes about his experience foraging for mushrooms.

Strawberry Lemonade

It is a beautiful sunny day today- a respite from the weeks of rain and gloom we have been having.

I got an early start at 6 a.m. and have been running since then.  A delightful trip tp the makret landed me asparagus for grilling, swiss chard, strawbabies, and a new watercress  plant.

After repotting my rosemary and planting the watercress I needed a refreshing drink.

Strawberry lemonade-

- 1 pack instant lemonade mix
- add fresh strawbabies that have been           maciating with sugar
- pour in strawbaby juice and several strawberry chunks.

Yum a fresh spring drink!

Omnivore's Appetite

Before starting, the Omnivore's Dilemma I had slight disdain and intolerance for those individuals that were constantly reading foods labels to determine calories and fat content. (some have gone so far as to label me intolerant). Now I am finding myself becoming an object of my own disdain.

I find myself turning over a label to reveal the ingredient list are and to determine how much of the food's content is composed of corn. It is amazing how pervasive corn is in all of our diets.

Then to my further excitement, when I made a visit to the farmer's market I found a new farmer that sells grass fed beef. Grass, after all, is why cows have multiple stomachs! I can't wait to cook it up.

All of my excitement over the revelations in Pollen's omnivore dilemma, however are overshadowed by my best friend's dad's thoughts on the subject. (he is a farmer in Ohio and grows corn and raises his own small herd of cows). If only I could recount the many cow stories she has told me. ( like the one where her mom and dad went to a dinner and her mom won a new carhart jacket only to be stealthily traded for a test tube full of bull semen.) How can I get an invitation to these parties?
He doesn't like the current trend in organic food. He raises a valid point- what about the farmer's and families and for that matter the entire US economy that relies on the expansive industry of corn farming? Are we now so intertwined that there is no solution?

Aside from making me hyper aware of the food I am eating and learning where it all comes from I love the education pollen gives on corn sex, industrial agriculture and his myth busting of whole foods.

Omnivore's dilemma is a delightful read and has sparked so many neurons in my brain as well as conversations with friends, farmers and co-workers.

Plus, notwithstanding my new knowledge, I remain an avid omnivore, just a tad bit more conscious of the food I eat.

Strawbabies

Strawbabies: n. 1. Babies born of the straw; 2. Commonly known as the strawberry; 3. Red spring morsel of tartness and sweetness; 3) usually used in multiple recipes, notably: strawbaby shortcake & strawbaby jam, Origin- Lukisms.

My parents came in town today and came bearing gifts: Strawbabies that my grandmother picked from the field next to her house!

A perfect occassion for Strawbaby shortcake. And no I am not ashamed that I make my shortcake with bisquick. In fact, My shortcake brings all the boys to tha yard and they're like its better than your's...I could teach ya but I'd have ta charge.

Shortcake topped with fresh Kentucky Strawbabies, a tad of milk and cool whip.

THen for breakfast shortcake with milk.

The all purpose meal (shortcake)

Read my dad's essay on my grandmother and picking strawbabies:

Berry Season


We all wish for good experiences for our children during their early years. I know all my children have benefited greatly from jobs, sports and Church activities they were involved in during their summers between school sessions. They have all thrived from their public education here in Henderson. I didn’t have that opportunity. As a little kid I first went to public school at the old Central Elementary School but they said I was too religious. Then I went to a private Christian school and they said I was too secular. I didn’t even know what that meant so I just went home to Mom and was “hoome skoulled.” She was real nice but didn’t have much to work with. Recently I went home to my thirty-sixth high school reunion. It was just me and Mom sitting around the punch bowl listening to Joe Cocker, and the Jethro Tull all night on my old LP’s.

I am so proud of our Community and the teachers who make a special effort to educate our children. It takes a special person to be a teacher and we have some of the best. They have nurtured and been good examples for our kids to follow.

I want to especially mention a family that has made my son’s last couple of summers unforgettable. He and his cousin, Bryan W, were born three days apart in 1990 and work in George's strawberry patch, which is located next to Community Baptist Church on Pebble Creek Drive. They have learned valuable lessons that can’t be found in books but that will follow them their entire life and build the character that is much needed in all kids. George, Lisa, Madison and little Kennedy all work at the patch during strawberry, blueberry, black berry and asparagus season. They allow my son, Bryan and my Mom to help in what ever way is needed. My son has learned the value of dependability, hard work, honesty and contributing to the business in more ways than just putting in his time. They pick the strawberries, drive the mule to chauffeur the pickers, work the register, baby sit Kennedy, be a gopher for George and make the best strawberry milk shakes in West Kentucky. My Mom is no spring chicken, just 10 in dog years, but picking strawberries and supervising the boys keeps her young and exhausted. She lives to pick berries of all kinds from Georges’ patch in town and Aunt Bugs’ patch at Baskett. She’s always around directing the pickers to the best spot for the sweetest berries. I think her Mom and Dad knew how much she would love picking berries and they arranged to have her birthday right in the middle of berry season. It is a delight to see my family so involved with the Warrens and I appreciate their patience with the boys and teaching them how to be responsible and know the value of work.


Now this is not an advertisement for the W’s berry patch but I must say if my son doesn’t save enough money to buy his Apple laptop computer this summer I’m afraid his head will pop like a blueberry on steroids.

To me, heaven will be seeing my son come home at the end of a long day after mowing lawns and picking berries, dirty, sun burnt, and sweaty with a couple pints of berries. He, my wife and I eat them with shortcake and cream on a hot June evening in H-son KY.
That’s what memories are made of and this is only one of many made right here in this town. There is nothing like the kids and families here in H-son and we grow some good ones.