Giant Puffballs in particular make an excellent bread substitute, perfect for the classic “puffball pizza preparation.” Their flavor and texture is very similar to eggs or tofu. Last September was an epically good month for puffballs and after eating so many coated in tomato sauce, shredded cheese and various toppings, I looked for new recipes to try. That’s when my partner Lauren suggested a curry.
The first half of August has been an absolute bolete bonanza! Kings, Summer Ceps, Porcini, Bicolors, Bouillons and Painted Boletes (just to name a few) are covering forest floors. A change to cooler nighttime temperatures have also encouraged numerous fall mushrooms to begin fruiting earlier than normal.
Cold and flu season is upon us, but fret not my foraging friends! The forests and fields offer an incredible array of plants and fungi to help ward off those pesky coughs, sniffling noses and winter blahs. Late fall in my house means its time to get tincturing. Tinctures have been used for centuries by herbalists and healers alike and can be made from plants or fungi.
In fields, crab apples are begging to be picked and jammed, baked or made into vinegar, Kousa Dogwood fruits are ripening and black walnuts are causing mild concussions to unaware passersby. Many spring plants are rejuvenated by fall’s cooler temperatures and begin sprouting again – garlic mustard, wintercress, bittercress, dandelions, field onions and nettles urge our bodies to eat more greens before the winter freeze.