Let me start by saying that I am not a professional mushroomer but have a deep interest in foraging. With that said my eyes are always peeled for the delicacies of the woods. Recently I was walking the small patch of woods behind my house and much to my delight I spotted what I was sure was the beautiful yellow chicken of the woods. I happily took a picture and posted it online, anxious for confirmation of my bountiful find… only to find out that it was not chicken of the woods but the glorious golden oyster mushroom.
Now, because of my newbie foraging status I called upon my naturalist friend to come over and share the goods and teach me how to harvest and prepare the mushrooms. I learned that you take only up to half of what is there to ensure the survival of the spores for next season. The golden oyster mushroom is a tasty gilled mushroom which is not native to Michigan, but thought to have been propagated from the ever-growing specialty mushroom farmers. And, judging by the vast quantity of them in my strip of forest, I would guess that business is booming!
We carefully picked from three of the patches and I was informed that they were almost not edible due to age but to mark my calendar to be ready for next year’s harvest. What I did bring home I made into a delicious cream of mushroom soup that my newly vegetarian daughter sucked down like she had been starved for years. Here is how I made it happen in a nutshell. I first cut the oyster mushrooms into smaller chunks and sautéed with lovely Amish butter, onion, and garlic. I then added vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and a little white wine. I let it simmer on medium for an hour to really soak the flavors up. I then used an emulsifier and blended it down to a smooth consistency. After taking it off the heat and letting it cool for 15 minutes I added a cup of fresh whipping cream. Easy peasy and super delicious!
I encourage you to try this whether it be from grocery store mushrooms or wild mushrooms but highly suggest, if you forage and are new at it like me, to verify with someone who knows what they are doing. The dangers are vast and you do not want to perish or experience an unwanted psychedelic journey. Happy hunting!
