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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 2017)
22 // COASTWEEKEND.COM “Brown Face” By David Campiche A mushroom ten inches high, Hidden in clumps of saw grass. Stem thick and fl eshy as a child’s forearm. The top — fl esh of another color. A tawny shaman’s face, Craggy ancient skin. Hard weather has cut them both. Knife of surgeon’s steel Slices porcini stem, exposing Tender fl esh, white and pure. Mind already coupling mushroom mustiness With olive oil and brandy, Basil from the garden, Sea salt and cracked pepper. Searing heat of sauté pan Alters texture from fi rm to supple. Salivating now. From the deep green forest Shaman face returns. His ebony eyes are upon you, Judging your every move. Quickly, Dig a hole in the dark and musty duff. Lay the mushroom in the hole. Take care, So that those who have been here before Can return. Cover fl esh with needles and loam. Wind pushes hard out of the north, Cold on your face. Turn deftly to the south. Never look back. Disappear Into the green forest. Go. Go. Wild is upon you. Continued from Page 9 Sublime and mysterious I fi nd much mysterious about mushrooms, some- thing that pulls the imag- ination like a well-crafted story. As fall approaches, a sort of anxiety overtakes me. I begin to take walks, some deep into forests, and some as close as the back- yard. A week or two after the fi rst heavy rain of the fall, one discovers reveal- ing signs. One of the fi rst mush- rooms to expose its cap is a small Boletus called a “slippery jack.” Though not a favorite mushroom, it is de- cent when picked dry (they turn slick and mushy when wet) and about the size of a quar- ter. Its un- derbelly is pale yellow and features more of a sponge-like belly than most varieties. This Sponge Bob identity characterizes a Bolete. The favorite sought-after Bolete is the porcini or Boletus edulus (“King Bolete”). Life is always better when a cou- ple of the fat-belly mush- rooms rest on the chopping block. PHOTO BY LAURIE ANDERSON Harvest season would not be complete in these parts without a plentiful selection of local wild mushrooms. The porcini Thick as your wrist with a cap that can approach twelve inches, the Boletus edulus is beloved around the world, particularly in France and Italy. Its color is tan and the fl esh intoxicating when sautéed slowly with olive oil or grilled with a swipe of that virgin oil and topped with Kosher salt and cracked black pepper. In this case, simple is good. The porcini is superb over steaks, in stews or atop a sandwich with fresh tomato, and on my wife’s sourdough rye. The meaty OPEN NOW! C A L L T O D AY 971.606.0280 TO RECOVERY TREATMENT FOR ALCOHOLISM DRUG ADDICTION & MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES mushroom loves spruce trees and moss, but sometimes it grows in sedge. It’s a sneaky mushroom. Exploring START YOUR PATH PHOTO BY LAURIE ANDERSON A porcini near a log NOW OPEN FOR LUNCH 11am-4pm Tuesday-Saturday carruthers 1198 Commercial Street Astoria, Oregon 97103 503.975.5305 Happy Hour Tuesday-Friday 4pm-6pm and 8:30-Close One day, deep in a marsh, pockmarked with green moss-backed knolls, I happened upon a half-dozen perfect King Boletes. I lay on my belly trance-like, just staring at my lucky fi nd, but a sixth sense told me I was being watched. I ran my eyes back and forth across the hummock, until, on the third pass, they stopped and focused on a four-point buck. He watched me cau- tiously, standing plumb PHOTO BY DAVID CAMPICHE A rich haul after mushroom hunting straight without the slightest movement. I thought this a perfect moment. Hunting mushrooms, things happen, and they can be notable, if not magical. And if you get caught in a rainstorm or submerged up to your waist in ditch or pond, remember: Back home, a great meal may materialize. Pour a glass of fi ne Washington Cabernet, and slice the butter-sautéed Porcini into bites that melt in your mouth. Indulge in the sublime. Remember, we are graz- ing animals but the luckiest of hunters. CW
