This was so yummy last week that I thought I’d share it with my readers. This is an old recipe (don’t remember where I got it from) that was originally called Tuna Puffles. Normally the “puffles” (popovers or yorkshire puddings) are made rather small and cut in half. The bottom half is filled with the tuna mixture then the tops go back on. They are normally a nice little package to eat with one hand.

Rick wanted to see what happened if we made them in something larger. The result was a nicely puffed popover but they made a crater on top instead of something you could cut in half. So, we filled them up volcano style and baked them. In the last few minutes of baking I put some cheese slices on top. We both agreed we liked them better this way.

POPOVERS:
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tbs salad oil
1 cup sifted flour

FILLING:
2 cans tuna in oil (don’t substitute!)
2/3 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup chopped carrots
4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp salt
pepper

Instructions:
To prepare popovers, combine milk, eggs and oil in container of electric blender. Cover and process at high speed. Stop and add flour. Cover and process again at high speed until smooth. Pour batter into 12 greased 5 ounce custard cups, filling 2/3 full. (Note: If you want to make them volcano style use something like a ramekin. We got about four out of the batter.) Bake in 475 degree over for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 and bake 30 minutes longer. Remove from cups and cool slightly.

In large bowl mix filling ingredients. Cut off tops of popover, fill each with 1/4 cup filling (or more if making volcanos) and replace top (or not!). Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Très yummy!

After our big mushroom find of the morning, we set off for our foray in the afternoon to Two Pond Farm. Even though it was hot and sunny, we had been told to wear long pants since we’d be walking in the forest through lots of brambles. Oh joy: more rose thorns, probably.

We were charmed the moment we turned into the driveway of Two Pond Farm. A rambling, old farmhouse stood proudly between two large ponds along with a barn and outbuildings scattered behind it. Allison came to greet us, and since we were the first to arrive and she wasn’t sure how many other people would be joining us, we sat down on the steps of her front porch to wait. She showed us a basket of mushrooms that she had just gathered earlier that day. This was our goal for today: delicious honey mushrooms! She explained how to identify them and we talked a bit about how to prepare them. She told us that there were not nearly as many as there usually are due to the weather, but hoped we’d find some we could take away with us.

We turned out to be the only ones that showed up for the foray. Before starting, Allison brought out a jar of honey mushrooms that she had pickled herself and some bread so we could sample their taste. They were delicious! We asked her how she made them and vowed to prepare them that way if we were lucky enough to find some. Knowing how good they were made us all the more excited to get started.

Past the turkey coop and up through the pasture we went. We started seeing older mushrooms right away, but they weren’t good for picking. Not ten minutes into our adventure and we were finding smaller, fresher mushrooms that found their way into our bag. Oh boy! We went through areas of blueberry bushes scattered with old oaks and the shrooms really seemed to like this environment. I had to be careful where I walked since they were hard to see through the scrubby bushes. I was glad for my jeans even though the sun was hot. Before long we had entered the forest.

Here are a group of honey mushrooms growing on an oak. Allison explained to us that the mycelium for the honey mushrooms usually takes over dead oak trees and spreads throughout the tree, so you find them growing on the tree itself or anywhere along the root system. When the tree can no longer feed the mycelium, it dies.

Somewhere along the way I met up with my buddies—the thorns—and they snagged my arm. ouch! It bled profusely (those thorns are so sharp!) and I had to grab a few green leaves to staunch the flow. I swear, those bushes just do not like me!

The mushrooms weren’t plentiful, but we found enough to suit our needs. We didn’t want to be too greedy and help ourselves to all the mushrooms we saw; after all it was her property we were searching for them on.

Back at the farm we explored her small organic shop operated on the “honor system.” People come by to purchase her home-grown organic veggies, eggs, and homemade marmalades, leaving the money in a lock box. We couldn’t resist a winter squash, some red onions and a jar of her Tomato-Peach-Ginger Marmalade. They also raise turkeys, lambs, and pigs for people. You make your purchase a year in advance and they raise it and butcher it for you. She has her own flock of sheep from which she spins her own yarn. I asked her if she would be willing to give me a few lessons as I would like to learn to spin and she said she would. How wonderful is that?! I plan to follow up on this before too long.

We came home and Rick started blanching the mushrooms before I even had a chance to photograph them! Oh, well. You can see the results of our foray; two jars of delicious pickled mushrooms, resting in their bath of olive oil and herbs.

The honey mushrooms are probably done for the year, but we’ll be going back to Two Pond Farm before too long I should think. If for no other reason than to get another jar of that wonderful marmalade. They also run a cut-it-yourself Christmas tree lot, and I can certainly see that activity coming up in our not-too-distant future!

We had signed up for a mushroom foray weeks ago, but due to dry, hot weather, the mushrooms refused to show their faces. Finally, we got a call this week that the honey mushrooms were out and our foray was rescheduled for Saturday.

But before we could go on our foray, we took the dogs for a walk in the morning before it got too hot. We took the short route to the pond along the road. It was nice because from our street out to the main road, the road is closed due to major road construction. This morning walk was probably the only good thing about the road being closed, as we have to detour quite a long way out of our way to get to town. I happened to glance over and saw something on a tree by the side of the road. A huge group ofmushrooms! But what kind? Rick got excited and thought it was a Hen-in-the-Woods; very choicely edible!

It was in perfect condition to eat (not too old) but we wanted to make sure of what it was before we took it home with us. After delving into our numerous mushroom books, we found it was not a Hen-in-the-Woods as we had thought, but a Chicken-of-the-Woods or Chicken Mushroom; also highly recommended for eating, although there were instances where it had caused gastric discomfort, but only when growing on certain kinds of wood. [Note: the name “chicken” mushroom because it has the texture and flavor of eating a chicken.] It had no poisonous look-alikes like some mushrooms do, and all the books said you could not confuse it with anything else. We were confident that we were making the right choice.

Rick went back with his knife and we harvested it. The thorny bush protecting it did not want to give it up. I have a scratch on my back that is over five inches long that I got while trying to hold the branches aside for him. What some people won’t do for wild mushrooms!

Look how gorgeous it is! Over two pounds of edible mushrooms!

Rick started searching online for Chicken Mushroom recipes and we decided to make a risotto with some of it. The rest of the mushrooms were cleaned and washed, then vacuum sealed and frozen.

First we chopped the mushrooms, then lightly sautèd them in a little butter and set it aside. They had a lot of fragrance, but in a good way. We nibbled on a few to make sure we were going to like the taste. YUM, no problems there—they was delicious!

Next, I started the risotto. I use generous amounts of Vermouth when I’m in charge—just call me Julia!

When the risotto was more than halfway done, I added the sautèd mushroom pieces. I didn’t add them sooner because I didn’t want the flavor of the mushrooms to overpower the dish.

mmmm ... looking good!

Nothing left now but to eat it. Bon Appétit!

I know what is uppermost in all of your minds right now. Are Rick and Lynne alright? Are they still alive after eating wild mushrooms? Well, I’m typing this, aren’t I? No gastric complaints, no hallucinations; just fond memories of a wonderfully flavorful risotto.

Stay tuned for Part two of Adventures in Mushrooming: The Foray coming tomorrow.

Living on the wild side here in New Jersey.

[Note: do not eat any mushroom you are unsure of and take a few classes in identification before you start becoming fungally obsessed.]

This weekend I decided that my cherry tomato plants on the deck had truly outdone themselves all summer long and were deserved of a rest. The poor things were still bearing fruit, but the leaves had long since given up due to cool nighttime temperatures. It was time.

Last week I had harvested a large amount, and this week there was yet again another bowlful waiting to be picked. My Roma tomatoes out in the garden had finally kicked into gear (once the chippies and squirrels left the green fruit on long enough to ripen!) and they were added to the stash. Before I left them too long, I decided to just go ahead and make a tomato sauce wth them.

I first chopped the cherry tomatoes in half; the Romas into chunks.

My large 4-cup measuring glass runneth over!

After sautéing some onion and garlic in olive oil, in went the tomatoes and some fresh thyme from the garden.

After cooking for about half an hour the tomatoes have released their juice and are free of their skin. Perfect!

Time to run the mixture through the food mill to get rid of the skins and most of the tiny seeds.

Et voilà!—a lovely thick sauce ready to become the base for ... something. From 5+ cups of chopped tomatoes I got about 2.75 cups of sauce.

Maybe this one: Tagliatella with Bacon Sauce; or Rigatoni with Tomatoes and Vodka. Or perhaps just simply to top some of the delicious fresh ravioli that we can get locally. Yum, I’m making myself hungry. Won’t you join me for dinner?

Note: We opted for the Tagliatella with Bacon Sauce, but used penne instead of the tagliatella. We always use Canadian bacon as the “lean, non-smoked bacon” it calls for in the recipe. It was delicious!

This weekend Rick and I were pool rats. We spent more time in and around the pool that we ever have. The weekend weather was perfect for it: sunny blue skies, warm but not hot, and just a touch on the humid side. The pool temperature has been hovering between 82 and 84 this past week. Perfection!

After a trip to the farmer’s market in Warwick we came home with our purchases for our Sunday lunch. We had purchased two different kinds of lettuce, a Sicilian eggplant (very light purple in color, less bitter and no seeds!) and some fresh goat cheese. We sliced the eggplant thickly and cut a pocket in it, then put a round of goat cheese inside, drizzled the outside with olive oil and grilled it. A nice green salad rounded out our lunch. We ate poolside under the umbrella, sipping a cold glass of white wine.

After lunch we settled in on our lounges and just floated around letting the breeze blow us wherever it took us. We floated around in companionable silence. Once in awhile our lounges would ever so gently bump into the other, sending us off in different directions. Very relaxing. When we got hot we just rolled off our floats and swam a little; then back on the floats again to read. Before we knew it the afternoon was on the wane.

Nighttime swims are our favorite though. With tiki torches lit, the cicadas getting noisier every night, it just doesn’t get any better than this. In the following vid listen for Rick’s splash as he jumps in, then watch the reflection of the tiki torch as the waves distort it.

Ahhh ... wish you were here!