Culinary Mycology

I found more mushrooms. Glorious mushrooms. I went back to Union market after finding Blue Foot Mushrooms which I most thoroughly enjoyed, and found MORE AMAZING MUSHROOMS!

Keep your pants on, because this is going to be one wild ride.

This time, in addition to the Blue Foot mushrooms, I also scored some chanterelles and some black trumpet mushrooms. I knew this was going to be an awesome day.

This was a first for me with the black trumpets. I had never had them before this, and let me tell you, they are amazing.

Here is a little pic of the three mushrooms, safe at home on my cutting board.

 The trumpets had a lot of pine needles and sandy dirt on them, and the chanterelles had a lot of dirt and debris on them too. But after I cleaned everybody up and secured the rest of my ingredients, I was ready to make the most amazing dish.

I pan fried some polenta, seasoned with salt and pepper,and then grated Parmesan cheese over top. The cheese melted onto the polenta disks and added an amazing, nutty, cheesy flavor. Setting the stage for a fantastic trio of mushroom heaven.

After the polenta was done, I wiped the pan clean and added butter and fresh thyme. When the butter was melted and bubbly, but before it browned, I added all the mushrooms.

The smell was incredible. A few minutes and some tossing, and everything had come together very nicely.

Man this was freaking amazing. The blue foot mushrooms stayed relatively firm; they tasted meaty and delicious, just as I remember them from my last encounter. They gave a contrasting texture to the other softer players in the dish.

The black trumpets almost melted they were so soft. The flavor was unlike any mushroom I have ever had, and they had an intense, concentrated mushroom flavor. They tasted naughty; they tasted like sex.

The chanterelles really stole the show. They got super soft and creamy, but held their shape. The texture was otherworldly. Their flavor was phenomenal. Eating these mushrooms was like eating rare filet Mignon they were so meaty. They tasted like where they came from; the forest. Their flavor was in your face and subtle at the same time. Pleasing, relaxing, and exciting.

The marriage of cheesy polenta, fresh thyme, and the holy trio of mushrooms was fantastic to say the least.
It's no wonder people find some foods an aphrodisiac.