They may not be the beauty queens of the food world, but beneath their other-worldly exteriors there’s a lot to love about mushrooms.
Here in California, there are hundreds of edible species of funky fungi (some tastier than others). As fall’s first rains hit, the madness sets in with local foragers hunting for golden chanterelles, porcini, black trumpets and candy caps in the damp forests of the coast.
With a prime season in the late fall and into the spring, chefs look forward to back-door visits from trusted foragers bringing whatever bounty they’ve found. But it’s not all up to chance: Here in Sonoma County we’re fortunate enough to have one of the largest and best organic mushroom growers in the world, Gourmet Mushrooms Inc., offering seven varieties of mushrooms year-round. Not the white button mushrooms you’ve probably learned to hate, but more exotic fare. A favorite of chefs since the late 1970s(and credited with being the first company to grow shiitakes in the US, GMI has a large organic cultivation facility in Sebastopol with seven specialized varieties, many of which are now available at higher-end grocers under the Mycopia label.
Feeling the ‘shroom love? Here’s where to get ‘em...
RESTAURANTS
Best Bet: Wild mushrooms and brie at Mosaic Restaurant
Chef Ty Olesky is a master of mushrooms, using locally foraged mushrooms from around Forestville (a hotbed of local mycology) along with local and regionally cultivated fungi. His can’t miss dish that’s almost always on the menu: Wild mushrooms and triple-cream brie with oven-roasted tomatoes and microgreens. 6675 Front St., Forestville.
Haute: Duck-fat fried sweetbreads with wild mushrooms and a Madiera-mushroom reduction for a limited engagement, Syrah Bistro, (205 5th St, Santa Rosa).
Comfort: Wild mushroom chiles rellenos with goat cheese are frequently on the menu at Zin Restaurant. For a limited engagement, mushroom ravioli. Chef Jeff Mall’s a back-door mushroom kind of guy, however, with relationships with several local foragers, so expect daily specials with mushrooms as the rainy season gets underway. 344 Center St., Healdsburg.
Italian: No one loves their mushrooms like the Italians. Expect to find lots of porcinis (an Italian favorite) popping up on menus as the season kicks into full swing. Porcini with papardelle pasta (Lococo Cucina Rustica, 117 4th St., Santa Rosa); Wild mushroom polenta with gorgonzola, Ca’Bianca, 835 Second St., Santa Rosa, 542-5800); Wild mushroom polenta, Cucina Paradiso (114 Petaluma Blvd N., Petaluma); Wild Mushroom Papardelle Pasta, Underwood Bistro, 9113 Graton Rd., Graton)
Pizza: Rosso Pizzeria (53 Montgomery Dr., Santa Rosa) and PizzaVino 707 (6948 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol) both do updated takes on the classic mushroom pizza with exotic mushrooms, wood-fired crusts and earthy cheeses.
Chinese: Mushrooms — from tiny shitakes to the ruffly wood-ear — are integral to Asian cooking. Their earthy, chewy qualities add depth and heft to dishes, an easy replacement for meat. Beef with black mushrooms, Hang Ah Dim Sum, 2130 Armory Dr., Santa Rosa.
DIY
Ditch the button mushrooms and get creative. Olivers, Whole Foods, Pacific Market and G&G market offer a variety of unusual fungi including chanterelles, shitakes, porcinis and portobellas. Best bet: Mycopia Chef’s Sampler (around $8) with a variety of flavors and sizes.
EVENTS
- Mendocino Wine and Mushroom Festival (November 4-15): California is home to hundreds of varieties of edible mushrooms, but when it comes to the optimal cool and wet conditions, Mendocino County is ground zero for mycology (the study of mushrooms). From November 4-15, everyone goes mushroom mad with tastings, dinners and events at restaurants, on the Skunk Train, wineries and in the streets. See a full listing of events:
- Wild Mushroom Foray and Cooking Class: A forage with chef Elissa Rubin-Mahon, past president and founding culinary chairperson of the Sonoma County Mycological Association, who will teach about collecting wild culinary mushrooms followed by a live cooking demo at Relish Culinary Center, 14 Matheson St., Healdsburg, Saturday, Nov. 28, 9am to 2pm, $89, 431-9999.
- Monthly Salt Point Forays: David Campbell leads a foray and cook-up north of Jenner several times during the fall to look for golden chanterelles, oyster mushrooms, black trumpets, and more, followed by a Potluck Picnic. 10am at the Woodside Campground public area, Salt Point State Park. More details
- 2010 SOMA WIld Mushroom Camp: This is the big daddy, where mushroom enthusiasts come together for three days of ‘shrooming through the forests outside Occidental. January 16-18, 2010. Details
RECIPE
Wild Mushroom Risotto
(adapted from Bon Appetit, Dec. 1999 with inspiration from Fred Groth of Hello Cello)
Chicken or vegetable stock: About 24 oz (1.5 tetra packs). You may not use it all, but warm a little extra so you won’t run out while you’re making the risotto. I prefer the flavor of chicken stock.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 chopped shallots
1 pound assorted wild mushrooms (I used the MYCOPIA Chef’s Sampler available at G&G, Olivers, Whole Foods plus a handful of oyster and shiitakes)
1 cup arborio rice (risotto rice)
1/2 cup dry Sherry
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
About 4-6oz triple cream brie (I used Rouge et Noir) with rind cut off
Optional: White truffle oil or white truffle salt (available at Dean & Deluca)
In a large saucepan, heat the broth to a simmer. Reduce to low; cover & keep hot.
In another large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped shallots and saute for about a minute until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender and juices are released (about 5 minutes). Add rice and stir to coat all grains. Add Sherry and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently (usually a few minutes, but keep an eye on it).
Add 3/4 cup hot broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring often. Continue adding broth 3/4 cup at a time as it absorbed and continue stirring often. Within about 20 minutes, the mixture will be creamy and rice will be soft. Turn off heat and add cheeses, mix to incorporate.
Top with truffle oil or truffle salt.
just had the fresh porcini mushroom salad at Scopa in Healdsburg. OMG!!
When a dish has you leaning your head against the wall while your eyes roll up under your eyelids and you sigh ….
Delicate, fresh … mysterious yet simple. I’m goin’ back.
I am so tired of the formerly-trendy use of shallow focus food shots. It violates one of the basic tenets of good photography: don’t call attention to it.
It doesn’t do any justice to the food ( I for one want to see every tasty morsel) and more than anything just says. “hey, look at me, I can take trendy photos too.”
Please desist in the future.
Thank you for your time.
I heard you talking about this on the radio in the morning, and craved mushroom risotto all day. It is a wonderful recipe! Even my husband, who is so-so on risotto, loved it. Thanks!
Thanks for mentioning the Relish class later this month. It’s already full but I’m adding another on Sunday, January 3rd.
-Donna
At Ramekins Culinary School in Sonoma Chef John Ash is doing a demo cooking class featuring all mushroom recipes. Comes with a few glasses of wine, generous tastes of all dishes prepared and entertainment as only Chef Ash I capable of! The date is Novmeber 12th.