Saturday was Farmers Market day. I needed tea, but after my fungus-full bike ride on Thursday, this vendor caught my attention.
I bought a chunk of the bright orange fungus to try. It's called chicken-of-the-woods and it's supposed to taste like chicken.
Here it is, on the breakfast plate with some eggs, veggies, and a sweet potato scone. The scone was delicious. The fungus, so-so. It had a dry chewy texture like meat but no chicken flavor. I'm glad I tried it though!
Today, Sunday, I set off in a hike in a new park in Farmington, Minnesota, that I've been waiting for years to open. Actually it opened last weekend but I wanted the wilderness experience, not the grand opening hoopla experience. The park is on land that has been owned by the University of Minnesota and closed to the public for generations. I walked four miles of the trails and I'll be back to do more. (A variety of quotes are painted on a walkway from the parking area.)
The old growth trees were the highlight of the day for me.
Some nice views of Vermilion Lake
Rolling hills
And on the way home, skeins of Canada geese honking across the sky, flying south for the winter. We had our first frost last night, so if you are a goose, it is time to go.
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What a great hike - I like the old trees, too. Now I could eat a sweet potato scone!
ReplyDeleteThat one little tree looked like it had a burl in it, or was it a twist?
ReplyDeleteIt's a twist.
DeleteYour travels, your hiking, and biking...you amaze me. I'll bet you sleep good at night. I sure enjoy seeing the places you visit.
ReplyDeleteNo thanks to the "yellow fungus" - breakfast or any other time!
ReplyDeleteI would be giving the sweet potato scone a miss also!!!
I'm buggered if I could see eggs on that breakfast plate - the
fried or roasted tomatoes on toast would do for me.
Fastidious bastard, aren't I ?? Well choosy might be better, eh??
I think the geese are very wise - go south for winter.
Next trip you should look south of the equator - Australia is great
for beach life in summer but avoid February in the sub-tropical regions, the
humidity is atrocious for those not accustomed to it.
Farmington rings a bell from my 4 Minnesota holidays/visits. Must remember to ask
my sister as we took many picnic trips to parks in the Rochester/MSP area
( in Rochester summer time!!! ha ha - bugger the winter excursions!).
I guess the good "burghers" of Rochester are glad to see the Canadian geese depart,
no more "poops" all over the place.
Cheers
Aussie Col
PS: Any spare rain will be gratefully received here, no snow under any circumstances.
The eggs are the yellow stuff between the tomatoes.
DeleteHow much was the fungus? I have heard if it is fresh it tastes better...I am allergic..so I will never know. Great old trees! I enjoyed seeing them...those burls are beautiful:)
ReplyDeleteI didn't ask the price per pound, but the piece I bought, about the size of the palm of a man's hand, was $4.
DeleteYou are brave trying the fungi....
ReplyDeleteThe trees are lovely, and it would be good to see the sayings as you walk by.
Not that brave! I knew this was a safe one. There is nothing else that brilliant color that grows in Minnesota that it could be confused with.
DeleteI tried Chicken of the Wood once and also found it rather disappointing - mind you chicken is also pretty tasteless these days! The old trees are beautiful - grand companions on a walk!
ReplyDeleteInteresting fungi, I have never seen anything like it. I am not sure that I would have been that brave so good for you.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to learn how to forage and pick mushrooms but I'd be a bit scared of poisoning myself. A stall selling them sounds like a great way to try new mushroom varieties without killing yourself. Are you going to try some other varieties at the Farmer's Market?
ReplyDeleteLooks like you've had a nice few days of adventures!
ReplyDeleteWhatever the outcome, I think it is great fun and interesting to experiment with food.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit of a "chicken" when it comes to trying new things. John is right, chicken even has lost some of its flavor these days. I'm liking the looks of the sweet potato scone...will have to look up the recipe. I love cinnamon scones, but I like cinnamon in almost any venue. Have a good Monday!
ReplyDeleteI'm a Goose get me to the Bahamas! lol.Your brave trying different mushrooms, I'm such a scaredy cat when it comes to strange foods x
ReplyDeleteInteresting weekend but your breakfast so interesting but is it delicious?
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above comments re bravery trying that fungus, good on you. And I love that Shakespeare quote.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to have a forest/park close by for walking.
ReplyDelete