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From our wine cellar

Writer's pictureRobin Hood

WILD food: Chanterelle Mushrooms


Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius)

Can be found from Spring to Autumn. This is another great mushroom to start identification as it is noticeable in shaded, natural beech and birch woodlands as they have a very bright colour.


The Chanterelle is an easily recognised edible mushroom, it should not be confused with the slightly pink "false chanterelle" or poisonous Jack O’Lantern.


WIld mushrooms should not be eaten raw; there are reports of people being adversely affected when mushrooms are not cooked.


Chanterelles are delicious with an almost fruity flavour

 
 
 

The girolle might be a small mushroom but it is certainly not shy on flavour. They are one of the things that for me just sum up the taste of summer.

Although quite light and delicate, the flavour you get from Girolles is outstanding


– almost fruity and quite peppery. The best way to enjoy them is very simply so you can really taste the natural flavour of this wonderful ingredient











"Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom" - Thomas Carlyle


"Advice is like mushrooms. The wrong kind can prove fatal" - Charles E. McKenzie


"Falling in love is like eating mushrooms, you never know if it's the real thing until it's too late" - Bill Ballance


A Forage for wild mushrooms is always time well spent. The fruiting bodies of many species of fungi flourish in the UK. Different varieties are available throughout the year, After the last hard frost in March/April, some special Fungi start to appear.


Most people are cautious when it comes to wild mushrooms, for good reason aswell - there are many incidents of mushroom poisoning each year.

NEVER eat wild food without confirmation from a trusted source that it is safe to eat. Some mushrooms can be deadly.


If you know what you’re looking for, you can reap the rewards of nature. Fungi are an important part of the woodland ecosystem so only ever pick for yourself.

 

I started my education of wild food at a young age. my grandmother would always point out edible foods in her garden or when out walking. this provided me with a base knowledge to further explore on my own.


I have always used Richard Mabey's timeless guide, FOOD FOR FREE - The classic foraging guide to over 200 types of food that can be gathered and picked in the wild, it is in its 40th year as a sumptuous, beautifully illustrated and fully updated anniversary edition.

Originally published in 1972



When so many are struggling for connection, inspiration and hope, Fantastic Fungi brings us together as interconnected creators of our world.


Fantastic Fungi, is directed by Louie Schwartzberg, famous for NETFLIX -Moving art and DISNEY-'Wings of Life'



FANTASTIC FUNGI is a consciousness-shifting film that takes us on an immersive journey through time and scale into the magical earth beneath our feet, an underground network that can heal and save our planet.

Through the eyes of renowned scientists and mycologists like Paul Stamets, and others, we become aware of the beauty, intelligence and solutions the fungi kingdom offers us in response to some of our most pressing medical, therapeutic, and environmental challenges.

 
 

RECIPE: Roasted mushroom risotto

Ingredients

1kg chanterelle mushroom

50g dried wild mushrooms

300g onions

250g arborio risotto rice

10g sage

20g garlic

30g chives

30g parsley

salt & pepper

 

METHOD

  1. In a pan of boiling water, blanch the butternut squash

  2. In saute pan, gently colour the onions, garlic and risotto rice

  3. Deglaze with Bodri chardonnay.

  4. Pour in the mushroom stock and simmer for 15 minutes, keep stiring.

  5. When the rice is cooked, season and set aside.

  6. In a frying pan, colour the chanterelle mushrooms and butternut squash, until golden

  7. serve the rice with a touch of mushroom puree

  8. top with pan roasted squash and chanterelle

  9. Top with parmesan cheese and serve

 
delicious white wine from Bodri vineyards- Chardonnay "sari" wine
Bodri - Chardonnay "sari" wine

A PERFECT PAIRING


This vibrant dry white wine has fruity aroma of green apple & peach blossom with a brilliant pale straw colour. Great for pairing with the rich woodland flavours and textures of these fantastic fungi   NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK


£9.99 per bottle Best served at 8-10 °C 750ml 12% ABV





 


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