Saturday, November 07, 2009

Matsutake Mania

 Matsutake:
from the depth of the pine forest,
the voice of the hawk.
--Koya

Howdee all,

Its Matsutake season here in Oregon,,Matsutake means Pine Mushroom. The mushrooms smell wonderfully of pine and have a spicy taste.

Check out this Link for recipes and more information.

“Matsutake have been used and revered by the Japanese people for more than just a seasonal delicacy. They also symbolize fertility, and by extension, good fortune and happiness. A gift of matsutake is considered special and is cherished by those who receive it. “

We have had great luck finding Matsis in our secret area….A nice hike near the sand dunes..We find Matsis here every year we are here..

So lets go find some…..

Mushroom picking sutton_012

Pass the sand dunes……. Thru the woods

Mushroom picking sutton_018

Make sure you look closely..do you see the white mushrooms?

Mushroom picking sutton_025

Look closer….
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I found three beautiful number one buttons here…Mushroom picking sutton_023

    Another Matsutake growing in sand…

We always seem to find them near Pine and in sandy soil. mushroom foray_009

A beautiful number one button…the number ones are the small buds before the caps open…they are most prized.

mushroom foray_008

The mushrooms when they are opened are still very tasty but do not get the high price of the buttons…

When we were collecting yesterday we met a commercial picker…He had about twenty pounds of number one mushrooms. He packed each precious mushroom in its own plastic bag to protect the veil..it the veil breaks the value goes down.

At the present time he sells his number ones for 24 dollars a pound…we estimated he made over three hundred dollars yesterday.

We had our own little bounty…I estimate we picked around five pounds.

I am drying most of them, though freezing is the best method,I have limited freezer room…so drying was the best method for me.mushroom foray_030

  

 

Please remember you must know what you are doing when you pick mushrooms..

Your first bite..could be your last.

12 comments:

  1. You got enough mushrooms for a small meal. I agree you must know which ones are edible, my Dad was once poisoned by a wild 'mushroom' that was really a toadstool!

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  2. Oh Dawn, you make me so jealous out there picking mushrooms, although Matsutakes are not my favorite. How very nice to find so many #1s. They've doubled in price since I was picking.

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  3. Oh! I'm drooling!

    I used to pick pine mushrooms for sale to Japan, when I lived up north. (We ate the broken ones, the too-big ones. Delicious!)

    At the 1000 foot line on the mountains, and above, we found them. Every picker had his own secret spot; I found mine high up on a ridge, marked the trail with a rock that only I would recognize, and returned year after year.

    Up there, the air was fragrant with that nutty, fresh scent of the mushrooms; unmistakable. Years later, in mushroom season, entering the waiting room of the tiny airline that serves the region, I could smell the shipment coming off the plane. Heaven!

    I still have a few dried slices in a jar. I don't dare eat them; they are too precious. I open the jar and breathe in the scent occasionally.

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  4. Here's hoping you reap the good fortune and happiness, and er... not so much the fertility. Tee hee hee. :c)

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  5. Dawnie I so wish I had more mushroom savey... I would love to pick and eat them but sadly I am SCARED! Maybe someday I'll know the difference... Have fun and enjoy those pine mushrooms.

    Travel Safely
    Donna

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  6. Thanks for taking us mushroom hunting with you, that was fun. Just watch out for bears and cougars as the clip talked about.

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  7. What a beautiful mushroom hunt. It would have been a great day even if you didn't find the mushrooms.

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  8. More yummy mushrooms! I have never tried this particular species. It was as if I were with you on this hunt... excellent post Dawn!

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  9. Hi Dawn. Like everyone else I'm licking my lips and feeling very hungry! Cheers FAB.

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  10. Glennis
    oh yikes..what happened to your dad?was it a bad reaction? what kind of mushroom was it?

    Gaelyn
    I just started to like Matzis took a bit getting used to..they are so different. Yeah i guess the price varies year by year depending on the harvest.

    Wanderin' Weeta
    Oh dear..I must send you some more dried specimans to smell..
    what is your address...they are lovely and precious..and you have such fond memories..to pick in Japan..how wonderful.

    Jayne
    Thanks..i really dont want the fertility part..i will take all the rest.:)

    squawmama
    if we ever meet up in mushroom season I would love to introduce you to a few of my favorite eats..

    diane-j-m
    yes..will be careful..Lions and tigers and bears..OH MY

    NCmountainwoman
    Thanks..yes it was a beauty of a day and the shrooms are just the icing on the cake..

    MaineBirder
    Thanks john..glad you came along for the hike..

    The Early Birder
    Thanks..hope u get to try the pine mushroom someday.


    Thanks everyone for you comments..
    hope to get by and visit your blogs soon..

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  11. Howdy!

    I just found your post. Love me some matsutake!

    Just a note: if you are picking in National Forest land in Oregon (which I'm guessing is the case, due to the dunes) then you're limited to 1 gallon of mushrooms, six of which may be matsutake, per day as recreational harvest. (Guessing that you don't have a commercial license... those things are costly...)

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  12. Guess that these lands used to belong to Indians

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ok what do you really think?????