What 245 Mushrooms Looks Like

Sonya made a couple nice mosaics of the different mushrooms. It was a great time with great people. Thank you, Sonya.

Slice of Life

We're off to KnitSonya's for mushroom swapage today.

Friends & Fungus

Thanks to our new friends for hosting one of our best, easiest, most natural playdates ever. Who said the internet takes away from human interaction? Without it we wouldn't have found you.

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More about the turkey tail mushrooms here and here and here, as well as many other places. I once saw a talk by Christopher Hobbs where he listed turkey tail as one of the top five medicinal mushrooms. I dry mine to use in soup stock, removing it before making the soup — it's very woody.

Mushroom Madness: Cuppa

Mushroom Madness: Cuppa
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

This mushroom mug was made by a local artist. Unfortunately, I've lost her card and don't remember her name.

The sun was too bright for a photo so I hung up this fabric that I got in the mail yesterday. D liked it so much we might end up with it as curtains in this unfinished room of our little house.

The muffin is an old favorite, oat bran with apples and prunes, from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. Here's the recipe with my small modifications.

Omenapyōrykāt

1 cup chopped peeled apples
1 cup chopped pitted prunes
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1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup yogurt (I used vanilla, but it calls for plain)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
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2 egg whites or 1 egg (optional)
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1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel (I only do this sometimes)
2 cups oat bran (I substite half white flour, which helps hold the muffin together)
2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line or butter muffin tins.

Cut apples and prunes into chunks. They recommend peeling, but it's ok with the peel. Set aside.

Whisk together maple syrup, yogurt, oil and egg. Combine the dry ingredients. Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just wet. Stir in the chopped apples and prunes.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups. The cups should be filled almost to the top because they don't rise much.

Bake for about 20 minutes until golden.

Mushroom Motif

mushroom_sky
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

For those of you who are enamored, as I am, with the magical red and white spotted mushroom (a.k.a. Amanita muscaria or Fly Agaric), I've put together a list of art and crafts that features this beautiful fugus. This mushroom is the premiere fairy tale mushroom, gnomes and hookah smoking caterpillars often sit on them; I've seen Petite Blythe wearing one. It is said to make Santa's reindeer fly, and some say it is linked to the beginning of Christianity. It definitely has magical properties, as well as excellent design elements—maybe that's why we like it so much. Mushroom toys, Christmas ornaments, and children's book illustrations are lists unto themselves—perhaps a future project.

—Mushroom Art: Art Installation, Roman Graffiti, NYC graffiti, Sand Sculpture
—Mushroom Clothing: Skirts & Aprons by Made With Love by Hannah, and Applique T-shirt by Cupcakesorbet
—Mushroom Fabric: Japanese, Heather Ross, Vintage
—Mushrooms Crocheted by: Angharad, Oh Sew Pretty, Comfits & ElizabethD
—Mushrooms Felted by: Wol&Zo
—Mushroom Cozies by: Ask Anke (you'll have to scroll down for this one) & Axelhoney
—Mushroom Quilt by: 3j0hn
—Mushroom Pincushion by: Wataame
—Mushroom People by: Axel Honey
—Mushroom Softie by: Laureski Kolaure
—Mushroom Handbag by: Laureski Kolaure
—Mushroom Brooches by: My Little Odd Forest
—Mushroom Hat by: Dina Ladina

amanitamuscaria1
Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.

Fungus and Fabric

After two weeks of flu my son and I escaped the black hole that is our home and had great adventures in town and outdoors. We foraged for fabric and fungus and were successful with both--thrift store solids and small prints ($6US); and a couple handfuls of perfect chanterelles (free)! Exercise, dinner, and future crafts/clothing all for under ten bucks.