I haven’t had a chance to go mushroom hunting for a couple of months so I’ve taken to looking around the neighborhood on my morning walks. This morning I cut what appears to be a pound and a half chicken mushroom. Chicken mushrooms are one of my favorite wild mushrooms. Fried with garlic and olive oil and the braised with white wine they taste quite a bit like, well, chicken–sweet and a little musty.

My find got me to thinking… How much food do I walk past on a regular basis? My neighborhood contains plum trees, wild mint and walnut and hickory trees. There are also dandelions and nettles, which most people consider weeds, and a bunch of different mushrooms–some of which I know and others of which I do not. It’d be an interesting experiment to try and figure out what sort of meal one could make from the available goodies. It’s also interesting to think about how many plants produce things that we generally eat today but which once formed part of various indigenous communities staple diets–acorns, for example.

PS In case anyone is concerned, I am taking the mushroom to be identified by an expert before I eat. It’s always a good idea to get a second opinion, especially if you’re kind of novice mushroom hunter…