al otro lado del rio

So, unfortunately, mushroom hunting didn’t go as planned. Buddies came to visit - and we opted for…Denny’s…in Springfield before they departed. Hardly the great outdoors, but damn, those folks can make some hashbrowns. I made up for this by making some delicious salmon and lentils with onions, leeks, carrots, celery. Add a lot of salt and red wine vinegar to the mixture and it makes for a tangy bite. The best way I’ve found to make salmon is to cook the salmon for four minutes in an extremely hot dry pan, flip it, and put it in a 450 degree oven for seven minutes. Its skin is crispy, but the salmon is still moist and pink. Voila! So delicious and healthy and northwesty! Ate while reminiscing about Macklemore last night … “every time somebody steps out on the road, they bring a little northwest soul with them, ameeeeeen” !!!

So, unfortunately, mushroom hunting didn’t go as planned. Buddies came to visit - and we opted for…Denny’s…in Springfield before they departed. Hardly the great outdoors, but damn, those folks can make some hashbrowns. I made up for this by making some delicious salmon and lentils with onions, leeks, carrots, celery. Add a lot of salt and red wine vinegar to the mixture and it makes for a tangy bite. The best way I’ve found to make salmon is to cook the salmon for four minutes in an extremely hot dry pan, flip it, and put it in a 450 degree oven for seven minutes. Its skin is crispy, but the salmon is still moist and pink. Voila! So delicious and healthy and northwesty! Ate while reminiscing about Macklemore last night … “every time somebody steps out on the road, they bring a little northwest soul with them, ameeeeeen” !!!

I just left a lecture given by author Hank Shaw, a cook first, hunter second, who has created these inspired recipes from real life experiences in the outdoors. The book is divided into plant, fish, and game outlining creative yet practical recipes, like Spanish braised squirrel, and a manual on foraging itself while forging an intimate relationship with food. One of the most interesting aspects he spoke about is how what works in the wild will work on a plate. You can look at what game flies around the mushrooms, what nuts or berries grow around the bend, or even what crops are common in or around the area. Always looking for ways to be outdoors and eat, this weekend I’ve decided to venture into what some call the greatest mushroom mecca in North America…my backyard.  Yes, the Pacific Northwest is renowned for its variety of mushrooms, and I intend to pluck a few on a hike this weekend around Brice Creek, bring ‘em home, and create something buttery and emanating that particular northwesty food flair. 

I just left a lecture given by author Hank Shaw, a cook first, hunter second, who has created these inspired recipes from real life experiences in the outdoors. The book is divided into plant, fish, and game outlining creative yet practical recipes, like Spanish braised squirrel, and a manual on foraging itself while forging an intimate relationship with food. One of the most interesting aspects he spoke about is how what works in the wild will work on a plate. You can look at what game flies around the mushrooms, what nuts or berries grow around the bend, or even what crops are common in or around the area. Always looking for ways to be outdoors and eat, this weekend I’ve decided to venture into what some call the greatest mushroom mecca in North America…my backyard.  Yes, the Pacific Northwest is renowned for its variety of mushrooms, and I intend to pluck a few on a hike this weekend around Brice Creek, bring ‘em home, and create something buttery and emanating that particular northwesty food flair.