Tout ce que la pluie se promet et en plus
Squish, squish, squish. My toes danced in the newly forming
puddles of my shoes. My thick hiking boots had finally relinquished any
semblance of staying dry. The water
leaden moss and rain soaked leaves sent droplets slowly and surely into my
boots, socks and between my toes. What
drew us out into the cool, wet, fall forest? We were hunting for… Les
champignons. Glorious, soil busting mushrooms that scent the air with fruity,
earthy odors. This is chanterelle season.
Mushrooms are abundant in the Pacific Northwest. They are
the fruiting bodies of a much larger underground network of mycelium. The
chanterelle is one of the most popular mushrooms. Their international
commercial value exceeds $1 billion dollars annually. Beyond their monetary
worth, fungi are also very important to the forests in which they grow.
Fungal mycelium forms a symbiotic relationship with trees.
The fungus assists trees in their intake of nutrients and water and helps with
organic decay. In return the trees provides sugar for the fungus to sustain
itself. Next time you take a walk in the woods to marvel at the giant
coniferous trees, take a moment to find a mushroom and say, merci!
Enjoy these fun interpretations of les champignons normands!
