Monday, October 19, 2015

Tout ce que la pluie se promet et en plus

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!