|
|
|
The mushroom festival and feast, in photos
� Julia Koprak 2009 Though the lights were turned on for visitors, growing portobellas love shade and moisture. They can grow from a cremini (~1.5 inches) to a portobella (~5+ inches) in less than a week.
The mushroom festival and feast, in photos
 |
| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| Though the lights were turned on for visitors, growing portobellas love shade and moisture. They can grow from a cremini (~1.5 inches) to a portobella (~5+ inches) in less than a week. |
Philadelphia-based writer/photographer and Meal Ticket reader Julia Koprak shot her way across the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival a few weeks back, then came home to turn her haul of shiitakes, creminis, royal trumpets and maitakes (hen-of-the-woods) into a multi-course tasting for a few lucky friends.
"As for the mushroom festival itself," writes Julia, "the highlight for me was definitely the farm tour, though I did have dreamy expectations of a wild mushroom hunt (I've heard morels grow like crazy in PA)."� Julia didn't get her wild mushroom hunt, so she got her thrills serving untested recipes to guests.
 |
| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| A haul of tasteful fungus. |
"On Friday I created a mushroom feast with my festival purchases ...� A very informal affair, some friends all hung around my table sipping wine (I bribed them with a Chateauneuf du Pape), wiping and slicing mushrooms, and waiting for the next course to come out.� I had never made any of these dishes before, so I was happy with the turnout."
Take a look at more of Julia Koprak's Mushroom Festival and Feast photos, after the jump.
 |
| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| Many local mushroom farms are family-run businesses, though the picking is done mostly by Mexican migrant workers, who typically wake up at 4am to start harvesting! |
 |
| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| The spawning machine helps to mix together the spores, natural fertilizer (aka pasteurized...), and nutrients.� As far as I could tell (from my peeking and inquiries) the farm didn't use any pesticides or other chemicals, though interestingly the mushrooms aren't labeled as organic. |
 |
| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| Tenderloin Carpaccio with Shaved Cremini, Arugula, Romano and White Truffle Oil |
 |
| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| Maitakes Sauteed with Shallots and White Wine over Frisee, topped with Poached Egg + Garlic Chives |
 |
| � Julia Koprak 2009 |
| Mafaldine tossed with Shitakes, Royal Trumpets and Mascarpone (+ olive oil, garden parsley, and crushed red pepper) |
Looks delicious!!
Mmmmmmmmmm! Yummy food, yummy pictures!
carpaccio. how daring!
Yes Rachel, I couldn't imagine how next-to-impossible it would be to slice filet without it all falling apart (a testament to the meat's quality but not my mediocre knife)
I heard some great mushroom jokes the other day...
julia...you are the best photographer ever!!! cant believe i missed the meal...repetez s'il vous plait?
- barstool scientist
- Booze
- Brew Revue
- Chef Salad
- Closings
- Coffee
- Contests
- Dealage
- Dirty Dishes
- Don't Front
- Eat This Immediately
- Field Trip
- Food and Art
- Food and Holidays
- Food and Movies
- Food and Music
- Food and Politics
- Food and Sports
- Food and Web
- Food Blogs
- Food Books
- Food Events
- Food News
- Food TV
- Gifted
- Happy Hour Hopper
- How-To
- In Print
- Interview
- Meal Ticket
- Menu Time
- Not So Quickfire
- Notes from the Weekend
- On Wheels
- Openings
- Patio Drinking
- Philly Beer Week 2010
- Photos
- Private Chef POV
- Product Placement
- Recipes
- Snack Time
- Stiff Drank
- SUPPER
- Tea
- Testing
- Ticket Stubs
- Top Chef
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Video
- Weekly Candy
- Weird Regional Foods
- We're Here to Help
- Where'd We Eat?
- Drew Lazor's Ill-Advised Rant Factory
- Pregame
- Ill-Advised Ranting
- The Week Without Meat
- Philly Beer Week 2009
- Real Big
- Where'd I Eat Last Night?
- Top Chef Masters
- The Good Word
- Next Iron Chef
- Arterial Terrorism
- Food and Radio
