Today was a sad, sad day for myself as a chef. Those past 9 months of culinary school finally took its toll on my physical stamina. Exploring Land’s End in San Francisco almost killed me half-way through. Doubled over, dying after pushing through a few flights of stairs was embarrassing. The me two years ago would’ve kicked my ass today. So I stacked some rocks as a friendly reminder that even though I’ll be constantly hustling about in the kitchen, doesn’t mean I should be lazy and not exercise on my days off.

On a lighter note… let’s talk mushrooms! One of my favorite parts about taking the ferry back to Vallejo is the Ferry Building Marketplace. Far West Fungi is  a fun place to visit for their cultivated and wild mushrooms, fresh seasonal truffles and unusual forest products. They also have awesome posters showing psychedelic and poisonous mushrooms, which I find to be absolutely fascinating. One of the things on my to-do list is go foraging for mushrooms someday. Chanterelle mushrooms, being one of the more easily recognizable varieties, is definitely be on my shopping list. But of course, never go foraging without a professional. Rather admit to not knowing what you’re doing than kill a room of guests with poisonous shrooms.

A few tips about mushrooms:

Never store mushrooms in plastic as this deteriorates the flesh rapidly. It also promotes moisture which accelerates spoilage. Paper bags are your best bet!

Never rinse/wash mushrooms because it will make them soggy or dilute the flavor… JUST KIDDING!! This is a myth! Since mushrooms are mostly made out of water, a quick rinse wouldn’t make a significant difference in the taste or texture. BUT! Be warned. Since washing can damage the surface cells and cause general discoloration, they should be cooked immediately. [McGee, Harold.On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print.]

Cook on, foodies! 🙂