Yesterday, I was shooting video with a fellow who lives here at DR, Thomas. It was for a new Dancing Rabbit TV video that I am working on, and we were walking through a particular section of the woods as I had the camera rolling. Thomas started to tell a story about how he had found this great big mushroom at the base of an oak tree in this same location a few years ago, and then as he looked down, there was yet another sitting there — a gigantic maitake mushroom, or hen of the woods.
We gasped in amazement at the sight of it. There it was, nestled near that oak tree, a huge, probably four pound maitake beast. We scooped it up and made our way back to the village, anxious to cut into the fleshy polypore. Thomas carefully pulled it apart in preparation for cooking it, filling an entire large wok with bits of the mushroom.
Then we let it cook for a good while with some garlic, oil, and soy sauce in a gigantic cast iron pan. Afterwards, we partook in the feast that was this mushroom. Lots of people came for a sample and delighted in the flavor of the maitake. It has a very unique texture, almost rubbery and slippery, like chicken meat. The flavor is prominent and earthy. What a treat!
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