The First Foray

Today was my first trip into the forest since June (when the Forest was bare apart from one solitary Summer Cep).

As you can see from the photo on the left, there wasn’t much about and, what there was, wasn’t of particularly high quality (Click on the photo for a better view – don’t forget to use the Back button to return).

I drove in to the South-West side of the forest and left the car. There is a track along the Southern edge of the forest that has some special spots (petits coins in French) where I usually find the first Ceps of the year. Today, however, all was bare. I headed North until I hit the Les Forges road, then West towards Les Cinq Chemins. As I was shuffling along the side of the road, poking around in the ditch, a car pulled up… “Any luck?”, the driver asked.






“No”, I replied. “I think that it’s still too early.”

The driver agreed and, after he had wished me luck, drove off. Mushrooming is a very important business here and most people are interested in the annual arrivel of Les Ceps.

A few hundred metres along the road, I met a man coming towards me, also poking a stick into the ditch beside the road. He was wearing a pair of overalls and he explained that he works for a local garage and was just delivering a repaired car to the client when he thought he’d stop for 10 minutes to check for the early Ceps. It is quite acceptable (in this part of France) to keep a customer waiting for this reason.

He asked me where I was going and, when I told him, told me that he had taken 1kg of Ceps there, one morning, last October. He suggested that I look along the North side of the track. I thanked him and continued on my way.

Before long, I was at Les Cinq Chemins. This is where 5 tracks converge in the forest. There are a number of old buildings there which are used as a base for hunters meeting up for the ritual Sunday morning wildlife killing spree.

There, I met the guy who had earlier pulled over to ask me if I’d found anything. He was preparing the lodge for the next day. He introduced me to his friends and I spent a good twenty minutes talking about mushrooms, the weather and the world in general – it really is a very friendly place here. Refreshed by a cold beer that my new friends offered me, I continued on my way; knowing full well that I would be the topic of conversation in their local bar, once they had finished their day’s work.

Finally I got to one of my petits coins – one of those secret places that has never failed me – until today, that is. It was totally bare, not even any evidence that someone else had got there first. I turned round and headed back South, towards where I had left the car. I wasn’t too upset about not finding anything – after all, it is still a bit early in the year.

It was a bit of a suprise, then, to stumble across these two Orange Birch Boletes (Leccinum Versipelle) – these are know as Bolets Oranges locally. They weren’t in the best of condition but certainly edible. For an idea of the size, my mushrooming knife is 13cms long (including the brush).

Wow, I wouldn’t be going home with an empty basket.

Things were looking up and, as luck breeds luck I started finding some small (and not particularly wonderful) Field Mushrooms (Agaricus Campestris). As I continued back to the car, I was rewarded with the find of a large Bay Bolete (Boletus Badius) – to get a better idea of the size, the cap measured 19cm across. So, now, with a slightly heavy basket I made my way back to the car – after all, every Saturday morning, there is a market in Josselin. Although I didn’t need to buy anything, I knew that I would meet my work colleagues there and couldn’t wait to pass on the news.

Just before I got to the car, I met a couple taking their daughter out for a walk in the forest. “Mummy, look at those mushrooms”, she cried out. “Can we pick mushrooms, as well?”

I spoke to the couple (and their daughter) for about 10 minutes. I got the feeling that I may well meet them again – next time, carrying baskets and rooting around in the undergrowth – I hope so!

All in all, a great two hours in the forest. I had found some mushrooms, had some exercise, met some people and made new friends – and to think that I had sworn at the alarm clock when it went off at 6am!

Back home, the field mushrooms went into a small basket which I then put into the fridge (the only way of keeping, less than wonderfull, field mushrooms fresh) and the bolets went in a dark cupboard. I will eat the field mushrooms for my Sunday breakfast with little strips of pork belly, cooked in butter with shallots. The mushrooms go in at the last moment – they don’t need much cooking. The bolets will be cleaned and sliced and added to a chicken fricasse that I am planning for Sunday night. Once again, the mushrooms go in towards the end of the cooking process -they need time to give up some flavour to the sauce but, they also need to retain some firmness.

My next mushrooming trip will be Sunday 3rd September – although, as I am on the late shift this week (and thus starting work at 10am), I might be able to get a couple of quick trips in before then – I’ll let you know how I get on.

All the best

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