“Mycophagy Extravaganza!” - by Sue Rose

On May 2, twenty very fortunate people attended COMA's evening program featuring professional chefs, Damon Brunette and Rocanne Iarriccio.

(Photo: © Steve Rock)

For two hours they dazzled our imaginations and tempted our palettes with a fantastic cooking demonstration and mycophagy.

(Photo: © Steve Rock)

I knew we were in for a treat when I saw the kitchen table laden with a menu that included choice boletes, chanterelles, hens, morels, porcini and portobellos, as well as truffle oil, special cooking salts, and fresh herbs.

(Photo: © Steve Rock)

Damon and Rocanne started out with some basic cooking tips:

• Make sure the pans are very hot.
• Use only the best quality ingredients (don’t skimp on key ingredients such as salt and butter).
• Fresh herbs and pepper are essential seasonings.

Then it was a whirlwind of cooking! To learn how it was all done, check out the recipes.

We learned how to make a mushroom stock, which can be used as the basis for soups and sauces, or in place of liquids for certain recipes (such as when preparing rice and eggs). Ravioli filled with a mixture of sautéed oysters, hens and goat cheese, napped with parsley sauce was next. Then we observed the techniques for making polenta with wild mushrooms, and a sauce of grape tomatoes.

(Photo: © Steve Rock)

The salad presented was a tangy mix of arugula, thinly-sliced raw boletus edulis, shaved parmesan cheese, truffle oil and lemon juice.

(Photo: © Steve Rock)

Cod and salmon were pan seared, then baked and served with a cream sauce of morels, ramps and fiddlehead ferns - a cornucopia of spring's natural bounty! For a final treat we all enjoyed bread pudding brimming with morels, porcini and black trumpets.

Thanks, Damon! Thank you, Rocanne! That was delicious!!

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