Wild mushrooms picking

Wild mushrooms picking is a tradition that my parents passed on upon me. Growing up in France, my parents would take me along to pick up wild mushrooms: "cêpes, chanterelles, morilles..." Of course, lets not lie, when the weather outside was cold and rainy, I did not enjoy the experience. Though, I admit in truth, picking up wild mushrooms was fun too. In my mind, I would see it as a sort of treasure hunt. Plus, I wanted to prove myself to my father, an avid mushrooms picker. I still remember how I was so proud to wear my own "fishing basket" where I would store my wild mushrooms. I would even make it a competition, I wanted to prove myself as a wild mushrooms picker and demonstrate to my dad that I was his daughter. I was set on making him proud. Not to sound arrogant, though I was rumored to have the sight. Anyhow this passion for wild mushrooms picking certainly originates from my childhood. Since I landed in the United States, not only did I miss my "food" and my mushrooms picking days. Hence, besides my father encouraging me to go out and find the USA's wild mushrooms after I would lament to him how much I missed joining him and my family for our wild mushrooms picking expeditions, I attempted my chance. Late last summer, I found chanterelles and porcini mushrooms. This spring I thought I would attempt my luck at morels. Here is the result, after figuring out where legally I could pick up wild mushrooms near me, I entered the woods and lucky me, filled up partially my basket with morels.

Fresh herbs

I enjoy adding herbs into my dishes when cooking. This led me to start my own herbs garden this year. I planted cilantro, dill, thyme, rosemary, basil and recently added 4 plants of Heirloom Cherokee tomatoes. So far, I am very satisfied with the results. I enjoy using fresh rosemary and basil. My cilantro due to the heat and season has grown tall and started blooming and transforming itself into yielding coriander seeds (which I look forward to collect).