From: nicodemus@foobar.hellsuncles.co.uk   
      
   Macabre of Auchterloonie wrote:   
   > riburr wrote:   
   >> Steve Peek wrote:   
   >>> "riburr" wrote:   
   >>>> Macabre of Auchterloonie wrote:   
   >>>>> riburr wrote:   
   >>>>>> This has been the kind of weather we've had for the last couple    
   >>>>>> weeks;   
   >>>>>> no precipitation, low humidity, low fuel moisture, strong breezes and   
   >>>>>> wind gusts... RED FLAG warnings have been posted for several days.    
   >>>>>> The   
   >>>>>> air around our home is hazy, with the acrid smell of smoke.   
   >>>>>>   
   >>>>>> Several forest fires have broken out in our immediate region, most    
   >>>>>> are   
   >>>>>> now reasonably contained. Right now it is windy and the smell of    
   >>>>>> smoke   
   >>>>>> is strong, and the air against the nearby mountain ridges is heavy   
   >>>>>> with particulate haze. Needless to say, mushrooms are presently    
   >>>>>> scarce.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> Or grilled.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>> The fires are out.  We've been under the influence for the last couple   
   >>>> days of a nor'easter; strong hurricane-like coastal cyclonic    
   >>>> circulation   
   >>>> bringing wind and cool rain and/or snow.  Like so many other things,   
   >>>> mushrooms tend to shrink and withdraw from the cold conditions.   
   >>>   
   >>> Not always true with morels. Yesterday a friend and I found 60 or so   
   >>> while   
   >>> braving high winds and snow showers.   
   >>>   
   >>   
   >> Well, gosh darnit, I'm gonna have to postpone fixing my lawn mower,    
   >> and get out into the forest.  Received about 2" rain in the last    
   >> couple days.  The sun finally came out today.  We've got 60°F and wind    
   >> right now.  Hopefully, the ticks will be lulled into sleep.  Have    
   >> several itchy bites from those tiny deer ticks.   
   >    
   > Be careful of those - they can carry nasty (and sometimes fatal)    
   > infections.   
   >    
   >> I'm *very* anxious to try smoked boletes.  I find most species rather   
   >> slimy and mediocre, and hope smoking will improve their gastronomic    
   >> value.   
   >    
   > I don't know that smoking them will help in that department. I'd slice   
   > and dry the soft ones and powder the dried bits for adding to soups and    
   > stews.   
   >    
   >> Smoked morels are simply out of this world.  Smoking really changes    
   >> the nature of their texture and color (they become a crispy golden),    
   >> and enhances their already excellent taste.   
   >    
   > Haven't found a proper morel for years...   
      
   Having said that, I found a solitary Morchella gigas, and half a bucket    
   of Verpa conica.   
      
   Also found several Agaricus bitorqis, Lepista sordida, Tricholoma    
   gambosum and some ther oddments.   
      
   --    
   Old Nick   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)