Autumn = Lactarius deliciosus.

Mushroom Hunters - Nairne SA 1981. L to R Catherine, Karina and Jane Nield. 

Growing up on a few acres in the outer Adelaide Hills, surrounded by farmland - I have exceptionally fond memories of mushroom hunting in Autumn and Winter.  

When mushroom season started it was common for Mum to rug us kids up in parkas and rubber boots, hand us a backpack of snacks, a small paring knife each and a 4 litre ice cream   container (or a bucket if we were feeling lucky) and point us in the direction of the neighbouring paddocks. 

Hours later we would return home, ruddy cheeked and hungry and usually laden with kilos of freshly picked field mushrooms. Year after year we would return to our favourites 'spots' where (if the conditions were right) we'd be almost guaranteed to find a crop of mushrooms. 

With such beautiful memories of peaceful afternoons spent traversing paddocks in search of mushrooms -  it's no wonder an afternoon spent in the same way these days seems like relative bliss.  There were no pine forests in the area closest to where I grew up - so it was only later in life that I was introduced to the delicacy that is the Saffron Milk Cap or red Pine Mushroom (Lactarius Deliciousus).  It thrives in the damp pine forests that cover many an acre in Western Victoria around the Ballarat region. For the past couple of years since being introduced to this type of mushroom by my field biologist younger sister Cat - I have been foraging them from the forests. 

There has been a lot of press lately about the dangers of harvesting mushrooms from the wild. I would never advocate foraging for wild mushrooms without a sound knowledge of what species are edible and what types can cause serious illness or even death. My sister (in addition to being a field biologist) also partook in one of Alison Pouliot's highly recommended Fungi Ecology Workshops so I'm confident that I've got the necessary fungi identification skills required to forage without tempting fate. I guess the number one rule is 'if in doubt - leave it out' of the basket. It's just not worth the risk.  

The saffron milk cap is truly a seasonal delight, but I honestly believe they taste their best when you have gone to the effort of finding them yourself. There's nothing quite like the appetite that a few hours of forging in the forest invokes. 

The black cockatoos were in fine form while I was foraging. . .listen HERE

For my first mushroom hunt for season 2012 - I headed to the pine plantation forests around Creswick ( a gorgeous 15 minute drive or so from Ballarat). Creswick is well worth a visit regardless of it being mushroom season or not. Soak up the mostly modest Gold Rush architecture and drop into one of the local cafes or pubs for lunch, but make sure you head out for a walk in the surrounding forests. This early in the season there wasn't an abundance of pine mushrooms to be found. . .they were mostly growing on the cleared sections hugging the forest roads where the lack of trees has allowed for a better penetration of rain. I didn't find any patches of mushrooms in the depths of the forest (where it was still relatively dry) but from past experience I know that later in the season the entire forest will be flourishing with fungi.  

My recommendation when decided on which mushrooms will end up in the basket destined for the kitchen - is to err on the side of sensibility. It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment and pick EVERY milk cap you stumble upon - believe me I've done it before. But unlike supermarket mushrooms - the saffron milk cap is a very sensitive species and will turn quite quickly from crispy fresh to manky looking. In my experience the smaller mushrooms are the most delicious - the older the bloom gets, the more the distinctive 'green gill' effect takes over. So pick those mushrooms which are fresh enough that they will still be appealing when they hit the chopping board in a few hours or a day or so - leave the larger green tinged specimens to continue the cycle in the forest where they will give up their spores and give rise to the next generation.  

My tips for preparing saffron milk caps? Add them to any dish in which mushrooms would normally star. Saute in butter with seasonal herbs and a splash of wine and serve on toast or add to a risotto or pasta dish and you can't go wrong. Experiment. Enjoy. 

Here's last year's recipe for Braised Saffron Milk Caps.

Fig Foraging At Sunset

 

Just when I was thinking I'd left it to late too savour one of Autumn's most delicious bounties - the fig, I happen upon this amazing fig tree laden with ripening figs. I've driven past it so many times on my way back from the Ballarat Community Garden, but the time span between green nugget hard figs and juicy ripe ones is obviously much shorter than I anticipated. This teenage fig tree is on an empty lot - out of respect for the owners I've waited until it's obvious that no one is harvesting the fruits of this lonely tree.  After last week's warm weather - suddenly the figs are ripe to perfection, only one showing signs of being ravaged by a bird (or possum). 

  

Which leads to Rule Number One of Ballarat foraging. ALWAYS KEEP A BASKET IN THE BACK OF THE CAR (or bike, or backpack if you're on foot). 

 

So now I just need to figure out what to do with around 3 kilograms of juicy figs. My Mum's figs which she'd preserved in port wine were delicious, I could just dry them in my dehydrator but I'm thinking Fig Paste to go with some delicious local cheeses. They're ripening quickly so it's time to make a decision. 

Local Food at Smart Living Ballarat's Launch

What better way to celebrate the official launch of Smart Living Ballarat (last Friday the 20th of April) than with a delicious morning tea featuring lovely local food and produce. Along with The Home,The Environment, Transport and Water - Local Food is one of the five key elements represented at Smart Living Ballarat, with plenty of ideas on how to make 
more sustainable choices in these aspects of your life. 

Pumpkins from local grower Max the Amazing Pumpkin Man of Ballarat

When it comes to food - there's nothing quite like freshly prepared seasonal produce sourced from local producers where ever possible and having a local restaurant and cafe hand deliver (on foot) their contributions for this special morning tea certainly helped to keep those food miles in check. 

From chef Damien Jones just across the road at the Lydiard Wine Bar - sensational carrot muffins with a lemon and Meredith Goat's Cheese icing and a leek and goat's cheese tart. 

From the Swallow's Nest Cafe just next door - flavoursome open sandwiches using Ballarat's Basilio Sour Dough and locally sourced toppings including Tuki Smoked Trout and vibrant local eggs. 

                                 

From Nadia and Andrew at Goldfields Farmhouse Cheese a platter of local cheese served with Jenny Schmidt's tomatoes and lettuce and my home made quince paste and feijoa relish. 

From my home kitchen a couple of batches of mini scones topped with feijoa, plum and quince jam from last years preserving efforts. 

And finally the dips. Roasted beetroot and horseradish using Spring Creek Organics phenomenal beetroots and horseradish picked from my mate Paul's garden in North Ballarat. And something new for me - a roasted mushroom and walnut pate / dip made with Ballarat Mushroom Farm mushrooms and walnuts from Jenny's tree. 


All in all a very fitting morning tea to celebrate the opening of Smart Living Ballarat - pop in for a visit next time you're in Lydiard Street for plenty more Local Food ideas.


And for those who have asked me for the recipes for the dips and the relish. . .enjoy. 

FEIJOA RELISH

Ingredients
1.2kg (appx 4-5 cups) feijoa pulp (peeled and chopped or just scoop out the flesh with a spoon and chop roughly)

2 large red onions

3 large brown onions (appx 650g)

1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil

6 tsp (or 6 cloves) of crushed garlic

3 medium granny smith apples

2 cups malt vinegar

2 cups sultanas

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 tsp mixed spice

1-2 tsp curry powder (to taste)

2 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp crushed chilli (or powdered equivalent)

Method

Finely slice onions (a V Slicer saves time and tears).

·         Heat oil in a large heavy based saucepan and gently caramelize the onions, adding a splash 

o    of water when needed to avoid them sticking or burning. You can skip this step but it certainly

      adds depth of flavor.

·         Add garlic and brown.

·         Finely dice peeled apples and add them and the chopped feijoa pulp to the pan.

·         Add all remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, stirring frequently.

·         Then allow to simmer for at least one hour, stirring often. If you have the time allow to simmer 

      for around 2 hours until chutney mixture is thick and has darkened to a rich colour.

      Sterilize glass jars and pour hot mixture into them and seal while hot.

ROASTED BEETROOT AND HORSERADISH DIP

Ingredients

Fresh beetroots

Onions

Garlic

Horseradish

Olive oil

Cream Cheese

Salt

Method

Don't be too concerned about measurements for this dip - I generally just work with whatever amount of beetroot I have on hand and adjust other ingredients to suit.

Peel and chop beetroots into medium sized chunks and toss with olive oil and roast in a hot oven until tender (turning often to avoid burning).

Chop onions into large chunks (roughly half and onion per medium beetroot) and roast in a little olive oil. When the onion is half cooked - add the garlic cloves (to taste) as they will cook more quickly than the onions.

Allow roasted ingredients to cool. 

In a food processor or blender, blitz the beetroots, onion and garlic adding the olive oil used for roasting. Add additional oil or water (for a lighter mix) and blend until smooth. 

Add a tablespoon of softened cream cheese and continue to blend. Add as much or as little cream cheese as you like to taste. 

Add freshly grated horseradish to taste (or creamed horseradish from a jar) and blend -  tasting frequently so as not to overpower the beetroot flavour. Add salt to taste if required.

Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. This dip keeps well in and airtight container 

for several days.

ROASTED MUSHROOM AND WALNUT DIP

Ingredients

Mushrooms (approx 500gms). I used button mushrooms but any type of mushroom is fine.

Walnuts (approx 1 cup per 500gms of mushrooms)

Onions

Garlic

Olive Oil

Cream Cheese

Fresh thyme

Pedro Ximenez Sherry (or any good quality sherry) 

Salt

Method

Drizzle mushrooms, onions and garlic with a little olive oil and roast in a moderate oven until the juice from the mushrooms begins to release and the onions and garlic have begun to caramelise. Towards the end of the roasting time add sprigs of fresh thyme. Allow to cool.

Lightly toast or roast the walnuts being careful not to scorch them.

In a blender or food processor blitz the above ingredients adding the pan juices and oil. Add extra olive oil or water to aid the blending process. 

Add cream cheese (as much as you desire) and blend until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add a splash of sherry and salt to taste. 

Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving - but overnight is best to allow the flavours to develop. If you'd like to serve as a pate make the mixture thicker and spoon into small tins or pate sized containers (lined with cling wrap) and allow to set overnight.

Go Local Ballarat - Local Food Week

It was a real honour a few months back to be invited to be part of the working

group behind Go Local Ballarat - a whole week dedicated to local food events and discussions, inspired by the Transition Towns concept which is flourishing around the world in response to growing pressures on communities as Peak Oil looms. I'm still learning about the whole Transition concept - but as far as I see it so far, it's crucial that we start taking positive action (starting at the local level) that will help create stronger, happier and more resilient communities.

Food is such a huge part of all of our lives and it's relatively simple to start making small changes that can lead to some pretty big outcomes. So for the first Go Local Ballarat week - Local Food became the focus.

Imagine a Ballarat where we all value the role of local farmers and producers and support their businesses every time we go shopping by choosing products grown as close to home as possible, using the most sustainable methods of production.

Imagine a Ballarat where community gardens and public food forests flourish, so fresh seasonal produce can be enjoyed by all - not just those with enough money to buy premium organic produce.

Imagine a Ballarat where backyards are overflowing with the bounty of the seasons - where families and communities come together to grow, cook and share the fruits of their labour.

Yesterday the Go Local Ballarat Local Food Week kicked off with the first ever BREAZE Local Produce Swap at Smart Living Ballarat in Lydiard Street. A handful of enthusiastic gardeners traded produce grown in their backyards or swapped excess produce harvested in the local area.

BREAZE Local Produce Swap @ Smart Living Ballarat

Prickly Pears

Walnuts, Chestnuts, Seedlings and Herbs for swapping

One of the highlights of Local Food Week will no doubt be the Local Produce Dinner at the Lydiard Wine Bar on Tuesday night (April 17th) where head chef and owner Damien Jones and chef Andy Beyerle (and member of the Ballarat Permaculture Guild) will transform produce sourced from various backyard plots, the Ballarat Community Garden and local producers into a unique and memorable food experience.

While helping the chefs source local produce, I went to visit local farmer Max whose passion is pumpkins. I think from now on I'll just call him Max the Amazing Pumpkin Man of Ballarat.

The second official event of Local Food Week was this afternoon's Preserving Seasonal Produce Workshop. . .presented by the BREAZE Local Food Group, the Ballarat Community Garden and Ballarat Community Health. So inspiring to have more than twenty people spend their Sunday learning some of the tricks and techniques of Fowler's preserving and relish making - with who better to pass on some family secrets than my Mum, who came all the way from the Adelaide Hills to help co-ordinate the workshop. Thanks Mum!

Preserving Seasonal Produce Workshop (my Mum Anne in the floral apron).

There's plenty more fantastic Go Local Events to take part in throughout the week - culminating in Saturday's 'Open Space Forum' at the Eastwood Leisure Centre at 10am where the whole question of 'How Will Ballarat Feed Itself in 2020?' will be thrashed out. So if you eat and you live in the Ballarat region and would like a say in how we all help shape the future of food in this unique city - come along on Saturday and be part of the conversation.

For details head to the Smart Living Ballarat website. www.smartlivingballarat.org.au/golocal/