Monday Mushrooms

Retired Mountain Man found these Lobster Mushrooms (Hypomyces lactifluorum) near where he parks his pickup.  They must have popped up after that rain we had last Tuesday.  We were surprised to find them as we usually find them in mid to late August.

 A lobster mushroom really isn't a mushroom at all, but rather it's a fungus that has parasitized a russula or lactarius mushroom.   It's bright orange-red color resembles a lobster and while some say that it has a slight seafood taste, I think it tastes more like a mushroom than any seafood I've ever tasted.  It also has more crunch than most mushrooms with a very firm texture.   It makes a very good mushroom soup.  In other dishes I prefer to saute' them in butter first.

There were too many to eat fresh so I am drying a few of them.

I spent most of the day Sunday making some beet pickles.  It's a process that takes about three hours and I'm glad that we only need a few pints of these per year.   By the time I am finished I seem to have pots and pans and lids and canning equipment everywhere!

This is one of my favorite begonias.  Summer glory.

There are blueberries to pick and it's time to check all of the garden veggies to see what needs to be harvested.  Green beans, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, broccoli, basil, onions, beets, and carrots.  It's a happy, busy summertime in the garden.

There are only two more days and the month of July will have whizzed by.    Enjoy!