Chef's Tasting Table & Year-Round Selection

Description

Hand harvested, filtered, and evaporated from the frigid winter waters at a location in New England, this salt appears very similar to fleur de sel. I hope you find mine to be even better! Fresh, American sea salt at its finest.

More comparative information: Both are light grey, and both can contain traces of orange-pink colors from algae, and both have a unique crystalline structure. To quote wikipedia on fleur de sel on how varied crystalline structure affects the best sea salts: "The crystals of fleur de sel are irregularly sized and shaped and so dissolve at different rates in the mouth, giving several phases of salting." The unique combination of mineral content, algae, and varied crystalline structure result in a beloved final product.

Even more information: No additives, natural or artificial coloring methods (e.g., no clay oven to impart clay coloration), and slowly baked after evaporation to purify this complex-flavored salt of excess moisture content.

How I describe the flavor is: "The essence of the sea". Imagine if the orange-pink parts of fleur de sel were hand-separated, then added to fleur de sel in relatively high quantity to create the ultimate flavor experience. It would be a sea salt literal crème de la crème (separating out the cream of the cream).

Taking the orange-pink from my bowls, I add it in quantity to my best sea salt to create an orange-pink spattered light grey sea salt. All stated above (for my other sea salt) applies to this salt, but here the rarest parts create yet more amazing flavor sensations. The texture, unique color, and complex flavors truly Fmake this sea salt la crème de la crème.

Hand harvested, filtered, and evaporated from the waters at a location in New England, this salt has been described as "spicy". It tastes like liquid seasonings have been added to give it a kick, and yet nothing has been added, no clay oven has added aroma/flavor to it, etc. However, maybe just being mostly in an outdoor environment where I had it sit for over a month to evaporate has led it to gain this intense flavor. It is moist and versatile, as well as an exceptional finishing salt. Frankly, I hope I can duplicate it in the future, otherwise I'd be quite disappointed I'll never have it available again. I'd have to say it is now the most unique salts I have tasted amongst the many I have tasted.

Update: A chef commented that he didn't consider it "spicy" as I did. But, he said after tasting some and thinking it was done, it came back with a kick (the salty flavor reemerged). This is something he's never experienced before w/any salts, artisan or otherwise.

Mild fungal flavor with hints of somethings I have yet to pinpoint. These mushrooms superficially resemble fresh wood ears, yet are as different from them as a grapefruit is from a pomelo. Their versatility is fascinating. They can be added to soups for a unique texture, sautéed in a savory sauce where they will absorb flavors in fascinating abundance, placed on baked seafood, or even served raw. In fact, this is one of the few wild mushrooms I recommend raw, and perhaps this is the best way to experience it for the 1st time while keeping in mind in soups it will absorb flavor and become a really unique textural experience alone or with mild foods like raw fish.

Note: These are small, generally no more than an inch in diameter. Also, these are shipped dry but live, meaning when placing them in water (yes that is done with these, except when used in a soup) they do not simply reconstitute, they return to their fresh live form. This is a natural ability they have, for I can find them as tiny black dots in the dead of winter in a dry dormant state, but if it rains, they spring back to life in as fresh a state as a tomato being picked right off the vine of a garden.

An aside; a story: I have a funny scenario in my head around these:

A restaurant owner works at a restaurant and decides to check out the competition for the purpose of taking ideas & recipes for his/her own place. With an excellent memory and ability to taste even then smallest hints of ingredients used, this person is always able to decipher even complex recipes.

The undercover owner goes to the competition and tries a taster's course of raw sea urchin with a whole Exidia recisa sprinkled with far less than a pinch of mixed bolete powder, plus a pinch of my orange-pink sea salt. The owner thinks to himself: This is surely sea urchin, but is this a seaweed or some kind of wood ear? Likely a wood ear, but it is fresh,which could explain why it is a bit different than what I've seen & tasted before. Ah, so I will do whatever it takes to obtain fresh wood ear to put on top of sea urchin, and then there's this spice. Hum, what can it be? Perhaps a porcini powder, but it seems mild and different. Maybe it is less than it seems, and it combines with the fresh wood ear to produce an unusual flavor. Then there's this orange-pink salt. It looks to be too orange for australian sea salt. It must be the orange-pink of fleur de sel. Well, I must get that, too!

So, the owner gets all the ingredients, most of which aren't correct. They are combined for a good dish, but definitely not equaling the original dish. The owner's vast efforts to obtain what wasn't even correct ended up a poor copy of the original. The owner may even return, hoping to one day figure out the secret to this unique dish.

This very small fungi resemble bird's nests, with some specimens even having white colored "eggs" inside. They have a fungal flavor, but different than what people may be more commonly accustomed to. Also, being so small (perhaps 1/3"), I've eaten them raw but have yet to try cooking w/them. I may want to add them to a mild broth and see how they come out. I think their best quality for a restaurant is their look and appropriate name. My recommendation is to serve on per small plate, such as with sushi or even a cooked piece of fish. A chef or server would do well to point out how much these look like nests of actual birds, but in miniature. They look so interesting and preserve so well, that they could even be resold as a souvenir for display or more eating.

With a fascinating form, and edibility, these certainly have their place at a chef's tasting table and restaurant gift-shop alike.

Creps are tiny (~1/3" diameter each) fleshy mushrooms that visually resemble miniature oyster mushrooms. They are often listed in guides as having "unknown" edibility. There are zero reports of any toxic reactions in people. I consider these safe, but as always I try them before I sell them.

Dry they have a much different color than reconstituted/revived (to me they seem to come back to life like Exidea recisa do, but I haven't confirmed this theory yet).

Up to Three Separate Flavors: I've taken to eating tiny amounts raw. They are a taster's treat. Depending on species, up to three different flavor profiles emerge w/in about a minute at different times. First slightly sweet. Next comes the pepper (a cross btwn. pepper corns and hot peppers). Finally comes a woodsy or mushroomy flavor.

Amaranth stock is very varied in its flavor, which depends on what parts of the plant are used to make stock. Some say its flavor resembles stinging nettle broth. I have cooked a potent stock out of a combination of stems, leaves, and fresh seedheads. That is what I have for sale.

This is another stock that is potent and can last indefinitely under refrigeration. Adding it to recipes will impart a unique flavor. I enjoy using it with tomato and spices to cook quinoa in. Another use includes sparingly drizzling it on fish along with a strong oil (perhaps hazelnut or toasted sesame).

AKA, per wikipedia: "gum jum or golden needles (金针 in Chinese; pinyin: jīnzhēn) or yellow flower vegetables (黃花菜 in Chinese; pinyin: huánghuācài)", but the harder to find tubers of the plant. I dry them myself, but can offer fresh ones at times during the year.

These tubers share similar flavor characteristics with the flower bud's flavor, combined with a sweet jicama-like quality. These are small, measuring perhaps a inch on average, but they are very flavorful, so not a lot are needed even within a larger dish. To quote Shaw, Hank: "These are quite possibly the best tubers I’ve ever eaten."

As reported in an article in The Day and Connecticut Magazine:

This is the mushroom with a curry-like quality, best used in desserts. Many who taste syrup this is infused into would never guess a mushroom was involved, yet could be fascinated by its very unique flavor. To make the syrup, boil this dried mushroom in maple syrup to infuse. Add water if the syrup becomes too reduced. Much more flavor might be imparted by powdering the mushroom first (please let me know how it turns out if you try this powdering idea). The syrup stores indefinitely in the fridge, and upon opening it after storage you'll get the full impact of the curry-like aroma. They can also be used in savory dishes:

A cousin of the king bolete (porcini), these are far more attractive, with violet-grey coloration adorning these mushrooms. The flavor is also much different than porcinis. These have a bitter flavor, which may be tamed by drying to an extent. I find their bitterness very comparable to that of bitter melon. Therefore, they do well using the same preparation methods as does bitter melon. Their texture is comparable to porcinis. The Thai version of this mushroom are also used in Thailand in embittered savory dishes, but y0u won't find it in American Thai restaurants.

Many people do not realize that mushrooms can be so diverse in flavor. Not a single commonly cultivated mushroom contains this bitter-melon-like quality. If you or your patrons are looking for a totally unique food experience, they're in for a treat with properly prepared violet-grey boletes!

Siblings and cousins of the king bolete (porcini), have a tremendous variety of flavors and textures. I often spend many hours hunting for unique foodie experiences with this amazing family of mushrooms (Boletaceae). Within this family we have flavors ranging from that of porcini (porcini is actually a complex of a number of species!), to a lemony citrus, to earthy, to even a bit sweet!

I have dried these myself and placed them together for a mulch-sensory experience to be remembered! I highly recommend these, however there are three things to mention first:

1. The textures can vary from that of a porcini to that of a softer, more spongy mushroom, so keep this in mind with serving. In my opinion, they are not best sautéed and served on their own. They can do well with a protein that provides a firmer texture. Or, they may work to not fully reconstitute, and then to bake with some butter. They may also do very well in a stew, especially if cut up into small pieces first.

2. Some field guides list some of these as causing problems for some people (digestive difficulty, mostly GI issues, etc.), however my research indicates this is most likely due to people not cooking them thoroughly prior to consumption. As per my safety page, I have eaten these prior to selling and have never had even the slightest negative effect (just the positive effects of their wonderful flavors), but I always cook them thoroughly. Also, although the false king-bolete is listed as edible in many guidebooks, there is a moderately-small percentage of people who get sick from eating even small pieces of these even when thoroughly cooked. I therefore do not include false king-boletes or several others in this family (such as satan's bolete [even the name is a good clue!]).

3. You've probably heard of lobster mushrooms. These get their red color and lobster-like flavor from an ascomycete that covers select Russula and Lactarius species (yes, there is more than one lobster mushroom, with one being in a different genus than the other, entirely!). Finding these is a a matter of 1st finding the right mushrooms, then finding the ascomycete covering it (a doubly challenging mushroom hunt).

Now, some boletes can be covered with a different ascomycete (yellow or white in color), and I occasionally do find these. When I do, I rush to dry these and include in my mixed bolete collection. These are poorly documented as to edibility or not (but no known cases exist of any ill-effects), but I have been enjoying them without ill-effect. If you do not want these included, please let me know. If you want extras, please let me know, but I have few so I may or may not be able to honor a request for more.

Another cousin to the porcini, some species include the lemony citrus flavor that is a fascinating sensation in a mushroom! I find the texture to be superior in most suillus I choose to pick, eat, and sell. They can be fully reconstituted and cooked in most any way you would a porcini. The particular flavor and species you'll get will depend on availability at the time. Requests for specific type can only be made if you've tried a particular type, love it, and need that same on again.

Absolutely fascinating to the eye, these mushrooms are actually shaped like corals from the sea! Currently available are mild to moderately bitter varieties (see "Violet-Grey Bolete" description for more information, however these may not be as bitter).

A fascinating plant, the leaves & stems taste and smell like garlic, a tad bitter, and a tad sweet (flavor characteristics depend on the plant, types of leaves, and more). But the winter-tender roots taste much like horseradish or real wasabi!

My advice and some information you'll want to know:

-Be creative cooking with the leaves and stems, expecting interesting and delicious outcomes.

-Use the root like fresh horseradish. Imagine what it could be like to make a horseradish condiment without horseradish. I hope you will find this both exciting and very interesting. Or, imagine making your own "wasabi" out of this.

-Western wasabi, as you may know, is not Japanese wasabi. It is an imitation made of horseradish, green food coloring, and mustard. If you look at the leaves in my picture and compare them to the leaves of the horseradish and true wasabi plants, you'll see wasabi and garlic mustard leaves are very similar, but horseradish leaves are very different. It is also said that the full flavor of true wasabi lasts only 15 minutes after grating. I recommend using my garlic mustard roots in this same manner, grating on-demand. Through my company, you can now make "wasabi" not out of the wasabi plant, but out of a closely resembling plant that I can get fresh for you. If you must add green to the grating, consider pureeing the leaves, which will add more complex flavor to an already complex-flavored grated root.

From select species, I obtain the roots from these beautiful flowering plants for a unique food.

I recommend baking them thoroughly so a maillard reaction can bring about their sugars. They are also good in stews when mixed with complimentary vegetables. One thing I have yet to try is grating the raw root sparingly onto sushi. Please let me know how it is if you try that.

A very interesting point on foods with special effects (not exactly tastes or odors): There are some foods that cause special reactions to a taster's mouth. Capsicum creates a lasting sensation that is said to "burn", though I've never had hot tea feel like capsicum! Anyway, too much capsicum is painful, but the right amount for the right person is often welcomed. Similarly, allyl isothiocyanate has a different effect on us that is appreciated in the right amount (consider wasabi and the amounts people use). There is yet another special effect possible on the mouth, which is the effect of raphides. Like the other two, some people do not notice the mild amounts present in baked evening primrose roots, while others are sensitive to it. These produce a somewhat drying effect in the mouth, or like the others it can be an unusual painful sensation if in quantity. Raphide quanity may vary from plant-to-plant, and the cooking method may affect their potency as well.

When I eat these, I think spicy spring mix salad, but also radish, and yet also "I can't pinpoint it, but I like it". Another tiny little tidbit available in the winter (as long as the snow doesn't stop me), packed with flavor and not bitter. I defiantly recommend working with this winter rosette.

Note: My cress rosettes are not bitter in the least.

One dilemma I'd like to hear how you creative craftsmen feel about: I think they look really nice as whole rosettes, but in a tiny taster's course one could be overpowering. So, do you cut the leaves off to spread amongst courses, or do you leave it intact as a rosette?

Most are best used like bay leaves (cooked to add flavor to a recipe, but not directly eaten). To extract the most flavor from these, I recommend adding to a stock, slow cooking, or extensively pressure cooking. Most are so sturdy, that they can withstand an hour or more in the pressure cooker, only extracting the flavor, and not having the flesh get into the food.

I once made a birch polypore stock via the pressure cooker. It naturally had an interesting combination of bitter and a unique mushroomy flavor. The stock, composed only of this mushroom, lasted in perfect condition for months under refrigeration!

A combination of new mushroom flavors (some naturally bitter, and some not) with the ability to make a potent stock that refrigerates indefinitely makes this a purchase every fine dining kitchen shouldn't do without.

An attractive mix of edible polypores of similar use to the "Medium to Large Edible Bracket Polypores" above.

Another tiny taster's delight. Raw, water chickweed tastes rather fascinating, in that it is a tender leafy green, but has the flavor of corn silk. But boiled it more resembles spinach.

A choice forager's selection of mixed boletes goes into this unique fascinating flavorful powder. More mild and complex in flavor than porcini powder, you may enjoy experiment with it in so many fashions. But be warned: this could become a favorite staple of your kitchen, as a sort of spice you never knew. Just smelling it is involves a complex array of aromas. Eating it, well that's an experience you'll have to have yourself. A special recommendation will be given on its use, included only with its order.

My process for creating this powder: I spend many hours seeking out boletes that I choose to use toward this powder. A variety of flavors are found, all of which are boletes. I may find 1/2 to 1 lb. per day, which I then thoroughly clean. Next I dry them for days. Once dried, and a tiny fraction of their original size, I grind them into a powder. I'm often amazed at how a mushroom with a cap larger than my hand can make such a tiny amount of powder. It can take weeks of this process to create an ounce of this powder.

Wild bay leaves are amazing! These aromatic leaves are distantly related to common cultivated bay leaves, yet can be used as substitutes for commercial bay leaves in virtually any recipes (please use more, as the flavor these convey is less concentrated). The twigs and berries can also be used to flavor foods.

The leaves have the additional benefit of being soft enough to eat after thorough cooking. They can even be ground into many recipes, whereas commercial bay is ordinarily too fibrous. This adds whole new culinary possibilities even to recipes not ordinarily made for bay leaves!

Note: These are sold fresh or dried, but if choosing to dry fresh ones yourself, please do so out of the sun and with only mild heat, or the volatile oils will dissipate.

Note 2: Those found in the summer may be more tender and less potent, so these may be more commonly used in stir-fries, etc. than the fall ones for stews, etc. But, the summer ones work well in stews/soups if used in greater quantity.

Grown in New London County. Picked to order, and if purchased fresh, it is only available during a small window during late fall.

Feel free to ask about creative uses. Some may wish to use it in conjunction with dried saffron from a mass distributor, however, as I have. Or, the fresh may be consumed raw as a special treat. Dried threads occasionally available, also coming from the same location.

Very limited quantities available. Strongly recommended to place pre-order, as it is first come first served. In the event I do not get sufficient harvest to cover all orders, refunds will be issued to those most late in ordering.

This is one of the most impressive mushrooms a person can find. Yet it is also very different, thus challenging to work with. One interesting way to start, is by trying the powder in milk for a unique drink. If you're concerned bout using the powder raw, you can simmer in the milk, or perhaps bake the powder a little while 1st, but I personally have added a small amount to a 1/2 cup of milk (perhaps an 1/8tsp), and experienced no ill effect whatsoever. See the following for more information: Berkeley's Polypore

Pictures

This photo shows my sea salt w/a hint of orange-pink on the far right side of the photo (2:00 position):

In fine detail: zoom in to see the varied crystalline structure:

Comparing the looks of sea salts (bottom is kosher salt, left is ordinary sea salt, top is grey sea salt, & top right is my sea salt):

Photo of the finished product is forthcoming. Meanwhile, you can take a look at the process:

Here is my bowl where the rim contains the orange-pink sea salt, and the center shows the sea salt with some of the orange-pink mixed in:

Here is the Wikipedia picture of fleur de sel with the orange-pink well-displayed (search Wikipedia for fleur de sel for more information):

These wood-growing ear-shaped fungi sometimes strongly resemble the shape and lobes of a human ear. I think "wood ear" with these far more than the animal-ear shaped fungi cultivated as "wood ear".

Dry (left) and wet (right) creps:

Pictured is the plant w/seedhead:

Pictured is a dried on in a bag:

Please see the following link for pictures of fresh specimens: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/tylopilus_plumbeoviolaceus.html

Dried mixed boletes in bag:

Dried mixed boletes showcasing a white ascomycete covered bolete:

Dried suillus in bag:

Dried corals in bag:

Garlic mustard root and leaves:

The interior of this grilled evening primrose root reminds me of stringy chicken meat (definitely click it to see the detail):

This one is raw with quite a nice purple color. It also contains more potent raphides, thus it is something some people would need to work up to eating, as do some with hotter and hotter peppers:

Popping Cress ("Cress" for short):

Here are examples of polypores usable as described to the left:

Blue-grey turkey tail (photo appears less blue than typical):

Small mixed polypores below:

Water chickweed:

Picture not yet available, however to describe its look: Light brown, fine powder.

Fresh Northern Bay Leaves (one bunch):

Fresh Three-Threaded Saffron Flower: