Treasures From A Forest Forage
Thanks to Muddy Stilettos, Mr Glam and I booked ourselves onto the Mushroom Foraging Morning, run by michelin star restaurant The Sir Charles Napier. This has long been one of our favourite restaurants and the prospect of a beech wood walk, a cookery demo using our wonderful finds and lunch with like minded people was definitely something to look forward to.
Chiltern Beech Woods
Each Thursday in October up to thirty people, fuelled with coffee, set off from the restaurant with a guide. Unfortunately he was ill for our walk, but Julie Griffiths, the owner for some forty years, valiantly took over. The walk took us through a meadow and then into a beautiful beech wood. Crunchy brown underfoot and beautiful filigree lime green above, what ever we found, this was going to be two hours of wonderful walking. There is, of course, nothing to stop you returning to the restaurant earlier and relaxing with a glass of wine. But Mr Glam and I were there for a walk, a forage and to take some lovely photos.
Is It Edible?
Searching amongst the leaves we found both edible and inedible funghi, taking our treasures to Julie to be verified. Beautiful colours and the strangest of shapes, each edible morsel was carefully placed in a basket and carried back to be oohed and aahed over.
Chef Chris Godfrey Making Mushroom Risotto
Glass of wine in hand, we filed into the kitchen to be greeted by Chef Chris Godfrey with hints for making a perfect mushroom risotto, even how to prepare it the day before for a dinner party. Watching him stir and add the stock, he reminded us that risotto is only as good as the stock you use and that it takes patience to coax the creamy consistency that is so tasty from the arborio or carnarolli rice.
Mushroom Risotto Topped With Baby Sorrel Leaves
Topped with baby sorrel leaves this was our starter when we sat down at long tables to chat with our fellow foragers, followed by breast of partridge on a bed of beautifully seasoned vegetables. A great way to spend an early autumn day, I’m signing up for the spring wild garlic and herb foraging.
If you enjoyed this post why not subscribe to Glamorous Glutton free here
The Sir Charles Napier
Sprigg’s Alley
Chinnor
Oxon OX39 4BX
Tel: 01494 483011
What a glorious day. There’s little to compare with a walk through a forest and then to get snazzy risotto that looks this good!
It was a glorious day and finished with a fabulous lunch. GG
What a wonderful day to spend a day! I’d live to do something like that. At the moment, I’m afraid if I cooked with foraged mushrooms I might kill someone 😉
*kisses* H
We booked fairly last minute but i think we were lucky to get a couple of spaces. It was great fun. GG xxx
I have been tempted to take a similar tour here but they seemed so expense.
I thought this was really good value, that’s why I’d book again. GG
Oh my, I would love to go mushroom foraging, with an expert! My cousins in Stockholm do so, and they know their stuff. I would be afraid here in Australia, where experts have died from eating death caps!
I went mushroom foraging in Sweden, it’s a really big thing there. We weren’t in much doubt about what was and wasn’t edible so it was all quite safe. GG
What a lovely day it must have been! Love mushroom risotto!
It was wonderful and the risotto was fab. GG
I love the look of this risotto and that’s very good advice re using quality stock. I know I should make my own but I often find myself buying it at the grocery store! I think the mushroom foraging would have been a fabulous way to spend a day xx
I often buy my own there are a couple of really good brands including one by Heston Blumenthal which is excellent. GG
Lucky lucky you. I am soooo scared of mushrooms that I don’t pick them- I Ieave that to OH. I am urrounded by wild garlic in the spring and pretty much live on wild garlic pesto the entire time so feel free to come forage up this end.
How fab to be surrounded by wild garlic. I might take you up on that offer!! It was a fab day. GG x
Oh what a lovely way to spend a morning! We used to have a crazy amount of mushrooms in our garden in France but I only dared pick three varieties that I knew were perfectly safe – Ceps, Girolles and Parasols. All of which made for the best Mushroom Risottos ever – I usually roasted them first for added flavour. Eager to find a local foraging course in Herefordshire and get out picking some freebies!.
How amazing to have such wonderful bounty in the garden. Roasting the mushrooms is a great idea, I’ll have to try that next time.GG
What a wonderful day! And to eat those mushrooms followed by partridge just says countryside living to me 😀
You’re right it is country living, at it’s best! GG
What a fun day! Did Mr Glam enjoy himself? Even if you didn’t find anything, seemed like a fabulous way to spend a day together, but with a wonderful lunch and the fact that you were successful in acquiring some lovely mushrooms, it really was a perfect date!
I want to do the mushroom foraging and I know Colorado does have these walks, I will have to research I suppose. Have a great weekend GG!!
Nazneen xx
Mr Glam loved it as much as I did. It was a perfect date, particularly as it was at our favourite restaurant. It’s well worth searching out something similar in Colorado and fab for the children as long as you remind them not to eat anything until it’s been checked!! GG
Oh how fun…I would love to do something like that. 🙂
It was great fun, a really lovely day and I picked up some great tips. GG
I am a HUGE foraging addict…….LOVELY mushroom bounty.
It was a lovely way to forage, partly sustained with good red wine, definitely my kind of morning. GG