Pfifferlinge

Chanterelles, called Pfifferlinge in German are gorgeous, glowing orange, apricot-scented mushrooms, that are well-loved and in season here. They're always picked in the wild, because, like many mushrooms, chanterelles have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of woodland plants - sometimes, such fungi live for decades before fruiting! - so they're a real challenge to cultivate.

Chanterelles do grow in US forests, but they must be much more rare than here - I've seen them in gourmet stores a few times, but they're always incredibly expensive, so I've never bought them. Imagine my delight when I saw them here at Basic (our organic food shop) a couple days after we arrived, for around 1€/100g, so about $6.25/lb! (A pound, by the way, is way more mushrooms than you want.) I just about peed myself when I figured out what I was looking at. Since then, I've seen them in abundance at the market. People here seem to take them for granted.

B and I have been enjoying our chanterelles sauteed with a shallot, with some cut-up soft-boiled eggs thrown in at the end. (Never done this with boiled eggs before - just occurred to me - but it's great! It really showcases the chanterelles, and I'm sure it would be nice with a special vegetable in lieu of the mushrooms.) With wine, salad greens, bread and cheese, it's dinner. Is the simple sort of meal I can make in this microscopic kitchen, but damn is it good!! Chanterelles are so delicious - woodsy and apricot-scented, with the perfect tender but toothsome texture. It's little luxuries like this that I love about being here.