MUSHROOMS & THANKSGIVING
For one local couple, annual feast is incomplete without mushrooms
THURMAN, N.Y. >> Charlie Brown’s Peanuts gang of friends were upset that he served popcorn, toast, pretzels and jelly beans for Thanksgiving instead of turkey, mashed potatoes and dressing.
Winefred Martin would be equally upset if her feast didn’t include a hearty helping of wild mushrooms, which she and her husband, Gary, harvest at their woodland property in Thurman, Warren County.
They come in a variety of shapes, colors, and names such Oyster, Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tails, Puff Balls and Chicken of the Woods.
“Each new one becomes my favorite,” Winefred Martin said. “Chicken of the Woods has to be right up there. The color, size, and taste are all spectacular. The ones we’ve found have all been on dead cherry trees and can be seen from a distance. The first batch Gary found while hanging laundry and saw them off in the distance. They are a beautiful yellow on the underside and on top a peach or orange color, similar to a spectacular sunset.”
“They are mild tasting, meaty and tender when young,” she said. “The older ones can be ground up and put in soups or many other dishes.”
The Martins were introduced to the world of mushrooms by their good friend, Andy LeBlanc of Indian Lake, who is helping them build a large Dutch-style barn at their home-based business, Martin’s Tree Farm & Sawmill on Valley Road.
“There’s a multitude of things you can use mushrooms for besides mashed potatoes and gravy,” LeBlanc said. “I cook with them all the time, at least one meal per day, and I have
mushroom tea at least two or three times a day.”
The tea is made from Reishi mushrooms, which he dries and grinds up. In Asia, they’re known as “the plant of immortality” for contributing to long life by helping with inflammation, stress, liver function, blood pressure, cholesterol, reducing tumor cells and boosting the immune system.
“They’re shaped like the Starship Enterprise,” LeBlanc said.
In addition to health benefits, he said mushrooms have the potential for improving the environment as well because when growing they can clean up oil-contaminated soil or break down carbon-based products such as plastic bags. There’s been some research into growing mushrooms on a large scale for such purposes.
“It’s like magic,” LeBlanc said. “If we focus we can start using mushrooms to get rid of these things.”
For the most part, however, the Martins simply enjoy their delicious flavor. Usually, Winefred serves them sautéed in butter or olive oil, salt and maybe some garlic.
“After they’re sautéed, I use them in any recipes that I’ve had over the years that call for mushrooms,” she said. “But now I’m also adding them to any other dish that I possibly can such as meatloaf, meatballs, stews, and [mostly] any casserole. I just made a chicken marsala using chicken, larger pieces of Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms and some older Oyster mushrooms that I had ground up.”
“In addition, we just read about baking late fall oysters,” she said. “You toss them with olive oil and bake until crispy.”
“Finding these wild mushrooms is a thrill and you can’t get more organic than picking in the wild,” Winefred said. “Each variety has a list of various health benefits.”
However, the Martins are also trying their hand at raising some types of mushroom as well. Spores are “planted” in holes drilled in logs. The holes are then sealed with wax to protect them.
They’re even considering taking classes focused on mushrooms at Paul Smith’s College. If things go well, they could share such information with area residents, because the new barn they’re building has a large loft space, which is well-suited for classes and community events.
The structure is part of a family legacy the Martins are building in this picturesque part of the southern Adirondacks.