One of the first orders of business was to unthaw the mushrooms Holly had collected this Spring and attempt to replicate their original fresh taste. She had obtained them through the kindness of a couple local guys who apparently have either sources or their own secret patches. Regardless, it was great to feast on and while perhaps not exactly like fresh 'rooms, they had that unique taste that you don't get from anything else.
There are certain foods you can't get in the South and certainly some things that are local treats. Mushrooms top the list followed by tenderloins, Jerry's pizza, Quesadilla Jalisco, and LaGondola subs and garlic bread.
That's Holly frying some 'rooms up the first night.
Mark took the day off and we just drove around in the country in his Jeep, which is just like riding around in a convertible. The sight of a cornfield holds great value in my eyes these days. Green fields that stretch for miles. Grass that feels like grass, not the scrubby stuff in Florida.
Alright, this is weird, I admit. Shrubbery, overgrowth, forests; these things I miss now that I no longer have them. These shots are evidence of my exuberance. I'd love to walk a forest or timbered area.
A rolling field of brown, and lush growing weeds in the ditches. Man, that's Illinois.
A country road that sees probably no cars on some days is worth a picture. This is the Midwest. This is sparsely populated Midwest. I wax nostalgic.
Mark pulled over in this area north of Aledo/Joy and said this was a high spot in the area and overlooked the Edwards River. Behind that overgrowth was, indeed, a great shot of the brown, muddy waters.
We drove to a couple cemeteries to check them out, too. Holly had bought a Mercer County Cemetery book and so we went to a couple. This headstone that seems also like a sandbox complete with toys was in the Millersburg cemetery.
It was a leisurely, relaxing day to shake off the dust, grime and physical tortures of the trip. This day I would go on to have my first Orange Freez at the Tastee-Freez, another mandatory treat.
Fyi....tell Holly try breading the mushrooms before freezing. Fry frozen,just like the bars and restraunts do with the store bought shrooms. Worked better for us,less breakage and a little more crisp. Just a suggestion.
ReplyDeleteFyi....try breading the mushrooms before freezing. Cook frozen, like the bars and restraunts do with the store bought kind. We've had better results this way. Less breakage and they tend to be a little more crisp. Bread them,lay out on wax paper on a cookie sheet....freeze over night and then package in a freezer bag for storage.
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