The magical looking fairytail mushroom 'Fly Agaric' but this is not good to eat and is toxic. Toxic due to it containing trace amounts of Muscarine, but it also contains Ibotenic acid which turns into the powerful physco-active drug Muscimol, a challenging meal for the hungriest of mushroom hunters !
Autumn is the time of year when we look forward to foraging for some Parasol mushrooms, here in France they are referred to as 'Coulemelle' and are delicious. When picked, they bruise red and the flesh smells of boiled milk.
It's -1 degrees C but the sunrise is spectacular and now the sun is up, there isn't a cloud in the sky, a perfect Autumn morning we think ?
Yes it's true, his eye is definitley in and we eat well, a handsome chevreuil weighing 24 kgs still with his antlers but gaining his winter coat and his best Sanglier to date weighing in at 77 kgs, a real bad boy this one with a coat like a bear !!
Chris's first visit to 'Etang Neuf' at Dontreix this year really put a smile on his face. He arrived at 08.00 hrs in the morning and didn't have a sniff until 15.00 hrs when he landed his first fish, a common carp weighing in at 14 lbs. 17.00 hrs and another run, Chris struck into the fish and immediately knew he had hit something quite special, heavy, just heavy he said. Ten minutes later he banked this mirror carp weighing in at 36 lbs 3 oz, his biggest to date, all things come to those with patience !!
October signals it's time for bottling the red wine for Winter and laying down the marrows and pumpkins ready for delicious soups and stews. Chris also pulled some leeks and carrots ready for tonights dinner which once again will be a plate produced and hunted by ourselves. Filet of Roe Deer accompanied by steamed pumpkin, leeks and carrots with chunky chips and a venison gravy, can't wait mmmmmm.
