Thank you, Mrs. Parker....

The oft-quoted Dorothy Parker (poet and drinker with suicidal tendencies) famously said:

The cure for boredom is curiosity.

There is no cure for curiosity.

above: September Remark Pillow (Parker), $20 at BananaSaurus Rex

Really.

That grilled portobello? Tasted exactly like a mushroom. Really.

Okay, let's eat this mushroom....

O, gloriousness.

We went on a field trip to the fancy grocery store yesterday, and it was so very worthwhile. Just look at the mushroom selection! Glorious! In other random news, my kids cannot wait for Halloween and I have had "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" stuck in my head for the last twelve hours.

How lovely is that?

2010 Mushroom Wall Calendar, $15 at umbel

Confirmation that I am awesome: papernstitch

It's been a long time since we've seen any confirmation that I am awesome, but This Old Thing? Made the papernstitch daily favorites today. Feels good.

Septembery Goodness....

September's palette is inspired by crisp mornings and warm afternoons....go shopping!

Stupid mushrooms.

It's been twenty-five days and have I consumed one drop of truffle oil? Or, eaten a Morel? NO! Morels are not in season, but that's not the point. The point is, I'm disappointed. I really haven't applied myself. There, I said it. I stand before you, feeling like a failure.

But, I have five more days and I'm going to make them count. And? I'm going to eat the dreaded grilled portobello you've all been raving about.

I wasn't ready for that.

I was lulled into a false sense of security by penne with wild mushrooms and sage and by garlicky meatloaf smothered in mushroom gravy. I was not ready for stuffed mushrooms, no sir. The flavor was kind of okay, it was the texture that killed me. My Month of Mushrooms is getting tedious and I can hardly wait for My Month of Bacon.

Trying to get my groove back....

I was blue, so I cut a couple of hundred little hearts. And sewed them together. See?

Where seldom is heard an encouraging word....

...an encouraging word goes a long way. For the record, no-one ever told me that parenting would be easy. Quite the opposite, in fact. I wake up every morning with the best of intentions, and things seem to go pear-shaped before 8AM anyway.

But, there were some encouraging words yesterday - so, let's try it again.

For breakfast we'll have pancakes and syrup and doughnuts and tea.

And the skies are not cloudy all day....

How lovely is that?

Tiny Woodland Terrarium Necklace

$32.50 at the sparrow's nest

Hopeful. With a chance of agony.

What strange dreams I've had.

You would never believe.

Of sails, sun, soaring and flowers and sea.

For breakfast we'll have

pancakes and syrup and doughnuts and tea...

- Brock Cole

Hey, let's eat this!

I'm starting to wonder whose idea this was. Who was the first caveman (because it had to be a guy) to look at an oyster mushroom (above) and say: Dude, what will you give me if I eat this?

Does that look like dinner to you?

It looks like potpourri to me. But with roasted garlic, olive oil, sage and parmesan over whole wheat penne? It was kind of hearty and comforting. My handsome husband pronounced it "earthy."

When I tell people about My Month of Mushrooms, I invariable get one of these two responses.....

1. Elh, I don't like mushrooms either, or

2. I love a grilled Portobello! It doesn't taste like a mushroom at all!

People, If your favorite mushroom dish doesn't taste like a mushroom at all, I have news for you: You don't like mushrooms.

September is National Mushroom Month.

Did you know that September is National Mushroom Month? Neither did I, but it's true. (You can Google it if you don't believe me.) How convenient! Imagine my delight!

Orange rick rack.

There's nothing like orange rick rack to put a smile on your face.

Just look.

Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce....

....probably would have been better with more butter, and salt, and parmesan. And maybe some bacon.

Hello, September....

Hello, hot days and cool nights. Hello, tomatoes. Hello, homework. Hello, socks.

I heart snacks.

I especially heart snacks that come in RE-usable Snack Baggies! They're even more delicious that way because you know you're being thrifty and kind to the earth at the same time. What could be better? $12 for two, $30 for six - and for now, the shipping is on me.

My Month of Mushrooms.

I know about picky eaters. And I'm not talking about regular picky - kids who won't eat vegetables, or don't let their foods touch one another? That's not picky. That's childhood. I'm lucky to get a chicken nugget into my kids. I rejoice if they eat a slice of pizza. Watching them eat corn on the cob produces tears of joy. My kids won't drink juice. Don't even think of asking them if they want a muffin. One of them refuses to eat candy. True story.

Having been a picky eater myself, I tend to go easy on them. I seem to remember that no amount of yelling was going to make oranges or egg salad any more palatable for me either. Instead, I'm leading by example, embarking on a culinary journey in which, over the course of a month, I will learn to embrace a comestible I would normally eschew.

I've grown up to be an omnivore, but there are still a few foods that I'm not altogether comfortable with - some are foods that lots of adults don't like (beets, eggplant, oysters) and some that, frankly, I just don't see any point in eating (mayo, pepperoncini). And there are some things I'm just picky about. I don't care for radicchio or anything smoked. Do not give me any fennel. I'm particular about how my steak is cooked. And, hold the olives.

But there is one thing that I Should like. One ubiquitous thing (one slimy little fungus that can kill you) that most people enjoy and which is often difficult to avoid. Hence, My Month of Mushrooms.

Last night was a homemade pizza with herbed goat cheese and mushrooms, onions and garlic in a balsamic reduction. Delicious. Couldn't taste the mushrooms at all....

How lovely is that?

Shroom in Bloom

8x10 print, $20 at TheUnderstory