March 19, 2008

BLUE FEET FOR BREAKFAST

It was market day in Vevey, Switzerland, right on the shore of the lake. Late winter vegetables and early spring ones piled up in bins; daffodils and tulips tied in bunches, waiting to brighten tables; smelly Swiss cheeses and saucisson chouxs scenting the air. And then there were the stalls with mushrooms....Ohhhhhh....I am a fungi fanatic. There were chanterelles, shiitake, oyster, lobster and...pieds bleu - feet of blue. Not only pretty and petite, but ones I'd never tried. I perused the mushroom stalls, assessing the offerings for the freshest ones. Then I asked for my 200 grams, unable to hold back my smiles. They were to be my breakfast the following morning.

I cooked them in unsalted Swiss butter with herbed salt - but not too much, as I didn't want to mask their flavor at all - until browned but still tender. I sliced a crusty bread to serve with them. Their scent was humousy, of forest soil and stew. The texture was firm but not fibrous and the flavor was very rich - strong mushroom taste with hints of leaves and beef. These could stand up to meat dishes and add layers of flavor without losing their own character. I made lots of happy noises while eating my breakfast that morning!

March 8, 2008

SUNDAY ON LAC LEMAN (Lake Geneva)

I am here in Switzerland, enjoying the slow pace of Europe. Taking plenty of photos to share when I return. I have been touring the various towns and cities on the lake, taking a day for each. Yesterday, to Vevey, where there was a wonderful outdoor market and some amusing sculptures. Today to Montreux, more of a resort town, at the eastern tip of the lake. I have only a few days left, so this is short. We will soon leave for Montreux and find yet another fine coffee house in the old quarter. Best wishes to everyone!

ShareThis

Creative Commons License
Aspenglow / Buttered Lips by Gayle Nabrotzky is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.passionate-psyche.blogspot.com.