This is the time of year when mushroom enthusiasts gather with friends to celebrate their woodland harvest. My daughter, Robin, shared the bounty with dinner guests, including two local chefs, Ben Poremba (Elaia, Olio, Old Standard) and Bernie Lee (Hiro Asian Kitchen).
She had collected a few grocery sacks of chanterelles and black trumpets from a highly successful mushroom hunt at the farm this past weekend and Ben had agree to work his magic over them. Ben and Bernie whipped up several dishes effortlessly while surrounded by a dozen people standing about the kitchen, nibbling, chatting, and asking questions. Here’s how the evening unfolded.
We Nibbled as the Chefs Cooked
The Meal Unfolds over the Next Few Hours
Ben follows the advice of his mother and always puts a big pot of water on the stove to boil when he walks into a kitchen to prepare a meal. “You’ll always need it for something,” he said with a big smile.
Ben Poremba; his 3-year old son, Omri; and Robin watch as I try the risotto made with black trumpet mushrooms.
William Pauley of Confluence Kombucha inserted yet another taste sensation with his kombucha tea, a fermented drink made with tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast.
Another sweet touch, was the distribution of Michael Dee’s raw Back Locust honey that’s the color of Champaign. See post about his beekeeping here.



















