New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02
THE EARLY MUSHROOM.
DELICIOUS LITTLE DISHES FROM THE
MEADOW.

MEADOW.
The recent showers have brought up quantities
of pink and white meadow mushrooms and per-
ceptiby lowered the price in market. While the
average huckstcr scorns the insinuation that he
deals in anything but cultivated mushrooms the
effect of an abundant season of wild mushrooms on
the market price at the stalls seems to tell another
story. The French have no such foolish prejudice.
The most costly OF all fungi. the truffie which is
worth far than its weight in gold. Il always
gathered wild and is never cultivated. The trufe-
hunter seeks il with the assistance of an absurd
little pet pig who follows his heels and indicates
with his snout where his master is TO dig. After a
small struggle during which the pigs appetite Is
satisfied with some less costly morse than truffie
the hunter secures the truffie, and the couple go
till the pig finds another.
Fortunately does not have to hunt mush-
rooms with pigs, though pigs. cows and almost any
animal will eagerly eat them when they find them
The best time to gather Is soon as the dew is
off the grass in the morning. when they are gen.
orally in prime condition. In twenty-four hours
they will. be brown and stale.
The majority Of people cook mushrooms too
much. They should not be smmered over six min
utos. Throw a pound of nice mushrooms that have
been peeled and had half the stem taken off into
a nice porcelain saucepan with heapng table
spoonful of butter and salt and pepper Sim
mer them in their own juice and the butter for
just six minutes then squeeze in the juice Of half
a lemon Add a pinch of minced parsley. Toast
six small thin slices of bread and pour the mush-
rooms them.
When mushrooms are fully open they are nice
broilcd. Cut the stalks off up TO the cap. AS soon
possible after gathering mushrooms, prepare
them for the table. They turn dull color in an
hours time Remember that they grow near tn,
earth and apt TO be sandy. yet they must he
washed with the greatest care and never allowed
to soak for a moment In the water. Wash them
one by one To bro them. dust them with salt
oil In oil and
bron them on the double broiler the under
side first for about three minutes. Then turn them
over and broil them about four minutes on the
upper side Lift them carefully OF the broiler and
lay them small. delicately brown slices OF toast.
Put a little maitre d'hotel butter on each mush-
ROOM and serve
An economical method OF cooking large mush-
rooms is to bake them Remove the stalks from a
dozen mushrooms about two inches In diameter.
After washing and peeng. lay them aside in
cold place while you prepare the following mixture
AL them with: Melt tablespoonful Of butter
and stir in a large teaspoonful Of -four Add
pint Of stock Reduce It down to half pint. Chop
the stalks Of the mushrooms and add them; add
also teaspoonfu of shallot mild white onion.
minced fine. teaspoonful Of minced parsley and
minutes longer. Set the mushrooms In nice but
ed G 5e mRsre Of n Srs@
and sprinkle them with sifted bread crumbs that
BAKE them them in Quick oven for ten minutes They
should have a cream sauce poured around them II
cooked in a gratin dish. and should be served like
all dishes la gratin in the dish they are cooked
In. 1t is n matter OF regret that genuine grntn
dishes Of copper plated with silver remain
costly: The, smallest size seldom costs less than
purpose? 1t need not be plated. and 1t Is as good
a conductor OF heat copper Fish and many
other things excellent cooked la gratin. but
the cost OF the cooking apparatus has In meas
ure precluded this method OF cooking. The APP
pcarance OF a coarse dish of copper any other
kitchen metal is not appctzing. and those who
cannot afford silver-paed gratn dishes are forced
10 do without this kind OF cooking.