Mendocino County Celebrates Fabulous Funghi
Local Bounty Showcased at Restaurants and Special
Events this November
MENDOCINO
COUNTY, Calif. (July 13, 2008) - Fall in Northern California's
Mendocino County turns magical when the rains come and delectable
varieties of edible mushrooms appear. Mendocino County is home
to more than 3,000 mushroom varieties -- including the rare
candy cap mushroom, with its intense maple-syrup flavor and
sweet fragrance -- that grows only along the northern coast
of California.
The
pinnacle of mushroom season is Mendocino County's annual
Mushroom Festival (this year November 7th through
16th) but aficionados can enjoy mushroom-centric menus
and mushroom picking excursions all season long, typically from
October through January.
Ryane
Snow, a member of the Mycological Society
and a well-known local leader of mushroom identification walks,
states, "As more people discover the health benefits of
mushrooms, as well as how versatile and delicious they are to
cook with, the interest in our festival is growing."
During
mushroom season, Ryane and others offer identification walks,
and in addition to the precious candy cap, mushroom hunters
can score black, white and golden chanterelles, meaty porcinis
and earthy morels -- or even the highly prized hedgehog mushroom.
But
there's really no need to forage for your own when Mendocino
County's celebrated local chefs take such pride in showcasing
this bounty of the land. Mushroom-themed dinners are on offer
everywhere -- from bed and breakfasts to four-star restaurants.
See
below for a sampling of the many activities and menus you will
find during mushroom season when classes, mushroom walks, mushroom
meals, museum exhibits and much more help you create your own
Mendocino County mushroom adventure!
Saturday,
November 8th, 2008
Mycoceuticals:
The Healing Power of Medicinal Mushrooms
Mendocino Hotel - Mendocino Village, CA -
10:00 a.m.
PowerShroom mycologist Eric Cerecedes will give a mind-expanding
overview of Medicinal mushrooms from traditional uses among
ancient Asian cultures to modern clinical research by Western
medicine. Call 800-548-0513 or visit www.mendocinohotel.com
for more information.
Romancing
the Funghi
Little River Inn - Little River, CA - 3:00 to 5:00
p.m.
This is the fourth year for Little River Inn's Romancing the
Funghi event. It may seem as if romance and funghi would be
an unlikely match, but Little River Inn's Executive Chef, Marc
Dym, and wine buyer, John Sverko, have come up with a romantic,
intimate afternoon combining the romance of mushrooms and .
. . beer. The two will pair locally foraged mushrooms with select
brews from Fort Bragg's North Coast Brewery. Call 888-466-5683
for reservations. Visit www.littleriverinn.com
as the event date draw to check out the menu.
Winemaker
Dinner
Mendocino Hotel - Mendocino Village, CA - 6:00 p.m.
Participants enjoy fabulous local wines from the Mendocino Wine
Company and Bonterra Vineyards, along with a five-course meal
featuring local gourmet and medicinal mushrooms prepared by
Drew Ison, Executive Chef at Mendocino Hotel. Organic and biodynamic
wines discussion by Paul Dolan of Bonterra Vineyards. Hors D'Oeuvres
at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Cost is $80 per person.
To make a reservation, please call 800-548-0513. Check www.mendocinohotel.com
as the event date draws near to see the actual menu.
Mushroom
Ball
Crown Hall - Mendocino Village, CA - Time TBD
Dances with Funghi! Celebrate the Fourth Annual Mushroom Festival
by dancing the night away at Crown Hall at the first ever Mushroom
Ball! We'll be featuring local funghi paired with local vintages
and proceeds benefit the Mendocino Film Festival. Call 888-466-5683
for further information.
Tuesday,
November 11th, 2008
Mushroom
Cooking Class
Albion River Inn Restaurant - Albion, CA - 11:30 p.m
to 3:30 p.m.
Experience the creativity and passion of Executive Chef Stephen
Smith as he educates and instructs participants about mushrooms
in a demonstration-style format. Soak up the spectacular Mendocino
Coast ocean views while you sip refreshments, chat with fellow
participants, learn new techniques, and sample dishes in progress.
Chef Smith welcomes questions about ingredients, techniques,
kitchen tools, and cooking methods, and each participant receives
a complete set of class recipes with step by step instructions.
At the end of the class, participants enjoy a lavish mushroom-themed
lunch prepared by Chef Smith. $75 per person, includes wine
and cocktails. The class caps out at around 20 people, so make
reservations early by calling 800-479-7944 or visiting www.albionriverinn.com/events.
Thursday,
November 13th, 2008
Wild
Mushroom Winemaker Dinner
MacCallum House - Mendocino Village, CA - 6:30 p.m.
Don't miss our 9th Annual Wild Mushroom Winemaker Dinner with
Executive Chef Alan Kantor, mushroom expert Eric Schramm and
winemaker Greg Graziano. Make advance reservations for our most
popular event of the year. $100 per person, not including tax
and gratuity. Cocktail hour begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by
dinner at 7 p.m. To make reservations call 707-937-0289. Check
www.maccallumhouse.com
as the event date draws near to see the detailed menu.
Friday,
November 14th, 2008
Belgian
Beer Dinner
Little River Inn - Little River, CA - 6:00 p.m.
Little River Inn reprises it's Mushroom and Belgian Beer Dinner
on Friday, November 7, at 6:00 p.m. Executive Chef Marc Dym
will create five courses, all with mushrooms as the centerpiece.
Each course is paired with the perfect imported Belgian beer
selected by our beverage expert, John Sverko, who reminds us
that, "Beer is to Belgium what wine is to France."
The earthiness of the mushrooms pairs well with Belgian beer,
which is renowned for its subtlety and complexity. "We
tasted 50 different Belgian beers for this event," Sverko
said, "It was rigorous, hard work." (We bet!) Call
1-888-466-5683. Check www.littleriverinn.com
as the event date draws near to see the actual menu.
Saturday,
November 15th, 2008
From
Forest to Table: A Mushroom Eco-Experience
Stanford Inn by the Sea - Mendocino, CA - 12:00 p.m.
to 4:00 p.m.
Join acclaimed mushroom expert Ryane Snow, Ph.D. as he delves
into the often-hidden and fascinating world of mushrooms. Ryane
will educate participants about the importance of mushrooms
to the ecology of the forest, their medicinal properties, and
their many uses in the world of gastronomy. Participants meet
at the Stanford Inn, where they are given a brief, hands-on
introduction to local funghi, followed by a 2-hour foraging
walk in the woods, then back to the Stanford Inn for a tutorial
on cleaning, prepping, and preparing mushrooms. The day culminates
with a lunch featuring the bounty gathered that day! Class is
limited to 30 people and is $45 per person. Call 800-331-8884
or visit www.stanfordinn.com
to make a reservation.
A
Wild Mushroom Celebration
Mendonesia Music Café - Willits, CA - 7 p.m.
to 11:00 p.m.
This charming organic café will be offering a special
night of music and mushrooms.
Call for more information. 707-459-1001
Other
Mendocino County mushroom menus include:
Mendo
Bistro
Three-course mushroom-themed meal which includes appetizer,
entrée and dessert ($35 per person) offered November
and December 2008. www.mendobistro.com.
301 North Main Street | Fort Bragg, CA | 707-964-4974
Rendezvous
Restaurant
Four-course mushroom tasting menu includes appetizer, soup,
entrée, and chocolate truffles. $55 per person, or $90
with wine pairing. Offered October 2008 through January 2009.
647 North Main Street | Fort Bragg, CA | 800-491-8142
Ravens'
Restaurant
Six-course mushroom tasting meal offered November 1st through
the 22nd. Includes amuse, soup, salad, appetizer, entrée,
and dessert. $70 per person. Includes wine notes. Stanford
Inn by the Sea | Coast Hwy & Comptche Ukiah Rd | Mendocino,
CA | 800-331-8884
Patrona
Restaurant
Offering mushroom specials beginning Sunday, November 9th throughout
the week, culminating with a dinner Saturday, November 15th,
that will showcase local mushroom experts along with local musicians.
130 W. Standley Street | Ukiah, CA | 707-462-9181
Busters
Sports Bar
Week long mushroom specials paired with brews from all over
the world!
150 Main St. | Willits, CA | 707-459-3233
Additional
mushroom-related events:
Mendocino
Coast Botanical Gardens Mushroom Walks & Identification
Workshops
At the splendid Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in Fort Bragg,
mushroom identification walks are conducted every Monday at
1:30 p.m., beginning Nov. 17th through January 26th. The walks
are free with paid admission to the gardens. Staff naturalist
Mario Abreu will also be holding three mushroom identification
workshops - Nov. 22nd, Nov. 29th, and Dec. 20th, from 10 a.m.
- 1 p.m. $10 per class. Workshops are limited to 20 people.
Reserve a spot by calling 707-964-4352 x 23 or visiting www.gardenbythesea.org.
The
Ford Museum Mushroom Exhibit - Saturday, Nov. 15th
& Sunday, Nov. 16th
Visitors to the coast will also want to know that The Ford House
Museum, on Main Street in Mendocino Village, hosts a Mushroom
Exhibit throughout the month of November. For more information
call 707-937-5397. Wine and Mushroom Train - Saturday, Nov.
15th
Ride
the Skunk Train and participate in a special wild mushroom
tour lead by local mushroom expert. The cost is $65 for adults
and $25 for children. Depart from either the Fort Bragg or Willits
Depot at 10 a.m. Call 800-866-1690 or visit www.skunktrain.com
to reserve a spot on the train.
Lodging
Specials:
Baechtel
Creek Inn & Spa is offering a "mushroom"
package which includes two night's lodging, Train Tickets on
the Wine & Mushroom Train, Special Wine & Mushroom dinner
at the Purple Thistle for 2, and a Couple's Massage! Please
call 800 459 9911 for reservations. $635 per couple.
If
you book at room at the Little River Inn between
November 2nd and November 20th, 2008, Mushroom Mania Rates apply
- only $155 per night plus tax for ANY available accommodation.
Call 888-466-5683 for reservations.
Mendocino
County, part of California's famous North Coast wine
region, begins about 90 miles north of San Francisco and is
located directly north of Sonoma County. The county offers visitors
a range of activities and accommodations for active lifestyles,
romantic getaways, or regionally sourced food and wine experiences.
For
more information on Mendocino County, call
866-782-9636 (866-STAY-MENDO), or visit www.gomendo.com.
For specific information about events surrounding the Mushroom
Festival, visit www.gomendo.com/events
and search for "mushroom."