The art of chasing fungi
This summer, I followed two young men on a somewhat hare-brained mission: bring the wild foods of Colorado’s Front Range to the finest restaurant kitchens in Denver. It was an insanely fun story to report. In a taupe Pontiac minivan, we jostled up potholed dirt roads and pinballed around the mountains in search of mushrooms and other wild edibles like watercress, asparagus, violets, and herbs. At a word-of-mouth pop-up dinner, I tasted ten courses of wild, foraged edibles in all sorts of combinations. I also discovered a truth that surprised me: These mountains are full of things to eat, and the most delicious among them can only be borne of wild places. That’s why Graham Steinruck and Nick Martinez are hell-bent on showcasing these tasty mushrooms and other ingredients in eateries where people will come to love them—and understand why these wild places need protecting. Along the way, they hope to change the very nature of Colorado cuisine. A bit of a lofty goal? A little naive, you say? Read more about it in my story, “The Mushroom Whisperers,” which just came out in the October issue of 5280, Denver’s city magazine.