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Word of the day: Porcini
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We make no excuse about yet another article here on barganews with the word “porcini” in the title. It has been the word of the day. It is on everybody’s lips. The city is full of the fragrance of porcini mushrooms. The restaurants are busily frying the larger specimens of the porcini to put in front of their eager clients who all want to join in with the porcini fever that has gripped the city.
The intense rivalry between some of the mushroom hunters was notched up an a few more levels this afternoon as it became clear that something special was happening.
During the day they would arrive in Barga Vecchia carrying their precious mushrooms ready to be weighed and immediately snapped up by the waiting restaurants.
The L’Osteria in Piazza Angelio (site here) has quickly become the centre for all this activity with many people sitting and waiting for the various mushroom hunters to arrive.
To say the very least, competition is now intense. A gasp went up this afternoon from the waiting spectators as an Ape ( article here) pulled into the piazza carrying two mushroom hunters with huge smiles across their faces and 22 kg of porcini.
Minutes later another couple came in hotfoot off the mountain and amidst some serious barracking at the weigh-in only managed to reach 12 kg’s – normally if they bring in 2 kg a day it’s good, so 12 is pretty good and 22 is something to celebrate.
Comments about the condition of the mushrooms, whether or not the slugs had got to them and at one point a large stone which was extracted from the centre of one mushroom all added to the festive occasion.
Within minutes the tables were set, the wine was flowing and the fragrance floating right through the Piazza telling everybody just what was on the menu this evening.
(c) RIPRODUZIONE RISERVATA
4:03 pm
Is the saying that dog owners look and act like their dogs also true for mushroom hunters. Lets consider a few aspects about their appearance and behaviour.
Just like mushrooms, most mushroom hunters like to frequent dark damp places. Neither like putting down roots, and hence need to be close to water.
As reported in the various articles published, most hunters like to hang around the Osteria, a well-known nocturnal watering hole.
Some researchers think that this behaviour is due to the difficulties they have separating themselves from their freshly captured mushroom tales.
Tales, which inadvertently spring into action every time an innocent passer-by unconsciously asks what’s on the menu or peers into the expertly placed wicker basket.
Now, admit it, how many restaurants can boast this kind of service. Not even in the most expensive restaurant in Hollywood. Forget those fancy fish restaurants where one can pick the fish they want to eat, here not only can you pick the fish, but you can also talk to the fisherman who caught the fish, whether you want to or not!
Ps: For those of you who want to act like a mushroom, in my experience the Osteria is to exposed and hence we are too easy to find.