The Week in Bloom

mushrooms1a bounty of foraged hedgehog, pig’s ear, white prince* and cauliflower mushrooms

Earlier this week, my friend Josef Szuecs invited me to join him on a late season mushroom foraging expedition. Joe has been writing a seasonal Mushroom Report for DeepCraft, and is deeply steeped in mushroom culture, having collected, cooked and eaten wild mushrooms since he was a boy. Over the years, I have occasionally hunted mushrooms with friends who like to cook with foraged goods, but remain a novice in the field of mycology, and will be forever respectful of the risks inherent in eating wild fungi. ??? ???? ???? ??? I’m grateful for Joe’s expertise in the field, and have been carefully preparing my harvest, eating the hedgehogs straight up, drying the black chanterelles by the fire, and frying the rest for freezing. ???? ??????? ?????

*Note: The edibility of the White Prince is disputed, and Joe advises against eating it. ???? Continue reading “The Week in Bloom”

A Chair for Greens

greens chair2my Elder Chair sidles up to a JB Blunk sculpture at Green’s Restaurant in SF

I’ve been commissioned to design a dining chair for Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, one of my favorite spots in the Bay Area. The restaurant’s challenge has been to update its environs while respecting its origins, specifically the zen handwork of Paul Discoe, who designed and fabricated much of the original interior, and the artistry of JB Blunk, who created a site specific, functional sculpture for the original restaurant.

The management staff of Greens consulted my friend Mariah Nielson to narrow the search for an appropriate artisan/designer. Trained as an architect, Mariah now runs a thriving residency program in honor of her father, the sculptor JB Blunk. She thought my approach to furniture would resonate with the vegetarian/locavore ethos of Greens, and harmonize with the work of her late father. ?????? ?????? ??? I presented my Elder Chair (pictured above) to the Greens management team, including acclaimed chef Annie Somerville, and they loved it. I’ve agreed to design a simpler version, without arms, that meets their requirements of simplicity, durability and elegant utility. ???? 365 I’m truly honored for the opportunity to add to the enduring legacy of Greens. ????? ??????

//

The Value of Apprenticeship

GEORGEHOUSEthe house I built with George Smith, Germantown, NY, 1988-89

I’m a strong believer in apprenticeship as a paradigm for learning anything. Much of what I have put into practice in woodcraft and architecture I owe to my friend and mentor, George Smith of Tivoli, New York, with whom I worked side by side building small houses and furniture over twenty years ago. ???? ????? ????? ??????? Constructed over the course of two years, the house pictured above is where George raised his young family. ????? ???? ?????

In a traditional craft training like my own, learning to pay attention to more than the work at hand begins with apprenticeship. ???? ??? “Apprentice” shares roots with “apprehend” which means “to become conscious of, as through the senses; to perceive”. My relationship with woodcraft and with my mentor was pure sensorial experience. A good apprentice does not think so much as trust the teacher to bodily train in the sensibilities of the craft, however obliquely relevant at the time. To this day, the most valuable lesson I gleaned as an apprentice over twenty years ago is that on a staggeringly lovely day it’s best to close the shop and find a swimming hole.

To follow the thread of my most recent architectural project, please click here and scroll down.

//

Hoshigaki

persimmon stemnearly ripe Hachiya Persimmon, ready to be peeled and hung to dry

Looking up at the persimmon tree’s wild constellation of fruit still languidly dangling, you’d hardly know we already picked over two bushels for drying. Ene recently discovered the Japanese art of Hoshigaki, a technique of drying fruit by a combination of open-air hanging and hand massaging. The fruit is picked before it fully ripens, with a section of branch left attached, then it is peeled and hung for several weeks, gently squeezed daily after a skin develops; the massaging brings out the sugars. Our studio is rimmed with drying persimmon, adding to the season’s festive atmosphere.

persimmons dryingpeeled persimmon are hung to dry, still attached to the branch

persimmon treeour Hachiya Persimmon tree is still loaded with fruit


Skygazing Excursion

cloud study1late afternoon clouds along the Valley Ford-Bodega Road

“You must not blame me if I do talk to the clouds.” -Henry David Thoreau

In West Sonoma County, the sky blooms when the lands lay dormant. Between storms, I make skygazing excursions and think about what I might do with paints and canvas, longing to free up my days during this time of year to focus on the ripening sky.


Joe’s midseason Mushroom Report

matsutake2

This week my friend Josej Szuecs has graciously penned the second installment of his Mushroom Report:

Midseason Mushrooms (text and photo by Josef Szeucs)

The question is often posed to me: “When do the mushrooms start coming up?” In the western US, I start foraging two or three weeks after the first significant rainfall.  This is rain that penetrates the top leaf layer of the forest floor and moistens the underlying duff.  Usually this happens in late October or early November.  If the rain comes, I can expect of find numerous early season species.  Porcinis, golden chanterelles, oyster mushrooms, and cauliflower mushrooms (Sparassis crispa) are the prime examples. If the rain comes later, like mid-December, I can expect a poor year for those species. Continue reading “Joe’s midseason Mushroom Report”

Uses of Wood Ash

ash

This time of year we produce a steady supply of ash from our wood-burning stoves, our primary source of heat. I get an odd thrill from collecting the ash and putting it to use. ????? ??????? ivermectin pour on cattle Ash from hardwood is very fine, with an almost soapy consistency. It’s loose but sort of coagulates, clustering as though magnetic or statically charged. ?????? ?????? ?????? kilox gotas I’m very curious about the material and have been enjoying collecting ideas for its uses. simpiox 5ml para que sirve Here are several:

  • compost enrichment
  • fertilizer (especially for tomatoes)
  • snail deterrent
  • deodorizer (in the chicken coop)
  • add water to make lye for soap
  • glass cleaner
  • silver cleaner

I’d love to hear of any other ideas for how to use wood ash.

//