Baba Ghanoush for dinner 9/8/25

[pictonguy]

where do you get porchini?

They are fairly well available in Italy sold in markets and roadside stands, not a luxury. Here they are rare fresh, and normally bought dried, but fresh in certain parts of the country are available in limited quantities and just a few months of the year. I've rarely found them fresh.

One of my fondest memories of a trip to England was at the Borough market at a mushroom stall where they specialize in Italian mushrooms and at the top of this pyramid of porcini mushrooms was this very large porcini that was calling my name, and couldn't resist. Anyway taking back "home" I sliced it up and sauteed in garlic butter and put that on buttered toasted bread with grated fontina cheese and under the boiler for a minute or two, I still remember that fondly after 15 years.

 

[CharlieD]

They are fairly well available in Italy sold in markets and roadside stands, not a luxury. Here they are rare fresh, and normally bought dried, but fresh in certain parts of the country are available in limited quantities and just a few months of the year. I've rarely found them fresh.

One of my fondest memories of a trip to England was at the Borough market at a mushroom stall where they specialize in Italian mushrooms and at the top of this pyramid of porcini mushrooms was this very large porcini that was calling my name, and couldn't resist. Anyway taking back "home" I sliced it up and sauteed in garlic butter and put that on buttered toasted bread with grated fontina cheese and under the boiler for a minute or two, I still remember that fondly after 15 years.

we used to go mushroom picking n Ukraine, where Porcini were plentiful. Hard to find here even dry.

 

[pictonguy]

we used to go mushroom picking n Ukraine, where Porcini were plentiful. Hard to find here even dry.

I put dried porcini in my stew yesterday. Couldn't really detect them unfortunately and did use the reconstituted water as well. Oh well, I guess my memory of my England porcini adventure will still be the prominent one.

 

[CharlieD]

Vegetarian borscht with porcini mushrooms is heavenly.

 

[Meryl]

where do you get porchini?

In our areas, South - Campania region, they are available frozen or dried in all supermarkets, all year round, and you can find fresh porcini in specialised stores during the mushroom season, usually from Sept/Nov.
We have a store not far from us, which I will be visiting probably next month, to stock up on fresh porcini and truffles which I will freeze.

In other regions of Italy, you can find them fresh also during Spring and Summer.

In the past I have gone "porcini hunting" with my husband in some mountainous areas near here, such a great satisfaction when you find even a small one!

 

[Jusa]

Bubba's 33 Burger and beers last night.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Picked a bunch of Ichiban eggplant today and instead of the usual frying and freezing for later use in parmigiana, I decided to make some Baba. Came good.
On a sentimental note, Dave, pepperhead212, also grew Ichiban eggplant, so I made this today with him in mind and in his memory and honor.

Oh goody, baba ghanoush for uncle Tonoose!

Sorry, most of you are too young to remember Danny Thomas's uncle Tonoose from Lebanon.