A Dirty Secret

Photo taken from harvesttotable.com

Ok, I have a confession to make, and in the world of food lovers, it feels like a dirty secret: I used to really, really hate mushrooms. There, I said it. When I was a kid, I hated mushrooms so much that I tortured my poor parents by insisting that I couldn't eat pizza that had ANY MUSHROOMS TOUCHING MY PIECE ANYWHERE AT ALL YUCK THEY ARE SO GROSS GET THEM AWAY FROM ME!!!  My brother loved mushrooms, and although in pretty much every other regard I wanted be just like him, the mushrooms were one thing I just couldn't get behind. As I grew up, I learned to tolerate mushrooms out of politeness- I would eat them if they were served to me, but I never ordered them, and I certainly never cooked with them. Gradually, I warmed to mushrooms a little, began occasionally  ordering dishes with mushrooms in them, and over time, even started to like them.
Yesterday, I had lunch with a friend- she served chanterelle soup that she'd made, and it was so completely delicious. It made me realize that there is a whole culinary world that is, as of yet, completely unknown to me.  Time for a mushroom adventure! I want to learn to cook with them! Goal #41, to cook at least 2 dishes with my old arch-enemy before the end of the year.