The weather was exceptionally good on Tuesday evening, so we packed granny into the car and decided to go for a stroll in the woods, perhaps hoping to spot some berries along the way. We were expecting to come across a few bilberries but much to our surprise there were so many ripe cowberries (lingonberries). Like glistening red pearls they were.

We were not left without bilberries either, gathering a fair amount of both berries.

This fairytale-like forest was dotted with numerous beautiful mushrooms, many of which very poisonous, like the gorgeous but fatal European destroying angel (above, on the right). She is like the femme fatale, the glorious dame in white, so fascinating, dazzling, yet scathing. I left it there, untouched, radiating, practically glowing in its whiteness.

We gathered a basketful of various chanterelles instead. Chanterelles are sneaky, hiding under a layer of leaves, pine needles and other debris, pretending to be something else. You have to pay attention to find them.

Got back home hungry like the wolf. Mum quickly whisked together some pancakes as I cleaned the bilberries. Adding a spoonful of sugar, I roughly squished some of the bilberries with a fork, for instant consumption. Mmm, fresh bilberries with hot silver dollar pancakes and milk. No time for a photo, sorry, too hungry.

The rest got eaten during the next few days, plain and fresh, with breakfast cereal.

Chanterelles got cleaned and neatly brushed. That sure took a while.

I prefer to eat them fried, with a bit of butter and bacon. Snippets of parsley and oregano thrown in. Slather over a good amount of sour cream and serve with fresh pasta. Tagliatelle is good to use here but I had a bunch of fresh tagliolini in the freezer so I used that instead.
Tagliolini with sour cream, smoky bacon and chanterelles for three days in a row. Can't complain.