Every week at the Mountain Fresh Farmers Market in Oakland, we gaze longingly over at our neighbors from Backbone Farm, who grow some of the best shiitakes around. They also forage for morels, chanterelles, and the other wild mushrooms that grow in our area, one of the most fungally diverse regions in the country.
Even if you aren’t lucky enough to live high on the Allegheny Plateau, it’s likely that someone at your nearest farmer’s market knows where to get local, forest-foraged mushrooms. Pair them with a ripe Merry Goat Round, and you’ll have an instant crowd favorite at your next gathering.