Hotel Zangto Pelri
Punakha, Bhutan
September 2015
Chanterelles (Sese Shamu) are in season in Bhutan, so our mushroom expert and chef extraordinaire, Jacinta, bought a bag, no, you don’t get to pick them out, they are bagged by the seller prior to your purchase. So after much deliberation as to the best bag, Jacinta purchased these beautiful creatures.
Jacinta brought them back to our hotel with the hopes of sharing with our group.
The chef was so very accommodating, and willing to cook them for us.
The butter here is very rich.
There was considerable discussion as to how to properly cook them, including a very slight shriek of horror from Jacinta when the sous chef said she was going to wash them first. Jacinta got over the shock, and the cooking began.
The pan selection in the kitchen
Once the proper pan was chosen, and a discussion as to the perfect amount of butter, onto the stove they went.
Then came the discussion of salt
The teaching begins… while the Bhutanese chef was well versed in the kitchen, vegetables in this country tend to be cooked longer than is to the liking of our group.
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The stove was propane, the BTUs expended are difficult to know.
Jacinta knew she had a protege well on his way to appreciating the fine art of the chanterelle until he suggested finishing with white pepper and Bhutanese chilis. She masked her horror with grace and elegance, but with a firm, no.
The finished product was divine! This is an experience that can only be had when beautiful hearted people like Jacinta are willing to share their knowledge and passion. I know the Bhutanese chef loved the experience, and Jacinta’s fellow travelers were so enriched by the experience. It is a true honor to have her in our group.
If you are interested in learning more about the mushrooms of Bhutan check out Mushroaming.Com