GLOBAL LOCAL CUISINE
Croissant Bread Pudding.
Individual Spinach and Oyster Mushroom Lasagna.
Funghi e la Cucina Italiana by Laura Booras PHOTOGRAPHY BY WIL FERNANDEZ
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everal years ago, I was given a kit that claimed it could grow morel mushrooms in my own yard. I chose a cool, shady spot, dug out a 12-inch-deep section, turned the soil and mixed in the “seeds,” which really seemed just like inoculated dirt. When this process was finished, I read the last line of the instructions: “Wait five years.” Clearly, there was more to the mushroom thing than I realized … and I never saw a morel. Because of this disappointing experience, I have a great appreciation for the art of growing fabulous fungi. When I first met Branden Janikowski of Branden’s Gourmet Mushrooms at a Santa Maria farmers market a few years ago, I became immediately intrigued by his fantastic selection of unusual and delicious mushrooms. From blue oysters and lion’s mane 34 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2019
to shiitakes and chestnuts, Branden grows many varieties of exceptional ’shrooms, each unique and delicious. And the best part of it all? These mushrooms are all grown with love and attention at Branden’s mushroom farm in Orcutt, California. To say that Branden is devoted to his mushroom cultivation is an understatement; in visiting his small facility in the backyard of his home, it is clear that he has researched every possible detail. From choosing the perfect spawns for his mushrooms, to defining the method and humidity of farming, to even building his own equipment, he has created a most perfect environment. While I had pictured a dark, dank underground cave, Branden’s farm is well lit and meticulously organized. Small packets of baby mycelium starters line rows and rows of shelves, each harboring produce in various stages of growth.
