“There is no such thing as a useless day”

It's been such a rainy week in C'ville that we've had a profusion of mushrooms popping up all over:

I found all these within a quarter mile of our house, which is about as far as I can go anyway, after having tweaked a calf muscle last week.

While I'm rehabbing my calf, I've been amusing myself in other ways, including listening to the "One Story" podcast featuring Mary Chapin Carpenter talking to the poet Sarah Kay about MCC's new album The Dirt and the Stars. One thing MCC said in the podcast that struck me is that there are days when she feels terrible—"walking around lost, walking around in circles"—and goes to bed ruing that she accomplished nothing. But sometimes a song shows up out of those days anyway, and MCC reminds herself that "there is no such thing as a useless day." She elaborates on social media that "you can be filling up your tank and not even know it—until somewhere farther along and further in, it arrives—the phrase, the evocation, the tuning, the feeling. And suddenly, once more, you’re on your way." MCC is obviously talking about songwriting, but I think her wisdom applies more broadly to life in general. You can find something to take from every day, even the "bad" ones, and make use of it going forward. Sarah Kay loved the "no useless day" idea and said that it brought to mind her favorite passage from a poem she adores by Ocean Vuong, "Someday I'll Love Ocean Vuong": "The most beautiful part of your body / is where it’s headed. & remember, / loneliness is still time spent / with the world."

In addition to listening to MCC on the podcast, I've also been watching the lovely series of "Songs from Home" videos she's been taping on her farm here in Virginia since the pandemic hit. There are now 34 acoustic performances in the series, as of this morning, including this one of one of my favorite songs of hers:

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The rain and wild mushrooms had me thinking of one of my favorite foods. I already have two other recipes for sauteed mushrooms on UaKS, but one requires marsala wine and the other could use a little more flavor. I think this one is the best of both worlds, with lots of flavor and a simple technique, while using ingredients you should usually have on hand.

Sautéed Mushrooms #3

Adapted from Alton Brown via Good Eats: Reloaded (S2) and Cook's Illustrated (Jan. & Feb. 2019)

Time: 25 minutes

1¼ pounds/567 grams cremini or white button mushrooms

¼ cup (60 grams) water

½ teaspoon neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola

1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon chopped fresh herb leaves such as parsley, thyme, or tarragon 

½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt 

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

    1. Rinse the mushrooms by dunking them in a large bowl of cold water. If you do this in the inner basket of a salad spinner, you can then dump out the water and spin the mushrooms dry. If not, drain the mushrooms in a colander. Trim the mushroom stems as needed, then slice ¼-inch-thick.

    2. Cook the mushrooms and water in a 12-inch skillet (stainless steel, cast iron, or nonstick) over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the skillet is almost dry and the mushrooms collapse, about 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the oil until the mushrooms are evenly coated. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are dark brown, about 6 to 8 minutes longer. Reduce the heat to low.

    3. Add the butter, herb, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the butter has melted, about 1 minute. Serves 4 as a side, and also makes a good topping for pizza, pasta, or rice.