Nicely done, folks.
I have to say that I'm somewhat surprised at how many of you guessed that the photo from yesterday was of fungi.
Specifically, these are the pristine and gorgeous Lion's Mane Mushrooms (aka "PomPom" or "Beard" mushroom).
Sporeworks tells us that "The Lion’s Mane is a member of the unusual teethed fungi, which form tooth-like structures instead of gills." So although they LOOK like coral, they actually have a delicate, almost ethereal texture.
They are rather mild in flavor, though somewhat remiscent of lobster if you saute them in a bit of butter and olive oil until just caramelized on the edges.
Select 'shrooms that have a faintly pink tinge to them, and are still moist and compactly built with tightly packed gill-teeth-thingies. They smell very mild - nothing like the heady fragrance of some of the other odd-looking fungi like morels -- still, at $8/pound at Far West Fungi, they are quite reasonably priced.
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