Ocean Mist Farms, located in Castroville, produces a wild vegetable called Cardoon. A member of the thistle family, close relative of the artichoke, cardoon grows six feet tall in the wilds of France, Italy, and along the Mediterranean Sea borders. Now, it grows in Castro Valley. This is a find, standing close to 6 feet tall, with broad lobate leaves and thorny tips. Available year round, its seasonal low point in production is during California's summer months of July, August and September. Ocean Mist is the largest commercial grower of Cardoon in the United States, but it is also grown by Knoll Organic Farms in Brentwood, California as well. Both of these companies distribute their product through VegiWorks Specialty Produce Company, located in South San Francisco. Cardoon lovers use the fleshy leaf base, heart and roots in salad, deep fried or marinated, two of the more popular uses of this vegetable. Simply served raw also is a favorite in European cultures. Its' flavor has been described as slightly spicy, herbaceous, celery like, with a hint of salsa like flavors. Executive Chef Gary Roth of Los Altos Golf and Country Club recommends a recipe called CARDOON FRITTERS, a recipe found in Alice Waters' book Chez Panisse Vegetables.

Chef Michael Nischan of the W Hotel in New York on Lexington Avenue, likes to use a wide variety of mushrooms throughout the winter months. " My favorites right now are winter oyster mushrooms, chicken mushrooms, wine red mushrooms, and pine boletes. I am also very interested in using all different types of greens lambs quarter is a salad green that we also use chopped and wilted, stinging nettles, sheep sorrel, wood sorrel, and purse lane really holds up to cooking in one dish. I add it to a very clear fragrant fumé with sea beans and seaweed. Sea beans are very interesting and are found in the tidal areas along the coast. I'll forage my own around Norwalk in the Long Island Sound. In France, they are quite popular, and are sold as pousse pierre." However, when we asked Michel to share the name of his full time forager, he replied ever so sincerely, "My forager prefers to remain anonymous because she is very committed to servicing only a handful of clients." (I think he said she will only handle six clients total.) So there you have it.

However, our sources tell us that if you are looking for gourmet mushrooms, then you should check out Gourmet Mushroom Basket out of Sebastapol, CA. These folks are experts on the cultivation, care, and preparation methods of all the mushrooms you are familiar with, such as Shiitake, Pompon Blanc, Maitake, Baby Blue Oysters, Black, Brown and Golden Oysters, Brown Clamshell, Alba Clamshell, Cinnamon Cap, Forest Nameko, Trumpet Royal, Morels, Chanterelles, Cepe, and more. For many of the other specialties that Chef Michel mentioned, check with the very reliable and informative John from VegiWorks at 415 559 1449.