Myst: Uru – D’Ni Mushroom Bread
The Myst series is possibly one of the greatest I have ever encountered, with Myst III: Exile being my personal favourite (it has Brad Dourif in it - automatic win). I’m a huge fan of puzzles, story and exploration, and Myst always satisfies on each of these levels. The cultural detail of the worlds you encounter through every game is outstanding; incredible minutae is written about in the multitude of books scattered throughout - including the mention of a mushroom spore bread from the Teledahn, or ‘Mushroom’, Age. A delicacy for the elite, spores were harvested so furiously to make the outstanding Mushroom Bread all resources dried up, and the age had to be abandoned.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
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This week sees Gourmet Gaming turn one year old! Almost 60 posts, 17,000 fans and over 1,000 requests - it’s been an incredible year and I promise to push it even more for a 2X combo.
Many thanks to the wonderful people who interviewed me or wrote about the blog, to my family and friends for their support and most of all to the gamers of the world.
Gg x
Minecraft – Mushroom Stew
Is it a stew? Is it a soup? Not even Notch seems to be sure. What we do know is that mushrooms are awesome. Why, you ask? Because mushrooms are the very foundation of the gaming industry. Without the iconic ‘1-UP’, perhaps gaming wouldn’t have become as popular as it is today. It’s a sobering thought, but from Mario to Minecraft, mushrooms have appeared in innumerable titles across the years. I’m also a personal fan of the fungi, as a vegetarian they feature a lot in my diet. They’re incredibly delicious, but mushroom soup is probably one of the most foul things you can ever taste, especially when it comes from a can. So change your mind, and follow in the footsteps of gaming heroes by enjoying some real, fresh mushroom stew. (No Mooshrooms were harmed in the making of this recipe).
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
Read More
![Myst: Uru – D’Ni Mushroom Bread
The Myst series is possibly one of the greatest I have ever encountered, with Myst III: Exile being my personal favourite (it has Brad Dourif in it - automatic win). I’m a huge fan of puzzles, story and exploration, and Myst always satisfies on each of these levels. The cultural detail of the worlds you encounter through every game is outstanding; incredible minutae is written about in the multitude of books scattered throughout - including the mention of a mushroom spore bread from the Teledahn, or ‘Mushroom’, Age. A delicacy for the elite, spores were harvested so furiously to make the outstanding Mushroom Bread all resources dried up, and the age had to be abandoned.
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe makes 2 loaves.
What you will need: A frying pan, a large mixing bowl, a sieve and cling film/saran wrap.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Butter
250g / 3 Cups Wild Mushrooms (Finely Chopped)
½ Small White Onion (Finely Chopped)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire or Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Dried Rosemary
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
1 Cup Warm Water
1 Sachet Dried Active Yeast (7g)
1 Tablespoon Natural Yoghurt
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Teaspoon Salt
250g / 2½ Cups Strong White Flour
Making the D’ni Mushroom Bread:
Melt the butter on a medium heat in the frying pan. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute, before adding the mushrooms.
Sauté the mushroom and onion for several minutes before turning off the heat, and adding the Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and parsley. Stir well, then set aside to cool.
Add the yeast to the cup of warm water and allow to stand for several minutes. Meanwhile, sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the natural yoghurt and honey.
Pour the warm yeast and water into the flour along with the cooled mushrooms and mix well until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead with floured hands.
The dough will be incredibly sticky to begin with, so gradually add small amounts of flour until it begins to feel slightly more solid. After 10-15 minutes of kneading, place the dough in a clean bowl lightly greased with olive oil. Cover the bowl with cling film/saran wrap and set in a warm place to rise for an hour.
After an hour, the dough will have doubled. Knock the dough back and divide it into two portions. Gently knead the dough again into a neat round shape and place on a prepared baking tray. Leave the dough to rise again for 30-40 minutes.
Once the dough has risen again, preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Bake the bread on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Allow the D’ni Mushroom Bread to cool completely before serving.
I was seriously worried about making a bread like this, but I was incredibly impressed with myself afterwards! The D’ni Mushroom Bread is so wonderfully fragrant and soft, it would compliment any platter of meats, cheeses and chutneys or ideal with fresh soups.
If you’re curious about Myst, you can pick up the games from GOG.com, or wait for Jonathan Blow’s The Witness.
Like this? You might also enjoy the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – S’Jirra’s Famous Potato Bread.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/8886d6af6a5bb289d06050935906b85a/tumblr_mgoypdLxZs1qjhjgyo1_500.jpg)
![Minecraft – Mushroom Stew
Is it a stew? Is it a soup? Not even Notch seems to be sure. What we do know is that mushrooms are awesome. Why, you ask? Because mushrooms are the very foundation of the gaming industry. Without the iconic ‘1-UP’, perhaps gaming wouldn’t have become as popular as it is today. It’s a sobering thought, but from Mario to Minecraft, mushrooms have appeared in innumerable titles across the years. I’m also a personal fan of the fungi, as a vegetarian they feature a lot in my diet. They’re incredibly delicious, but mushroom soup is probably one of the most foul things you can ever taste, especially when it comes from a can. So change your mind, and follow in the footsteps of gaming heroes by enjoying some real, fresh mushroom stew. (No Mooshrooms were harmed in the making of this recipe).
Click ‘Read More’ for the full recipe!
[[MORE]]
This recipe serves 4.
What you will need: A large and deep frying pan/skillet, kitchen towel and a small pot.
For the Croutons:
Olive Oil
Salt
4 Slices White Bread
For the Mushroom Stew:
Olive Oil
Truffle Oil (Optional)
Salt & Pepper
300g / 4 Cups Mushrooms (Chopped)
Portabello
Pink Oyster
Yellow Oyster
Shimeji
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Small White Onion (Chopped)
1 Clove Garlic
500ml Vegetable Stock (Or use 250ml Vegetable and 250ml Mooshroom/Beef stock)
1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme (Chopped)
1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley (Chopped)
110ml / ½ Cup Single Cream
Making the Croutons:
Using a sharp knife, cut out the shape of the pixelated mushroom. You can use this image as a template. Cut out some squares too and set aside.
Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil and a dash of truffle oil in a large frying pan. Add a little salt once heated, then carefully lay the bread shapes into the pan.
Once they are golden on one side, flip them over. Remove the croutons from the pan when crisp and lay them on some absorbent kitchen towel to drain any excess oil. Set aside for garnishing later.
Making the Mushroom Stew:
Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan on a medium high heat. Once hot add the mushrooms and fry for one minute.
Next, add the butter, onion and garlic and stir. Season with a little salt and pepper, drop in the thyme and allow to cook.
Once the moisture in the pan has reduced and is almost gone, add the stock. Bring it to the boil, then allow the soup to simmer for about 5 minutes.
Once simmered, pour the soup into a bowl and blend for a few minutes. You can blend it to be very smooth, or leave it a little chunky – whichever you prefer. Once blended, pour the soup into a clean pot and warm through.
Add the cream and some parsley and stir well. Serve the soup up, and garnish with the croutons, some thyme, parsley and a drizzle of truffle oil.
I was really pleased with how this turned out, and by some stroke of fate I managed to pick mushrooms at random in the store that just so happened to be perfect for soups! There’s a great depth of flavour that’s light and warming, and the croutons add a delightful contrast in texture and taste. I will make a warning though, this stew/soup certainly wont be for everybody. I think you’d probably have to love mushrooms to like this. And I mean really love mushrooms. You’d have to be, like, a spore away from being one yourself – or maybe just a fun guy or gal (that’s right, I went there). For those of you that do like it, however, just make sure not to gobble the bowl while you’re at it.
Like this? You might also enjoy the Minecraft - Cake.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2c36zvF6x1qjhjgyo1_500.jpg)
