Mushroom gathering is a lively Catalan tradition. Eduard collects a batch most days and they are sauteed in oil and garlic for meals. He knows five species that are consumed, and those to avoid. Today he was excited to find a patch of what are called “rubellons” growing in the “mas.” They’re the kind pictured above. He usually gets them in the nearby mountains. The grandfather who built the mas made his fortune in hazelnuts. This nut is much prized here, and Catalans believe the locally grown ones are the world’s best. I haven’t tasted all the world’s hazelnuts, but I’m happy to concede the point on faith.

(c) 2018 JMN.