Shiitake mushrooms on sourdough toast and a wildlife update

After an absence of 100 years, there are wolves again in the Landes area, presumably having migrated from the Pyrenees. One was spotted a few weeks ago, not very far away, in fact alarmingly close-by. Meanwhile, Java, our own little wolf, has been busy keeping the wild pigs at bay, although it’s not clear who has been chasing who; yesterday she took off after some wild piglets, only to be chased back into my arms by their mother.

Traumatised removal men

Java is not the only one to be intimidated by the local wildlife. We had a furniture delivery the other week, and the removal men asked if they could park their lorry in the grounds overnight, as it was nearly midnight. The next morning, as the burly, six-pack-sporting chaps deposited the furniture in the house, they looked somewhat ashen. I asked if they had slept well, and they admitted they hadn’t slept a wink due to horses galloping, pigs squealing, deer barking and owls hooting. They had arrived in the dark, and hadn’t appreciated quite how off the beaten track we were. They gave me a very odd look when I said that I often wandered around outside at night, unarmed. I didn’t dare mention our new friend the wolf – I thought they were sufficiently traumatised!

The birds

A bird has made her nest in our letterbox. In view of the size of the letterbox, and the comparative size of the bird, this means that she’s basically nabbed herself a palace. As she seems determined to stay in her palace, I wrote a note for the postman, asking him to deliver directly to the house until the chicks have fled the nest.

Another bird, an Eurasian hoopoe, has taken a violent dislike to our kitchen windows, which he keeps attacking with his long, pointy beak. Or at least that’s what I thought until I looked into the matter; it turns out that whenever he sees himself in a reflection, such as glass or water, he thinks he’s looking at a rival and launches himself into attack mode. He’s very beautiful, but none too bright!

Shiitake mushrooms are bursting with nutrients and impressive immunomodulating properties. They are also absolutely delicious!

Recipe for shiitake mushrooms on sourdough toast

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 300g shiitake, sliced
• 2 slices sourdough bread
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Splash of white wine
• 100g crème fraîche
• Parsley, chopped to garnish

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the shiitake mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms for about five minutes, until golden brown, add the garlic and continue to cook for a minute. Toast the sourdough bread. Add the seasoning, the splash of wine and crème fraîche to the shiitake and cook for a further minute. Place the mushrooms on the toast and garnish with parsley.