If you ever walked the woods in the summer or fall, you've spotted them: wild mushrooms in all their varied glory, growing from stumps, pushing through dried leaves, clinging to tree trunks. And then there is that earthy fragrance that envelops you as you get close... You've seen them in the farmer's market, Whole Foods offers them (at a price), they've started popping up on menus in some restaurants. You know they are delicious. If only you knew how prepare them or, even better, how to forage for them yourself!

You will – after your visit to Le Vatout! We’ve teamed up with David Spahr, known by some as the “Mushroom Maineiac”, and for a good reason: he’s not only one of best foragers in the area, but also a photographer and a professional cook with a passion for food that matches our own.  David grew up near the woods and has been a forager since he was old enough to go outside. He has studied, collected, and eaten wild mushrooms all of his life and is the author of "Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New England and Eastern Canada", one of the best guides available.  David lives in nearby Washingtonwith his family on many acres of woodlands where he experiments with growing wild mushrooms, permaculture and edible forest farming techniques and where he cooks up a storm.

Under David’s guidance you will hike the nearby forests, woodlands, and meadows for wild mushrooms to bring back, prepare and eat. Midcoast Maine offers a bounty of some of the finest, from chanterelles, and black trumpets, chicken of the woods, oysters, and meadow mushrooms, and of course porcini and other boletes. And if you find some edible plants you might bring them back as well. Cattails anyone? They are delicious! Don’t worry, we will show you how to fix them. In the afternoon when you return to Le Vatout with your treasures, we will show you how to prepare them, explain what cooking techniques are best with the species you found and what foods to match them with. Regardless of what you may find, you can rest assured that you will take home skills and memories and a whole new perspective of looking at food.

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I have the heart of a hunter, farmer, and cook... and a forager's mentality.

— David Spahr