Chef and Food Author Lisa Dahl Brings her Italian to Telluride’s famed 'Shroomfest'

Arizona chef, restaurateur, and author Lisa Dahl brought her classic Italian menu secrets to Telluride, Colorado’s ‘Shroomfest’ which was held August 16-19.

Chef Dahl, owner of the two most highly awarded Italian and Mediterranean restaurants in Sedona, Dahl & Di Luca RistoranteItaliano and CucinaRustica, prepared a private mushroom brunch at the remote Opus Hut in Ophir, for Shroomfest that included a bounty of mushrooms in all its delicious and delicate forms.

Menu: “Forage e’Trois” - Attendees to the limited event were welcomed with Wild Mushroom Bruschettas with sautéed Porcini and Chanterelle and garlic aioli and paired with Proscuitto wrapped peaches with balsamic reduction.

As they sat for the soup course they were presented with a Porcini and wild rice bisque, pulled from the pages of Lisa’s Elixir of Life Cookbook, which was accompanied by a grilled eggplant, caramelized onion and chevrePizzette.

At the intersection of the soup and main course was a delicious sampler of fennel and arugula slaw, Lisa’s renowned marinated button mushrooms and farro with roasted Enoki mushrooms, and organic Campari tomatoes with Super Tuscan extra virgin olive oil.

The main course was wild mushroom lasagna with Quattro formaggios, finished with a delicate truffle béchamel. Local organic micro greens tossed with Lisa’s signature Shallot Dijon Vinaigrette which accented the main dish.

Brunch concluded with Strawberries Balsamico with mascarpone cream with lemon olive oil cookies. “’Shroomfest’ is perhaps the only U.S. food fest devoted to the mushroom, which in Italian cooking is often a key ingredient to many delicious meals,” said Chef Dahl. “I am delighted to be a chef and a judge for some tastings at Shroomfest this summer.”

The people and themes behind the four-day Shroomfestexplored all aspects of the fungal world, from gourmet wild edibles to medicinal ‘shrooms, from toxins to entheogens. Some of the events included slide presentations, lectures, forays, performances (dance, poetry, music), discussion groups, panels, a hands-on growing workshop, parade, movies, free identification fair, cook & taste, and numerous local restaurants offering gourmet wild mushroom specials.

Chef Lisa Dahl published “The Elixir of Life: Finding Love and Joy in the Passionate Pursuit of Food” in 2011. The gorgeous cookbook-travelogue follows Lisa’s passionate journey to Italy to celebrate the elixirs of the olive and the vine, and the elixir of inspiration for her Italian- and Mediterranean-influenced cuisine. Lisa’s cookbook is the perfect accompaniment to Shroomfest as many of recipes feature Fungi.

“The Elixir of Life” won the top Gold Medal prize in the Cookbook category at the 2011 IPPY (Independent book Publishers) Awards. Order Lisa’s award-winning book here.

You can also visit Shop.LivingDahl.com to find more of Lisa Dahl’s exquisite offerings of food related products that inspire passion and creativity.