Market Mushrooms with Thyme

Start at the market. Look for mushrooms that were picked this morning, not last week. They should smell clean and earthy, like damp forest floor after rain. The caps should be firm, the gills tight. If they smell sour or feel slimy, walk away. No amount of butter can save a tired mushroom.

This is not really a recipe. It is a method for honoring whatever the season and your farmers offer. Chanterelles in autumn, with their apricot perfume. Oyster mushrooms in spring, delicate and almost sweet. Porcini if you are lucky. Cremini if that is what the market has. The technique stays the same: hot pan, good butter, minimal interference.

I learned to cook mushrooms in France, where they understand that perfect ingredients need almost nothing done to them. A little heat to concentrate flavor. Butter because butter is good. Thyme because thyme and mushrooms have been friends for centuries. The cook's job is to get out of the way.