porcini mushrooms

One of the best things I found on a recent trip to Italy was Porcini mushroom bouillon cubes. The brand was called STAR and they came just like the type of bouillon cubes we buy here in a small box of eight cubes. Just smelling through the box at the store promised the richness that each cube held. I tried many dishes with them while in Italy and then brought two boxes home, wondering if the drug sniffing dogs would ravage my bags. Last night they came out again - perhaps it was the bottle of Italian Pinot Grigio we were drinking that induced the memory - So into the saute pan went a pound of chopped mushrooms along with a chopped onion to soften in butter. Then added a large package of fresh baby spinach, a big splash of the 2003 GustavoThrace Chardonnay that was open, a cup of half and half and a porcini mushroom bouillon cube and some s&p. Cooked a bag of papardelle noodles till just al dente then threw them into the sauce to absorb a bit of the liquid. We ate, legs curled up on the couch, out of warmed bowls, savoring the flavors and memories of Italy.