In Pennsylvania, the Morel the Merrier

The next morning, after house-made quiche and broiled grapefruit at Faunbrook (those Zytkowiczes really like to cook!), it's time to get what I came for. The area once boasted 400 mushroom farms, which grew from efforts at the turn of the 20th century to maximize space in commercial carnation greenhouses by planting mushrooms beneath the flower benches. Now there are about 75, due to industry rigors and consolidation. Public tours are rare and limited mostly to Mushroom Festival opportunities.

Phillips Mushroom Farms in Kennett Square is the largest grower of specialty mushrooms in the country and an innovator in the field. "There's a 90 percent chance the enoki or shiitake or oyster you eat comes from here," says general manager and mushroom expert Jim Angelucci.

On weekends, Phillips's buildings appear quiet. Inside, they are humming with immigrant workers who pick, stem and pack; mushrooms need constant monitoring. Much of the workforce is Mexican, and that has given rise to seriously good Mexican restaurants in Chester County.

Phillips's cash-and-carry window for the public is open only on weekdays, so we head to C.P. Yeatman & Sons in West Grove, home of Mother Earth Organic mushrooms. (Both Phillips and Mother Earth Organic products are sold at many Washington area grocers, but they are cheaper when bought in Pennsylvania.) The haul: five-pound boxes of fresh Mother Earth Organic portobellos, $12.50 each. If operations manager Tom Samuels is around, he'll sell from the office on Saturdays. Otherwise, the office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The station wagon is pretty full, but we take on final acquisitions at Va La Vineyards in Avondale.

We admit that our visit there was based initially on its quirky Web site ( http://www.valavineyards.com). Anthony Vietri is doing something different, producing a mere 1,200 cases a year of grape blends that are unique. Wine Enthusiast Magazine recently included Va La in its list of favorite U.S. wine-tasting rooms, and we understand why. The place is friendly and enjoys being a boutique attraction among the handful of Brandywine Valley wineries.

The damage: Tastings of four wines paired with food, $10. Mixed case, $270 (with 10 percent case discount price). Local cheeses, chocolates, jams and jars of marinated mushrooms, $37.

With that, I retire my blech-ing ways.