Mushroom & Barley Soup

Mushroom & Barley Soup, originally uploaded by riptideredsf.

Note to self: Must work on pretty pictures. I need to focus on the creative and inexpensive endeavors over the next couple of weeks thus keeping me out of over priced bars ummn dining establishments. A lost wallet when the rent is due is a recipe for disaster. I could cry about it but what's done is done and I'll make this an opportunity to focus on cooking and writing and getting some good feng shui mojo into my home and life.
Last night I made SK's Mushroom and Farro Soup. I will find a way to make this LOOK as good as it tastes because it's pretty phenomenal. As soon as her beautiful photo popped up I was intrigued not only because of my new found love of all things 'shroomy, but there's something new here that begs investigation. Farro?? qu'est que c'est? and dried porcini mushrooms.
Off I go to Clement St. and May Wah finding neither after mistakingly asking for farro beans. I end up with barley and dried straw mushrooms. Since I was still in pizza mode and asparagus, I held off on making the soup.
My next adventure was down to the Ferry Building Farmers Market. I've managed to resist it's overpriced fancy but found myself down there on my sunny day bike ride. I bought some overpriced Cara Caras but inside grabbed a rustic boule from Acme and dug out my pizza bites and had a lovely little lunch on one of the patios reading Melissa Clark. Glorious afternoon.
I found the mushroom kiosk and bought some dried porcinis ($6.50). I also found the farro but since I already had the barley I resisted the $7 price tag figuring now that I knew what I was looking for, I'd probably find it cheaper at Whole Foods Bulk or elsewhere.
Thus I went with the barley and this soup turned out great. It's a first with the beef base I bought for the Shroom Bourguignon. Good Eats!