Days are long and the weather has finally warmed here in NorCal, where we've had the coolest May I can remember. Normally I am looking forward to a long, hot summer, with all the fun it brings on the water, in the woods and in the kitchen. 

But this year I am apprehensive. My new cookbook, Buck, Buck, Moose, is in trouble. For a variety of reasons, I was forced to walk away from the book deal that W.W. Norton had offered me. After talking with the editor, it became very clear that Norton was not the right fit for this book. This has caused me to be on the outs with my now former agent; lawyers are involved. It's not good.

To say I am frustrated and disappointed at this situation is like saying a drizzle is a typhoon. I -- really we, since many of you have tested some of the recipes I intend to put in the book -- have put so much work into this project, that to see it dissolve is heartbreaking. I honestly don't know if this book will ever become a reality. I will be sure to keep you posted as things play themselves out.

On the bright side, by the time you read this I will be in New Zealand. I've never been there before, and even through all these troubles I am excited to see a new land a world away. It's winter there and we will be doing a variety of hunting over the next couple weeks: ducks, geese, black swans (!), quail and deer. We're also hoping to cast a line for some trout, too. 

I will do my best to update you on the trip via my Instagram account, Twitter and Facebook. If you don't follow me, these links will help fix that. 

Closer to home, mushroom season has been good in the High Sierra; I've managed maybe 15 pounds of morels so far, and a few spring porcini. It's been so cold and rainy up in the high country that I think the morels and porcini will still be popping when I get back in mid-June. They're already hitting in Shasta.

For the rest of the country, what is there to say about June? I mean, it's a tremendously busy month. Fishing is fantastic everywhere in North America now, for pretty much whatever species you're chasing: bass, walleye, fluke, bluefish, stripers, halibut, king salmon, rockfish and lingcod, redfish, catfish, you name it. 

The first fruits of the year are ripe, too. Loquats have gone by here in California, but wild plums and mulberries are in. Elderberries will be ready by mid-June, and the first blackberries will be ready at the end of the month. In places like Texas, dewberries are in heavy, as are agarita berries. Wild strawberries can still be found if you look hard enough. 

June can also bring summer mushrooms. I've heard tales of the first chanterelles in the Deep South, and as June progresses, you'll see some boletes and meadow mushrooms. 

No matter what you bring home, the grill is the thrill over the next few months. Venison, whole fish, partridges, even octopus all shine over open fire. 

So wish me luck on this whole mess with the venison book. I am searching for options and hoping for a clean resolution. Until then, get outside and eat something!