PaRDeS

One of Cage's reasons for his obsession with mushrooms is that the word mushrooms often comes directly after the word music in the dictionary.

"A sober and quiet mind is one in which the ego does not obstruct the fluency of the things that come in through our senses and up through our dreams. Our business in living is to become fluent with the life we are living, and art can help this."
 - John Cage (p. 77 from John Cage, an Anthology by R. Kostelanetz)

Recipe for Mushroom Dogsup:
 John Cage once read in a book that "catsup" is a thin liquid. So, as he likes it thick, he calls his recipe "dogsup." This can be done with any kind of edible mushroom and must be kept at least a year before being used:
  Mushrooms
  Salt
  Ginger
  Mace
  Bay leaf
  Cayenne
  Black pepper
  Allspice
  Brandy

Break the mushroom caps in small bits; slice the stem. Place in an earthenware jar with an ounce and one-half of salt for each quart of mushrooms. Let stand in a cool place for three days, stirring and mashing several times a day. On the third day, put over a low fire, in an enamel or Pyrex pan, until the juices flow freely. This takes about one half hour. At that moment, the "catsup" is strained through a sieve; the "dogsup" is just mashed. Simmer for 20 more minutes. Measure the mash, add to each half pint: 1 ounce ginger root, chopped or grated; a blade of mace; a bay leaf, broken up; a pinch of cayenne; 1 ounce each of black pepper and allspice. Boil down to half the quantity. Add, for each half pint, a teaspoon of the best brandy. Bottle, cork, and seal. For 20 quarts of mushrooms, he ads. will produce 4 to 5 quarts of "dogsup."
   (p. 155 from John Cage, an Anthology by R. Kostelanetz)

Katie