Vegetables - My Favorite Dinner Party

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb fresh wild or exotic mushrooms such as chanterelles or shiitakes (discard the shiitake stems if you use those), trimmer and coarsely chopped
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 lb fresh cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3 lb russet (baking) potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 oz grated Gruyere cheese (about 1 cup)