FACTS ON MUSHROOMS

To many, mushrooms are mouthwatering, and as only about a handful cannot be eaten, most can be enjoyed in hundreds of different recipes. In North America, the general public does not seem overly familiar with the different types of wild and garden mushrooms that are available. The following article discusses various kinds of mushrooms and celebrates their culinary properties.
 
With the wide variety of produce today’s public is able to enjoy, most of us are likely to come across mushrooms in various guises—cultivated, wild, fresh, dried and preserved in jars. Stores are the easiest place to find mushrooms these days, but if you are keen to gather your mushrooms in the wild, be sure to have an expert guide who can identify them. Some mushrooms can make people seriously ill and some can be fatal when ingested so extreme caution should be practiced. When purchasing your mushrooms from a grocery store, be sure that they are firm and sufficiently moist; if they have a woodsy or wilderness smell, it implies freshness.
 
Once home, clean your mushroom with a moist paper towel; mushrooms are absorbent so avoid washing them under running water. Remove any soft spots or dirt you come across. Fresh mushrooms can be stored in a paper bag in your refrigerator. If possible, they should be cooked immediately, but you can leave them refrigerated for about three days. Fresh mushrooms should never be frozen without cooking them freezing. When using dried mushrooms you should first soak them in water, wine, milk, soup broth, etc…depending on your recipe.
 
When cooking with mushrooms, these delectable fungi can be used across the board—appetizers, sauces, soups, salads, and entrees. They add texture and taste to the simplest dishes and they also have great ambition as they are used in the most sophisticated recipes around the world. The subsequent text discusses individual types of popular wild and cultivated mushrooms used most frequently in today’s kitchens.
 
Only a few varieties of mushrooms have been successfully cultivated but Agaricus mushrooms are one such type. They are sometimes referred to as meadow mushrooms. This thick and flavorful mushroom is an all-around great choice for most recipes.
 
Cultivated Enoki mushrooms sport little white caps on thin stems. When you want to add some crunch to your recipe, they are a good choice, but they are frequently used to garnish.
 
Portobello mushrooms can easily replace meat, as they are so big and hearty. They can be grilled much the same as if you were grilling a hamburger patty. It is sometimes cut up for soups and sauces too.
 
Shiitake mushrooms are also cultivated and readily available in Oriental groceries. They are used in many vegetarian dishes as well as Oriental cuisine.
 
There are many wild mushrooms that are beloved cooks and diners alike. For a sweet and fruity tasting mushroom, try the Black Trumpet variety. Chanterelles are similar but have a specific apricot-like scent.
 
King Bolete or porcini mushrooms provide great richness to soups, stews and various meaty dishes. Likewise, Chicken-of-the-Woods mushrooms can be used in much the same way but they tend to require longer cooking times so consider them for your crock-pot stews.
 
Morels and Truffles are the aristocrats of the mushroom world. Morels have a deep earthy taste that goes well with a glass of Chardonnay. They require extra cleaning to get into all their crevices, but it is a labor of love. Truffles have historically been thought to have aphrodisiacal qualities. The pungent flavor of these culinary gems make them unique and while many other mushrooms can be interchanged in recipes, truffles are a tough act to follow when it comes to substitutions.
 
Whether you’re fixing pizza or chicken Marsala, mushrooms are as basic to the chef’s repertoire of ingredients as salt and pepper. Consider them for your next meal.