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From Shenanchie
Article Contents:
Mushroom Facts Mushroom Types Nutrition
Recipes Trivia & Tips Links & Resources
Mushrooms are another edible that rank high on my list of favorite foodstuffs. Mushrooms seem to compliment just about every dish and simply add to the flavor of Omelette's, soups, salads, sandwiches, gravies, dips, appetizers and more. The only food item mushrooms might not be tasty in is breakfast cereals, but then again…
Mushrooms are neither plant or animal, being classified as a "fungi." Sterile conditions are required for cultivating mushrooms as they begin life as a spores. The spores are so miniscule that even mushroom farmers cannot handle them, so the spores are injected into cereal grains at agricultural laboratories. The grains are incubated until the spores attain a practicable form; the end result of which are "spawns" that can then be sown like seeds.
Of course, there are other ways to cultivate the mushrooms - some people seek the fungi in forests. The main body of the "fungi" lives on dead trees or living tree roots, and can vary in size from a few inches to several miles wide. If doused with a large amount of water, the fungi can grow rapidly. Some fruits can sprout from the ground overnight. Then there are those who purchase "mushroom growing kits" from specialty companies.
There are more than two thousand different types of mushrooms (see Mushroom Types), but only about 5% of them are fit for human consumption. The remainder are poisonous, although they can sometimes appear to be edible. The effects of deadly mushrooms are erratic - some toxins contained in poisonous mushrooms can kill a human being almost immediately, while others contaminate with a cumulative effect, seeming to build up in a person's system over a period of time. Some mushrooms produce the chemical luciferin which causes them to emanate a light reflected from their gills, making the ground around them glow in iridescent colors. This effect is termed "Foxfire," and before scientists knew what caused this (in pre-Anglo Saxon times), mushrooms were thought of as nothing more than "toadstools."
The most common edible mushroom in the United States is the domestic filed variety; also known as the white button mushroom. On the flip side, the most expensive mushroom type are truffles (which grow naturally in woodlands, usually at the base of trees). Truffles are a much-sought after delicacy and can sometimes be sold as high as $900 per pound. This is mainly due to the expertise required in finding the truffles in the first place; there are several methods implemented to locate the bounty. Dogs and pigs are often used to find truffles; sows in particular are attracted to truffles because they emit a pheromone produced by boars during pre-mating behavior. In France, another method for finding truffles is avec la mouche or "with the fly". When ripe, swarms of flies can be seen hovering over truffle-growing areas.
There are literally thousands of mushroom types and "families," but I have listed mushrooms more commonly known to consumers, as well as a few that might be more difficult to obtain.
Beech Beech mushrooms are small with white or light brown caps, have a crunchy texture and a mild sweet flavor.
Black Trumpet Lily-shaped with a purple-gray color, Black Trumpet's have thin flesh and a delicate taste. Available fresh through the autumn and spring seasons.
The most common of all mushrooms – small and white; bland tasting.
Chanterelle With a vase shape, the color can vary from bright orange to apricot gold. Available fresh during the fall and winter months; dried the rest of the year.
Cremini Cremini mushrooms look like button mushrooms, but they are a bit larger with a brown cap. When Cremini's are left to grow, they develop into Portabellas. The Cremini is also related to the button and Portabella mushrooms, and is available fresh all year round.
Enoki Q-shaped and dainty, Enoki mushrooms are available fresh all year round.
Hedgehog Hedgehog mushrooms are squash-colored and slightly bitter; they are often used as substitutes for Chanterelles. Hedgehogs have “teeth” on their gills that break off in other foods, leaving behind gold-like flecks; the stems should be trimmed before use.
Maitake Ruffled, medium-brown Maitake's have a rich, woodsy taste and are also known as Hen-of-the-Woods or Dancing Mushrooms.
Matsutake Spicy, with a woody flavor, Matsutake's are available fresh in the fall; they are also known as "pine" mushrooms.
Morel Tan to dark brown in color with an intense earthy flavor, Morel mushrooms are spongy-looking but are actually hollow. Available fresh in the spring; dried all year round.
Oyster Fan-shaped and mild in flavor, Oyster mushrooms are light tan to gray in color. Available fresh all year round.
Porcini Porcini's have a brown rounded cap and a bulbous stem, with a musty flavor. Also known as Cepe, Polish or King Bolete mushrooms. Porcini's are available fresh in the fall; dried and frozen all year round.
Portabella Sometimes called an overgrown Cremini, Portabella mushrooms have a longer growing cycle with an opened cap. Portabella’s have a meaty flavor and texture, and when sliced can be used as a substituted for white (button) or Cremini mushrooms.
Shiitake Shiitake's are chocolate-brown in color with woody and fibrous stems; available fresh and dried all year round. Shiitake's are also sometimes called Chinese, Black Forest or Oak mushrooms.
Truffles A tuberous mushroom that grows underground near the roots of trees, Truffles are highly prized by chefs for their vivid flavor but are extremely expensive (approximately $900 per pound). Truffles have a musky aroma and a definitely rich flavor.
Woodear Usually imported from China, Woodear's have a rubbery texture with a flat, woodsy aroma. Available dried all year round.
Yellowfoot Gray-brown in color with a gold stem, Yellowfoot's are a member of the Chanterelle family and contain a high water content.
Mushroom photos ©Cheney Brothers Food Service
A serving of five medium-sized mushrooms contains about twenty calories; no cholesterol and virtually no fat or sodium. Mushrooms are also high in riboflavin and niacin (two B-vitamin components that promote healthy skin, good vision and healthy digestive systems). Pantothenic acid and copper is also found in mushrooms, which respectively aids in the production of hormones and producing iron, which makes the red blood cells that deliver oxygen to the all cells in the body.
Mushrooms contain essential minerals such as Selenium, which has a role in the immune, thyroid and male reproductive systems, as well as cancer prevention. Mushrooms are the only foodstuff to produce Selenium in significant amounts. Mushrooms are also a high source of potassium. Five medium white mushrooms can contain up to 315 mg of potassium; five medium Cremini’s 383 mg and one medium portabella 573 mg. As a comparison, eight ounces of orange juice has only 473 mg; one medium boiled potato 443 mg; one medium banana 467 mg and one medium tomato 273 mg.
In addition, scientists are studying what role mushrooms might play in treating and preventing breast cancer; and what potential Shiitake and Maitake mushroom extracts might have in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. Some studies also suggest that another mushroom extract may help prevent heart disease by reducing cholesterol levels and blood lipids.
We all have our favorite mushroom recipes, and here are just three of mine:
Mushroom Soup 2 C mushrooms (canned or fresh) 4 TBS butter 1 small onion, chopped ¼ C all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. white pepper 1¼ C water 1 can (10¾ oz.) condensed chicken broth 1 C half-and-half ¼ tsp. parsley
Slice enough mushrooms to make one cup; and then chop the rest of the mushrooms. Cook and stir sliced mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over low heat until the mushrooms are a golden brown. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set aside. Cook and stir chopped mushrooms in the same pan, with the onion and remaining butter. Cook until the onion is tender. Stir in the flour, salt and white pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in the water and the broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly again. (Boil and stir one minute). Stir in the half-and-half, and the sliced mushrooms. Heat until just hot; do not boil. Sprinkle with parsley.
Stuffed Mushrooms ½ LB. Italian sausage, or lean hamburger 24 large mushrooms, cleaned (reserve stems & insides of mushrooms) ½ C minced onion 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced 2 TBS. Romano cheese 1 TBS. olive oil ½ C tomato sauce cooking spray
Cut the stems off of the mushrooms. Scoop out the flesh from the mushrooms carefully, using a grapefruit spoon. Once you have scooped out all the insides, you should be left with a mushroom "bowl." Chop the stems and add to the mushroom flesh mixture. Cook the sausage in olive oil, adding the mushroom mixture (insides & stems), the garlic, salt and pepper, and onions. Re-fill the mushroom "bowls" with this mixture once it is fully cooked. Sprinkle the top of every mushroom with some Romano cheese. Coat a baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray, and layer the mushrooms evenly on the bottom (do more than one layer if necessary). Spoon the tomato sauce over the top, and add more Romano cheese. Bake at 350° F for about 20 minutes, or until hot.
Mushroom Pate 2 C coarsely chopped mushrooms 2 TBS chopped onion 1 TBS butter 1 pkg. (3 oz) cream cheese, softened ¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. dried basil leaves 2 sprigs of parsley Townhouse Crackers or Ritz Crackers
Cook the mushrooms and onion in butter over medium heat in a skillet for about 10 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Place the mushroom mixture in a food processor or blender, and stir in the cream cheese, salt and basil. Cover and mix on high speed, making sure you scrap the sides in the blender every so often. Mix until smooth. Add the parsley, and cover and blend again just until parsley is chopped. Pour the mixture into a serving dish, cover and refrigerate until firm (about three hours). Garnish with mushroom slices and parsley sprigs, and serve with the crackers.
Trivia:
Tips:
First, I would like to extend my appreciation to my mother, Joyce O'Toole, for her diligent proofreading skills and valuable suggestions. Thanks, Mum!
Second, I would like to list the following web sites for their vast resources and inventive graphics. If you would like to learn more about mushrooms, try paying a visit to some of these pages:
Mushroom Food Facts (Hungry Monster)
©copyright 2004*Appetizing Muse*
You are free to use the material in this article as reference, but if you happen to use direct wording from this piece, I would appreciate the credit. Thank you.
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