Also known as the Pied Blue, the Blue Foot is cultivated in France. The blue stem is topped off with a wavy whitish cap slightly tinted blue throughout. About two inches in diameter, its firm flesh is supported by a lavender-blue stem that thickens toward the base. Though mild in flavor when compared with its…
Shimeji is a widely used word for several types of delicious mushrooms grown and consumed in Japan. The true shemeji, which the Jananese refer to as hon-shimeji, is really Lyophyllum shimeji, which ironically is not a cultivated type. The cultivated species, shown here, is known as BROWN CLAMSHELL or BUNA-SHIMEJI (or bun-shimeji). BROWN CLAMSHELL is…
Gold Chanterelles are among the most favored of all the forest mushrooms. Distinguished from Hedge Hog Mushrooms by their prominent gills under every cap, Gold Chanterelles grow on the forest floor. Very visible in the forest especially after a heavy rain this wild mushroom is typified by a very fragrant, woodsy apricot aroma. It is…
Pleurotus eryngii is the latin name for KING OYSTER MUSHROOMS, a large cultivated wood mushroom. Wood mushrooms fall into two broad groups: fleshy mushrooms that have a characteristic stalk and cap and look like any other mushroom and polypores, which have amorphous shapes that do not resemble the general idea of mushrooms at all. The…
True mushroom wonks know Lobster Mushroms as hypomyces lactifluorum, and know that the Lobster Mushroom is actually the result of a specific fungus that wraps its bright orange-red self around another wild mushroom. No, this mushroom doesn’ t taste like lobster, but its color is that of a cooked lobster. Lobster mushrooms have a pleasant…
Also known as hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, MAITAKE MUSHROOMS have a mild flavor, and go well with smoked meats such as sausage and with cream sauces for pasta. Maitakes are considered a wood mushroom. Easy to identify and certainly easy to spot at the base of dying oaks and other hardwoods, it is a polypore (fungi that…
Eat more Morels! Although they are not mushrooms in the strict scientific sense (mushrooms are generally from a class of fungi known as Basidiomycetes, and morels and truffles are Ascomycetes) MORELS are a fungi considered to be mushrooms and have always been highly prized, especially in ancient times by Egyptian pharaohs who believed mushrooms were…
These cultivated little mushrooms combine the best of both worlds: The enoki’s lovely, elegant shape, and the color and flavor of the richer mushroom varieties. PERSIMMON ENOKI MUSHROOMS are grown in Japan and shipped to the United States where appreciative chefs from coast to coast await their arrival. Their golden brown caps rest atop tan…
Pleurotus djamor is the Latin name for Pink Oyster Mushrooms (also known as salmon oyster mushrooms, strawberry oyster, flamingo mushroom, takiiro hiratake). They are, by far, the most spectacular looking of the oyster group or of any domestic mushroom. They are a bright, coral-pink when raw, but the color is lost on cooking. They are…
POM POM (Pom pom blanc) MUSHROOMS are wood mushrooms, cultivated members of the Hericium group. Pom pom’s wild relatives are known as tooth fungi, lion’s mane, monkey’s head, bear’s head, old man’s beard, Satyr’s beard, and yamabushi-take. Wild Hericium inhabit branch scars of living hardwoods or fallen logs, mostly oak 8ing from late fall to…
No Description
No Description
Yellow Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus Citrinopileatus) have a lovely golden color with a noticeable citrus flavor, but can sometimes be a bit bitter. The color is lost on cooking, a downside to all the brightly colored mushrooms of this genus. The taste of all oyster mushrooms is fairly mild compared to many of the wild species…
A Mango Nectarine is one of those special fruits that is really best appreciated in person. We cannot effectively communicate the wonderful fragrance and outstanding flavor of this tender, short-season fruit. Sweet, exotic and perfumey, they are a wonderful summer fruit, grown exclusively in California. Suffice to say, they must be tasted to be believed….
The USDA’s standard for ‘tree ripe’ is very similar to their standard for ‘ vine ripe’ (i.e. the fruit is just starting to ripen when it is harvested). Our definition, driven by our chefs, is very, very different. We are talking fragrant, juice-running-down-your-chin, very sweet, lots of flavor ripe. Because our Tree Ripe Yellow Nectarines…
Don’t let this pale face fool you. The White Nectarine has a sweeter, more luscious flavor than its yellow-fleshed brother. Why so sweet? The white fruit has lower acid levels than the yellow varieties. When ripe, a White Nectarine has practically no tartness to its juicy, creamy texture. The White Nectarine’s flesh is pinkish-white turning…
Our grower plants Pearl Onions and harvests them while still young and tender, with their tops attached. These little onions are so young they have not yet formed a skin… so no peeling! And isn’ t that what every chef hates about Pearl Onions?!? Baby Pearl Onions served with just an inch or so of…
Some truly great specialty items have been developed as a direct result of growers thinning their rows and marketing the resulting product (e.g. Baby Parsnips, Baby Parsley Root, Young Green Chard). Here’s another: Cippolini Onion Shoots. They look like teeny green or red onions, but their flavor is much milder…similar to mild chives. Leave the…
This legendary sweet onion hails from the island of Maui. Maui “Kula” sweet onions grow high up Haleakala’s fertile slopes. Mauis were first introduced to the mainland U.S. by tourists bringing them back by the bag. Like Vidalias, they are a Yellow Granex type hybrid and originated from varieties developed in Texas. Maui onions are…
Usually, Onions are cured or dried before they are marketed. The curing process results in an Onion with intense flavor and a lower moisture content . Mild and sweet, Spring Red Onions are harvested before they reach their full size and are packed without being dried. Leave an inch of the top attached and grill…