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…
Cauliflower Mushrooms are considered a wood mushroom, and can grow to fifty pounds or more apiece. They are considered one of the gems of the mushroom family with a texture similar to jelly fungi but not quite as firm. They need to be cooked for at least an hour in chicken broth to become tender…
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…
These mushrooms do not have gills, but they do have teeth or at least small, tooth-like projections on the under-side of their caps. Also known as Sweet Tooth mushrooms, they can be found in the wilds along the Pacific Coast in winter some growing on trees as shelves, others on the ground in colors so…
These mushrooms do not have gills, but they do have teeth or at least small, tooth-like projections on the under-side of their caps. Also known as Sweet Tooth mushrooms, they can be found in the wilds along the Pacific Coast in winter some growing on trees as shelves, others on the ground in colors so…
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…
With a delicious earthy taste, the Matsutake and its relatives are among the most sought after and prized mushrooms in the world. In the Orient, the Matsutake or pine mushroom symbolizes strength and vigor and is used in many ceremonial gatherings. It is a large, thick-fleshed, white mushroom whose cap is two to nine inches…
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…
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…
The PORCINI MUSHROOM is prized for its texture, rich and buttery flavor, and rarity. PORCINI is Italian for ” little pigs” , quite appropriate since they can grow up to an amazing 2 pounds! Their color is common with tan to brown tops and pale undersides, but a closer look will reveal a swollen appearance…
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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…
Chestnuts (ours are grown in California!) contain more starch and less oil than most other nuts and have had a special role as food for this reason. Rural uses of wild Chestnuts include the original Italian polenta, a porridge that was made with Chestnut meal before the introduction of maize from the New World and…
We thought the urban produce people might like to see how Pistachio grow. Here they are, still on the branch. Once the nuts are ready to harvest, commercial growers shake the trees with mechanical shakers. The shaker looks a little like a backhoe, but the arm is straight and ends in pinchers. The shaker also…
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…