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• Varieties -
• Health & Nutrition

The funguses (fungi) we know as "mushrooms" consist almost entirely of fibers which live in the ground or in decaying vegetation and some are among the largest, heaviest living things - but all unseen to us. When times are good they send up fruiting bodies which are the "mushrooms" we pick for food or "medicinal purposes".

Many mushrooms are highly toxic, and some toxic varieties look very much like edible ones, so wild mushrooms need to be carefully identified before consumption. Some varieties presumed non-toxic have proved toxic when combined with beer.

Unlike plants funguses do not generate their own energy but subsist entirely on breaking down and absorbing living or dead plant or animal material (and in some rare cases other funguses).

Listed here are common varieties or varieties likely to be encountered in the cooking literature. This is by no means a comprehensive list and doesn't include most varieties only found wild.

Abalone Mushroom - a name variously used, often applied to canned Oyster Mushroom, but if anything deserves the name it's the Bai-Ling.

Amanita - [Amanita muscaria and many other Amanita spp.]
This large family of mushrooms includes many highly toxic varieties that should not be consumed on penalty of death (self enforcing). Milder varieties are sometimes taken in sub-lethal doses for psychoactive purposes beyond the scope of this document. Some Amanitas are used in cooking but rarely in the U.S.. With proper preparation (boiling in plenty of salted water) even the dread Amanita muscaria has been reported edible but I'm not about to recommend you try it. Photo by Vaide, bigstockphoto.com.

Beech Mushroom - see Hon-Shimeji.

Bai-Ling - [Bailing Mushroom, Abalone Mushroom, Pleurotus eryngii var. ferulae was Pleurotus ferulae var. Lanze]
If any mushroom deserves the name "abalone mushroom" this is the one. About the size of a very large abalone (the kind you can't get any more), sliced it looks like abalone steaks and when cooked it even tastes a bit like abalone.

Black Fungus [Wood Ear, Cloud Ear; Kikurage (Japan); Mu-ehr (China); Auricularia polytricha, also A. auricula-judae, Hirneola auricula-judae and others (variation in color)]
This thin nearly black fungus is sold dried and will expand to about 4 times the dried volume when soaked. It is often used in soups and stir fries in China and Korea for its slippery but crunchy texture. It has little flavor of its own but does absorb flavors from other ingredients it's cooked with. In the photo there are three dried ones on the left, each a little over and inch across, and on the right a rehydrated one that was originally the same size as one of the others.

It is held in Chinese medicine to improve blood circulation and relieve atherosclerosis. Preliminary tests in Western medicine are encouraging and include confirmation of anticoagulant properties.
Details and Cooking

Blewit [Blue Foot (when cultivated), Lepista nuda]
Wild and cultivated mushrooms with blue tinted stalks and light beige caps. These mushrooms should be cooked to bring out their unique flavor and because some people are sensitive to blewit toxins when eaten raw. Their flavor is robust enough to complement casseroles, risottos and other substantial dishes - if you can afford them. The cultivated photo specimens, purchased at Whole Foods Market for $40/pound, were typically 2 inches across the cap and weighed 1/2 ounce each.

Boulet - See Porcini.

Cep - see Porcini.

Chanterelle [Girolle (it), Pfifferling (de), Cantharellus cibarius, C. craterellus and other spp.]
This funnel shaped mushroom is very highly regarded among food enthusiasts in Europe and the U.S.. They are only found wild since all attempts to cultivate them commercially have failed, so they are seasonal and expensive. Always served cooked to bring out their woodsy flavor, they are sturdy and can stand up to being stirred and sautéed.

Crimini [Italian Brown, Agaricus bisporus]
Similar to the White Mushroom (note the same species name) but darker in color and with a deeper, earthier flavor. These are called for in many Italian recipes. They will keep up to 7 days refrigerated in a paper bag.

Enoki - [Flammulina veluptipes]
This distinctive mushroom grows in clusters of long thin stems each topped with a very small round cap. A favorite of Japanese cuisine, they have a mild flavor and a slight crunch and are generally used raw. Refrigerated in a paper bag they will keep up to 14 days.

Enoki Brown?? - []
The store sold these as "Buna Hon-Shimeji" which they clearly are not - but that was probably just for pricing convenience. They may not have any more clue what they are than I do. The package was entirely in Chinese, even the "Nutrition Information" box, except the brand name "Green Peace". The photo specimens were 3-1/2 inches high and the caps were up to 0.28 inches diameter.

These do not have the raw bitterness of Hon-Shimeji, in fact they are slightly sweet. When cooked they remain crunchy, but the color becomes muddy and the flavor a bit washed out. All in all, I think these are best used raw scattered as a garnish.

King Oyster [Eryngii, Royal Trumpet, Pleurotus eryngil]
The largest member of the oyster mushroom family, these come in a wide range of sizes. The largest are nearly all stem with hardly any cap while smaller ones have a more distinct cap flaring out from the stem. The photo specimen to the left was 7 inches long with a cap 3 inches across, a stem 2-1/2 inches in diameter and weighed over 8-1/2 ounces, near the high end.

These mushrooms are generally sliced or cut into narrow strips and remain quite firm when cooked. They have a good light mushroom flavor - more mushroomy in lengthwise strips, more absorbent cut crosswise. King Oysters are now very common in Asian markets here in Los Angeles, sometimes as low as $2.99/#. Keeping properties are very good - 2 weeks in the original tray with breathable plastic.

Hon-Shimeji (Brown, White) - [Beech Mushroom, Clamshell Mushroom, Hypsyzygus tessulatus]
In nature these tiny mushrooms grow high in beech trees but are grown commercially on prepared corn cobs. They're sold in clusters of medium length stems with caps 1 inch in diameter and smaller. Both light tan cap and white cap varieties are sold in Japanese and Korean markets. They are used cooked (they're a bit bitter raw) and "stem on", sautéed or in stir frys or soups and remain slightly crunchy even with longer cooking. The flavor is quite mild, slightly sweet, slightly nutty so use them in dishes that won't overpower them. They will keep for about 10 days refrigerated in a paper bag if left on their substrate.

Maitake - [Hen of the Woods, Grifola frondosa]
These frilly funguses start from a tough base and become somewhat crumbly at the outer edges. They are generally used cooked to bring out their woodsy taste and distinctive aroma. They will keep up to 10 days refrigerated in a paper bag.

Morel [Morchella Esculentia]
This highly prized mushroom grows in Europe and some parts of the U.S.. It has a wide hollow stem topped with a conical sponge-like cap which is also hollow with very thin walls. Morels are very light in weight but provide a rich nut-like flavor. They are highly resistant to cultivation with only one year-round grower using a patented process. The rest are harvested in season and tend to be expensive when available. They are also available dry but the flavor is different. Fresh ones keep around 10 days refrigerated in a paper bag.

Nameko - [Butterscotch Mushroom, Pholiota nameko]
Much appreciated in Japan, this mushroom is very difficult to find fresh in the USA but can be found canned in some Asian markets. Fresh Namekos have a slippery gelatinous coating on the cap which may be a turn-off to some but is appreciated by others. When canned this coating becomes part of the canning liquid which will be gelatinous to a greater or lesser extent depending on processing.

Oyster [Pleruotus ostreatus, P. sapidus, P. pulmonarus, P. citrino-pileatus and others]
A number of varieties of mild flavored mushroom that come in various sizes and colors and are used cooked. They are generally fan shaped but highly irregular and overlapping. Highly perishable, they will keep up to 5 days refrigerated in a paper bag, if you are lucky.

Po-Ku Mushroom - generally these are canned Shiitakes from China or Korea.

Porcini [Boulet (us), Cep (fr), Boletus edulis]
Considered by some the "king of mushrooms", the boulet has a dome shaped cap ranging from tan to reddish brown with a sponge like underside rather than gills. The stem is thick and white to yellow. Dried Porcini are becoming fairly common in U.S. groceries, but at about $5.00 per ounce and up. They are very fragrant, so cheap dried Shiitakes make a poor substitute.

Portobella [Portabello, Agaricus bisporus]
A variety of Crimini that is given a longer growing cycle allowing it to become more mature before harvesting. Note the species name is the same as the Crimini and the White Button mushroom. It can reach sizes of up to 6 inches across and is often used for stuffing or as a substitute for a meat patty in vegetarian hamburgers. The flavor is deeper and meatier than the less mature Crimini. They can be kept up to 10 days refrigerated in a paper bag.

Pom Pom [Monkey's head, hedgehog mushroom, Lion's Mane, Bear's head, Old Man's beard, Satyr's beard, Yamabushitake, Hericium erinaceus]
Irregularly spherical with no stem, these mushrooms grow on hardwood trees. Their mild sweet taste and firm texture are said to make them suitable to replace lobster in recipes. Now the flavor is intriguing but I'm not about to tell you it tastes like lobster. The photo specimens were canned but they are also available dried. The one to the left is 2-1/2 inches from bottom to top but these fungi grow to over a foot across. As you can see from the slice they are solid and meaty.

Psilocybian - [Magic Mushroom, Psilocybe Cubensis and other spp.]
A popular cultivated psychoactive mushroom the use of which is beyond the scope of this document. Photo by John W. Allen, from Magic Mushrooms of Australia and New Zealand - permission will be applied for.

Shiitake [Oak, Chinese, Black Forest Mushroom, Lentinus edodes]
Varying from tan to dark brown, Shiitakes, both fresh (three on the left) and dried (two on the right), are generally used cooked. They are much tougher than Criminis and have a more intense meaty flavor.

Dried Shiitakes are often sold as "dried black mushroom" or dried forest mushroom". In any case they are easily identifiable due to the texture of the top of the cap. Fresh shiitakes are now produced in large quantity in several areas of the U.S. and are ever easier to find.

The stems aren't used either fresh or dry. They're tough and cooking doesn't soften them much. Shiitakes are generally dryish so when substituting them for Criminis or White Mushrooms in a recipe cut them to size and soak them in warm water for 20 minutes or so. Not only does this add expected moisture but it transforms the texture from tough to silky.

Fresh or dried Shiitakes are best bought from an ethnic Chinese or Korean grocery where they will be fresher and much cheaper than from the supers or health food outlets. If purchased at low cost from an ethnic grocer they are your best deal for mushroom flavor since you need less in the recipe. They can be kept up to 14 days refrigerated in porous paper bags.

Stinkhorn [Bamboo Fungus, Bamboo Heart, Maiden's Veil, Veiled Lady, Dictyophora indusiata]
Stinkhorn is available dried in well stocked Oriental groceries. They look very unpromising as nearly weightless papery shreds but they rehydrate into a mesh stem with an ethereal floating veil. Rehydrate them by soaking in lightly salted water for 20 minutes, then in boiling water for 1 minute.

They have just a little earthy flavor of their own but a delicate crunchy texture that holds up well to cooking and a mesh structure that holds light sauces and broth flavors extremely well. Use them in soups, stews and other light liquidy dishes where they are attractively suspended (the photo specimens are floating in water) and they'll add substance and texture. Nutritionally they are high in fiber and amino acids.

Straw Mushrooms - [Thai straw mushroom, Paddy Straw Mushroom; Nam rom (Viet); Volvariella volvacea]
These are grown on rice straw and are not yet widely available fresh even in California. They are, however, available canned in stores catering to Asian communities. Mistaking the almost identical but highly toxic death cap (Amanita phalloides) for straw mushrooms has resulted in death and need for liver transplants among Asian immigrants to the US and Australia.

Straw mushrooms are canned in two forms: egg shaped with the cap and stem still completely encapsulated by a shroud called the volva, or partially opened with a conical cap on a short thick stem. These are called "unpeeled" and "peeled" on the can but the "peeled" is just a more mature form of the "unpeeled". They are also available dried but not commonly. Straw Mushrooms are very important in Southeast Asian cuisines, particularly Thai. In Vietnam they may be found growing wild on old termite mounds. These are much stronger in flavor than cultivated and fetcha a much higher price. Details and Cooking .

Suillus Granulatus - [Granulated slippery Jack, Suillus granulatus]
This Boletus type mushroom is rather a newcomer to the commercial market but is now being grown in China. It appears mostly in marinated form, as the photo specimens are. In the wild they grow up to 3 inches across but the photo specimens were about 1-1/4 inch, As with other Boletus type mushrooms the underside of the cap has pores rather than gills. A light flavored mushroom.

Truffles
Truffles, white, black or whatever, have become exceedingly expensive and efforts to cultivate them continue with very mixed success.
Notice: One mystery has recently been solved - why some people rave about truffles and others just don't see the point. If you have not been exposed to truffles over some period of time don't bother with the expense until you've checked them out. 25% can't smell them at all and 40% hate them, but those who've been exposed to them for some time come to love them. It's a chemical thing (androstenone).

White Fungus - [Silver Ear, Tremella fuciformis]
This fungus is very much like the Black Fungus except it is white. Once very expensive it is now farmed and quite common in Asian markets. While most fungi break down plant material for food, this one is actually a parasite on another fungus. As you can see from the photo specimens, which were the same size dry, this fungus doesn't expand anywhere near as much as the Black Fungus and has a tighter structure. They have almost no flavor but are delicately crunchy, a little less so than the Black Fungus, and absorb flavors well. The soaked specimen is 4-1/2 inches across.

White Button [Supermarket Mushroom, Paris Mushroom, French Cultivated, Agaricus bisporus]
This common mushroom is not particularly interesting from a flavor standpoint but it's easy and economical to grow in quantity. It was, in fact, the first mushroom cultivated in quantity with production started in limestone quarries outside Paris in the 18th century. They will keep up to 7 days refrigerated in a paper bag, but darken. They will rot within hours if kept in plastic. The photo specimens are around 2 inches across, fairly typical, but they are sold somewhat larger and quite a bit smaller.

Wood Ear Fungus - see Black Fungus

Benzine & Hydrazine:   Raw white mushrooms are known to contain some amount of benzine and hydrazines, both known carcinogens. Hydrazines can survive even extended cooking. These mushrooms also contain other compounds, including antioxidants, which suppress tumor formation and growth (3). The total impact on health is unknown but in general even raw white mushrooms are generally considered safe in commonly consumed amounts.

Vitamin D:   Mushrooms are about the only non-animal source for vitamin D, a vitamin which most people are reported to be deficient in. It has recently been found that even short exposure to ultraviolet light greatly increases the vitamin D content when applied either before or after harvest. It does, however, cause white mushrooms to be browner, more like crimini mushrooms. The mushroom industry is planning to market "D enhanced" mushrooms.

General:   White mushrooms (and presumably others) are a good source for copper, potassium, selenium and the B-vitamins niacin, pantothenic acid and riboflavin. They also contain a powerful antioxidant, ergothioneine, in greater quantity than in the next best sources, chicken livers and wheat germ. Mushrooms are very low in calories and are fat and cholesterol free (4)..

Links

• F1 - Wild Edible Fungi - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• F2 - http://www.mushroomthejournal.com/mhma/edibles.htm"> Mid Hudson Mycological Association - Some Edible and Medicinal Wild Mushrooms of the Mid Hudson Region.
• F3 - Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms - Paul Stamets.
• F4 - Mushrooms See the Light - Los Angeles Times 31 Mar 2008 F4.