Feature Friday: Mushroom Varieties - King Oyster

In this last post of this Feature Friday Series, we are exploring one of the newest Canadian grown mushrooms, the King Oyster.

Name: Pleurotus Eryngii

Description: King oyster mushrooms have a light tan cap with a thick white stem.

Taste: This stout, thick fleshed mushroom is pleasantly chewy top to bottom and has the advantage of remaining firm when cooked. The flavour contains a delicate taste of woodsy and sweet.

Uses: This whole mushroom can be eaten. Adapts well in French, Italian, Mediterranean and Chinese cuisines. It stands up to sauteing, stir-frying, and grilling, becoming golden brown and nicely crisp.

How they Grow:
King oyster mushrooms have a very similar growing process to enoki mushrooms. You can read about that process here. For the growing process in pictures visit Enviro Mushroom Farm's website here.

Delicious King Oyster Recipe Ideas:
- Mushrooms with Papardelle Noodles, Tomato, Herbs and Garlic “En Brodo”
- King Oyster Tomato Pizza

posted by Brittany

Feature Friday: Mushroom Varieties - Enoki

In this Feature Friday Series, we will explore all the different varieties of fresh mushrooms grown locally right here in Canada.

Today we are exploring a mushroom that is often mistaken as a mushroom grown in Asia, the Enoki Mushroom.

Name: Flammulina Veluptipes

Description: Enoki mushrooms have long, slender white stems with tiny, firm caps. The sort of resemble a bean sprout.

Taste: This mushroom has a mild, delicate flavour that is complimented by a slight crunch.

Uses: Enoki mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked. They are commonly used in Asian cooking but are also excellent in salads, sandwiches, soups, and pasta sauces.

How they Grow:
Today's technology uses automated systems and machines to fill plastic bottles with substrate made of many different ingredients including ground corn cob pellets, wheat bran and soybean meal. The bottles are sterilized, inoculated with the mushroom spawn, and placed in environmentally controlled growing rooms. When the mycelium has spread through or colonized the substrate, the bottles are moved to an area where a plastic collar is attached to the top of the bottle. This collar guides the forming mushrooms to grow straight up to help control Carbon Dioxide. Enokis require a colder environment, 45 F / 7.2 C compared to 60 F / 15.5 C which is what is required by other varieties. After about 90 days, the mushrooms are harvested. The collars are removed, the Enokis plucked from the mouth of the bottle, and packaged in shrink wrapped bags. The remaining substrate is recycled because Enokis only produce one set of fruiting bodies per crop.

Delicious Oyster Recipe Ideas:
- Enoki Salmon Roll

posted by Brittany

Check Us Out: Mushroom News Online

Check Us Out: Mushroom News Online brings together all the interesting and delicious mushrooms stories from the web to one place.

News Finds:

Locally grown mushrooms star in an easy-to-make leek risotto
This is an easy version of the classic Italian dish. Mild flavoured leeks combine with wonderful woodsy shiitake mushrooms to create a delicious treat.

It doesn't get better than soup and a sandwich
Lucy Waverman cooks up a classic; soup and sandwich. You're going to want to try this sandwich, a rich and meaty Portabella Mushroom Sandwich.

Monday's Leftovers: Wild Mushroom and Barley Risotto
Parmesan cheese and wild mushrooms don't just add in meatiness and substance — they also impart strong umami flavors.

Stroganoff the ultimate comfort food
Using simple, fresh ingredients and staying away from canned soup bases, this recipe skimps on the sodium, allowing the true flavours of veal, fresh broccoli and mushrooms to shine through.

Shanghai noodle dish is perfect for ushering in Chinese New Year
Celebrate Chinese New Year, which begins Feb. 14, with traditional healthy food, like this sweet and tangy Shanghai noodle dish.

Olympic-inspired recipes: Mushroom-and-shallot-stuffed bread inspired by bobsled
Intended to resemble a bobsled, this large loaf of bread is stuffed with a blend of mushrooms and shallots. It also has cheese worked into the dough, and sprinkled on top for a golden crust.

You say yummy, we say umami
This quick dish offers two main sources of umami: Mushrooms and tamari (that milder version of soy sauce).

posted by Brittany

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Feature Friday: Mushroom Varieties - Oyster

In this Feature Friday Series, we will explore all the different varieties of fresh mushrooms grown locally right here in Canada.

Today we are focusing on the delicate, and very visially appealing, Oyster mushrooms.

Name: Pleurotus Ostreatus

Description: Oyster mushrooms have a funnel-shaped cap, ranging in size from 1 to 4 in. (2.5 to 10 cm), with gills running up a short off-center stem. These mushrooms are available in a range of colours, most commonly eaten are the grey, but they are also available in white, brown, black, and pink.

Taste: Oyster mushrooms have a delicate, mild flavour with a velvety texture. These mushrooms are best when eaten cooked.

Uses: Its texture makes it a great compliment to chicken, seafood, and pork.

How they Grow:
Like other mushrooms oyster mushrooms are also grown in an environmentally controlled building. These mushrooms require a bit more humidity and fresh air than the agaricus varieties. Oysters are grown on a range of agricultural and wood waste products including hardwood chips, chopped cereal, straw and corn cobs. After the growing medium is pasteurized it is cooled and then inoculated with oyster spawn and packed into long, tube shaped plastic bags. Holes are punched into the bag to allow for the oxygen to initiate mycelial growth. The bags are either hung or set up on racks in the controlled growing room. The oyster mushrooms will begin to grow out of the holes that were punched in the bag.

After about 14 days the mushrooms are ready to be harvested. Like all mushrooms, oysters are also harvested by hand. Pickers will simply cut the mushrooms stem as close to the plastic bag as possible. This will allow for another flush to come through.

Delicious Oyster Recipe Ideas:
- Hot and Sour Mushroom Soup
- Fresh Mushroom Cheddar Burger
- Strip Loin Roast Beef with Rosemary Wild Mushroom Sauce

posted by Brittany