Much Ado about MushroomsSaturday, September 24, 2005


A spongy, fleshy fungi that grows in the thick of the woods, on trees and even underground, mushrooms are a favorite in a wide variety of cuisines. Found on every continent in the world, mushrooms provide a taste and texture like no other food we know. Mushrooms are a great source of healthy vegetarian protein, dietary fiber, B-vitamins, and selenium. With thousands of varieties of mushrooms, ranging in flavor and texture from mild to meaty, there’s sure to be a mushroom for every preference…

Mushrooms 101
Hailing from the fungi family, mushrooms are a truly unique food. Mushrooms range in size from tiny (less than ½-inch) to gargantuan (over 12 inches across), in flavor from bland to nutty to earthy, in color from white to black (and most anywhere in between) and in texture from spongy to crunchy. And, when it comes to mushrooms, there are literally thousands of varieties available across the globe. While you may have many choices for fungi in your area, we’re just going to touch on some of the most familiar mushrooms:

BUTTON - The mushroom most familiar to all is the small, white button mushroom. Usually found atop salads and fresh sandwiches, button mushrooms also cook up well and are found in a variety of dishes, including soups, sauces and even on top of pizza.

CREMINI - While cremini (or crimini) mushrooms are brown in color, they are actually most closely related to the small, white button mushroom most people are familiar with. Cremini’s are mild in flavor and cook well in many dishes.