Edible mushroom

Encyclopedia : E : ED : EDI : Edible mushroom

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There are thousands of regularly harvested edible mushrooms in the world, in addition to literally hundreds of thousands of other potentially edible species. Some species are highly prized because they are not or cannot be cultivated and must be harvested from natural settings. Check safety rules under mushroom hunting, however, before assuming any wild mushroom is edible. Even if a mushroom is edible, it doesn't mean it will taste good. Some non-poisonous mushrooms, like bitter bolete, have extremely foul taste.

History of mushroom use

Mushrooms were so flavoursome for the pharaohs of Egypt that they decreed mushrooms could only be eaten by royalty and that no commoner could even touch them, thus giving the royal family the entire available supply. In some parts of Eurasia, especially in Russia and Nordic countries, mushrooms form a remarkable part of diet. Several mushrooms are especially tasty and many are rich on nutrients. Mushrooms can be also easily conserved, and they have provided additional nutrition for winter. Mushrooms are also cultivated: remarkable "tamed" mushrooms include champignon, shiitake and oyster mushroom. Finns also cultivate false morel - this mushroom is deadly poisonous if raw, but when correctly prepared, delicious. Mushrooms are especially good for people who are on diet: they contain almost no fat or carbohydrates, and are rich on proteins.

Many prehistoric and a few modern cultures around the world used psychedelic mushrooms for ritualistic purposes. Before 10,000 BCE while people were still hunting and gathering as a part of every day life, women did the gathering. Women were said to be blessed with the ability to see in the dim light so they were successful in foraging for mushrooms and fungi amongst other things ^{[[Citing sources citation needed]]}. Mushroom cultivation reached the United States in the late 1800s with imported spores from Mexico. Unfortunately, several mushrooms, like death cap, are extremely poisonous, and have been deliberately used as instruments of assassination.

Common edible species

A few of the most commonly consumed fungi are:

• Agaricus bisporus: also known as champignon and the button mushroom, the most extensively cultivated mushroom in the world, accounting for 38% of the world production of cultivated mushrooms. This species also includes the portobello and crimini mushrooms.

• Pleurotus species : The oyster mushroom and king trumpet mushroom. Pleurotus mushrooms are the second most important mushrooms in production in the world, 25% of total world production of cultivated mushrooms. Pleurotus mushrooms are world-wide, China is the major producer. Several species can be grown on carbonaceous matter such as straw or newspaper. In the wild they are usually found growing on wood.

• Volvariella volvacea : the "Paddy straw mushroom." Volvariella mushrooms account for 16% of total production of cultivated mushrooms in the world.

• Lentinus edodes : also known as shiitake, oak mushroom. Lentinus edodes is largely produced in Japan, China and South Korea. Lentinus edodes accounts for 10% of world production of cultivated mushrooms.

• The porcini: Boletus edulis, also known as the king bolete, cep, and Steinpilz, is renowned for its nutty flavor. It is sought after worldwide, and can be found in a variety of culinary dishes.
• The morel: morels belong to the ascomycete grouping of fungi. They are usually found in open scrub, woodland or open ground in late spring. When collecting this fungus, care must be taken to distinguish it from the poisonous false morel, Gyromitra esculenta. False morel, however, can be easily detoxified, and if properly prepared, considered itself a delicacy.

• The chanterelle: The yellow chanterelle is one of the best and most easily recognizable mushrooms, and can be found in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia. Caution must be used, as there are several types of very poisonous (although not usually lethal) lookalikes.

• Flammulina velutipes : the "winter mushroom", also known as enokitake in Japan

• Tree ear fungus : Auricularia polytricha or Auricularia auricula-judae, two closely related species of jelly fungi that are commonly used in Chinese cuisine.

• Snow fungus : Tremella fuciformis, another type of jelly fungi that is commonly used in Chinese cuisine.

• The truffle: Tuber magnatum (Piemont white truffle), Tuber aestivum (Summer or St. Jean truffle), Tuber melanosporum (Perigord truffle), Tuber brumale. Truffles belong to the ascomycete grouping of fungi. The truffle fruitbodies develop underground in mycorrhizal association with certain trees e.g. oak, poplar, beech, and hazel. Being difficult to find, trained pigs or dogs are often used to sniff them out for harvesting.

• Sulphur shelf: Laetiporous sulphureous. Also known by names such as the "chicken mushroom", "chicken fungus", sulphur shelf is a distinct bracket fungus popular among mushroom hunters.

• Grifola frondosa : known in Japan as maitake (also "hen of the woods" or "sheep’s head"); a large, hearty mushroom commonly found on or near stumps and bases of oak trees, and believed to have medicinal properties.

• Coprinus comatus : the shaggy mane. Must be cooked as soon as possible after harvesting or the caps will deliquesce and turn to ink. Only the fresh young caps and stems are edible as the mature caps will turn black and unappetizing.

• Black fungi and white fungi, two tough, leathery cultivated mushrooms both with a delicate flavour, used for flavouring of soups and for decoration if thinly sliced.

See also:

• Mushroom hunting
• Mushroom picking in Slavic culture
• Polish cuisine

Reference

• [Edible fungi]

 

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