The commercial availability of several kinds of mushrooms, members of the huge fungi family, is the happy result of a long and perilous journey. Mushrooms grow in dazzling quantities in many countries, all of which possess at least one edible variety—and even more inedible varieties. Picking wild mushrooms, still a ritual in some European and Asian countries, requires expert knowledge because many edible and toxic varieties bear a strong resemblance to each other, and mistakes can be fatal. Perhaps the best known rare family member is the truffle, often hunted with dogs trained to its distinctive scent, and sold at astronomical prices.
What to Look For:
Mushroom Storage and Preparation Tips:
Cooking with Mushrooms:
Mushrooms add a mild or strong earthy quality to dishes. At their peak, many varieties are steamed or lightly simmered and served alone, so that their unique flavor can be savored. Mushrooms can be sautéed, stir-fried, simmered in broth, or baked with a seasoned stuffing. Raw mushrooms can be sliced into salads or served with a dip. Mushrooms figure large in Asian cuisines, often stir-fried with other vegetables. Italian cuisine incorporates mushrooms into tomato-based pasta sauces, simmers them alone to serve with pasta, or stuffs and bakes them. French cooks reach for mushrooms as often as they do for onions, and American cuisine pairs mushrooms with hearty beef dishes.
Mushroom Nutrition Highlights:
Mushrooms are a good source of iron and contain a variety of B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, and folate. Higher levels of selenium than found in other vegetables prompted study relating to the immune-system enhancing properties of mushrooms. More recent study has focused on the potential cholesterol-lowering qualities of the good fiber source provided by mushrooms. Medical uses of mushrooms abound in Chinese, herbal and other alternative medicines.