Mushrooms: Shiitake and Oyster
Growing up, I remember the smell of mushroom filling the house. We purchased dried-up shiitakes and had to rehydrate them. Left to sit in a bowl of water, they’d plump up over a few hours and fill the house with their woodsy aroma.
The shiitake mushroom caps are humongous. I remember them being the size of my small child’s palm sometimes. They’re a soft consistency, almost too slimy to eat for a kid.
The oyster mushroom, on the other hand, is more delicate. They have slimmer stalks and a blander flavor. Texture-wise, they’re also a little crisper, more akin to the common white button mushroom.
Fun fact: Oyster mushrooms have a cholesterol-lowering compound known as lovastatin.
Not so fun fact: Shiitake mushrooms, if eaten raw or not cooked well, can produce an allergic reaction known as shiitake dermatitis.
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