Know Your Mushrooms

Your bit on truffles is confusing several very different varieties.

Black "Périgord" truffles (Tuber melanosporum), shown in the photo, are found in France, Italy, and Spain. They are usually cooked, they keep for a long time, and they can be preserved quite successfully.

White "Alba" truffles (Tuber magnatum pico) are found in Italy and Croatia. They are shaved raw over warm food, never...+READ

Your bit on truffles is confusing several very different varieties.

Black "Périgord" truffles (Tuber melanosporum), shown in the photo, are found in France, Italy, and Spain. They are usually cooked, they keep for a long time, and they can be preserved quite successfully.

White "Alba" truffles (Tuber magnatum pico) are found in Italy and Croatia. They are shaved raw over warm food, never cooked, and quickly lose their aromatics. There's a tradition of storing them in rice to perfume it, but truffle hunters in Alba wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them in chest freezers.

The truffles found in Oregon are Tuber oregonense and Tuber gibbosum and are of relatively little culinary interest.-COLLAPSE

By Robert Lauriston on December 10, 2011 10:50 AM

I find this to be very informative. I have been eating these mushrooms without knowing their names for so long!

By lalitamangotree on March 13, 2011 01:14 AM

What about ceps?

By Kaaren on March 10, 2011 01:56 AM

what a terrific article. I use lots of mushrooms, even have a big jar of dried mushrooms in my pantry. Those I soak and use the soaking liquid as part of my stock. Thanks for this write up.

By EssPee on April 15, 2010 05:34 AM

I used cremini mushrooms to make Mushroom & Parsnip Soup - it was delicious!
http://coldcerealandtoast.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/mushroom-and-parsnip-soup/

By newRDcook on February 24, 2010 04:33 PM

this is *totally* the informative stuff i love to see on this site, never heard of "candy cap" mushrooms before, though i've cooked all the other ones. good job on this piece!

By soupkitten on August 10, 2009 09:44 PM

This is great! I printed it out as a poster and put it up in my kitchen.

I'd love a version of this for nuts.

By Mark P on April 6, 2009 04:16 PM

You didn't mention the blue foot mushroom, very delicious.

By granada on January 23, 2009 08:53 AM

That's funny, Silly Mimi! I'd heard something similar about portabellas years ago. Thanks for confirming it.

This is a wonderful article.

By h2Bn on January 15, 2009 10:54 AM

I grew domestic (agaricus) mushrooms for 13 years with my husband in the Kennett Square, Pa, area. Many times they were almost all we had for dinner, cooked in a variety of ways. I've eaten them right off the beds when we picked long hours and missed a meal. Believe me, they get washed frequently as they're growing. The reason I wash them now (from the supermarket) is because I don't really know...+READ

I grew domestic (agaricus) mushrooms for 13 years with my husband in the Kennett Square, Pa, area. Many times they were almost all we had for dinner, cooked in a variety of ways. I've eaten them right off the beds when we picked long hours and missed a meal. Believe me, they get washed frequently as they're growing. The reason I wash them now (from the supermarket) is because I don't really know what the pickers have been doing with their hands - gloves or no gloves. One of my family's favorite ways to eat them is raw, sliced with shrimp cocktail mix as a dip - yum! They're gone in an instant.

Also, the portabella mushrooms are the biggest scam on the face of the earth, but I have to give whatever grower marketed them as special a big "good for you, buddy!" They used to be called "pizza pack" or "soup pack" that we sold to Campbell Soups and received a pittance for. Now they're gourmet! Too funny! I don't eat them - psychological, I guess.

Silly Mimi-COLLAPSE

By Silly Mimi on December 13, 2008 09:43 AM