Fungus has taken over Kennett square

Who would have imagined that driving through a small, quaint town on the Delaware/Pennsylvania boarder that I would stumble upon the mushroom capital of the world. Let alone know that there even was a mushroom capital of the world and I'm not talking about the ones that take you on a trip to imagination land or turn luigi into a real man. These are the real, meaty and delicious, deal!

Unfortunately, mushrooms tours are rarely offered these days to help protect the crops. It makes sense if you think about how the fungii are grown, in a cool, damp and extremely DARK atmosphere.

A rumor that hundreds of fingers are lost each year with the picking of the mushrooms, especially since the mushrooms pickers work at a steadfast pace cutting the caps from the stems in the pitch dark of night sometimes up on 40 foot shelves digging through compost and moss, could scare some from diving into the compost shelves of the factories but not me.

over 400 million pounds of mushrooms are produced in this area and shipped throughout the country every year. It takes, on average, about 6 weeks to plant, seed, grow and harvest a crop of mushrooms. The most cultivated variety is the common, plain Jane button mushroom ranging in three sizes from small to large. Second is the hearty portabella (yes you can end it with an A or O), which is commonly used to replace meat in vegetarian dishes and fantastic grilled and marinated. Other varieties include cremini's, which are the children of portabellos. Very flavorful shittakes, which originated from oak trees in Japan. Also oyster and maittake mushrooms which originate in asia where they have been used for centuries to help cure body ailments and reduce cholesterol, the eastern culture obviously is on to something.

Mushrooms can be used in a variety of ways. I suggest sauteeing them over high heat with some olive oil, garlic, mushrooms and salt. Shittakes are amazing in broths adding a rich depth of umami flavor. try steeping them in stock and adding them to steamed vegetables, herbs and a dab of butter, an extremely healthy and deliciously fresh dish or side.

Mushrooms are so versatile it is no wonder why Americans consume over 500 million lbs of them every year! The next time you find your path crossed with a beautiful yellow oyster mushrooms staring you in the face, remember a few key rules.

Never leave mushrooms in water!

store mushrooms in a paper product to let them breath, they are a living, breathing fungii!

and always, yes always treat them simple and don't over complicate their natural earthy flavors.

Until next time
-Chefcraw