Blazei Brazilian Cap Mushrooms, Dried

The smell is that of dark soy sauce and reduced Chinese black vinegar: dark and pungent. It’s a scent that might make you eager to take deep breaths of it or toss the whole bag out the window. However, once reconstituted in water the smell dissipates and all that’s left is the innocent mushroom. Bite into one and enjoy the soft surface, meaty texture and toothsome crunch. The flavor is not at all like the smell. Think a weak black tea, bitter and sweet.

The dried cloud ear is mellower than the wood ear mushroom (black fungus) and has a black and grey appearance as opposed to the wood ear’s black and tan. Dried black fungus mushroom is useful in many classic Chinese and Japanese soups and stir-fries. To mix it up, reconstitute it in water and mince it, add the mushroom and the broth to a Thanksgiving cornbread and sausage stuffing to give it a bit more textural intrigue and Asian flavor.

Due to a gelatinous coating (it’s that light lacquer you see on its dried form), these whole Nameko mushroom has numerous unique uses. Often the mushroom’s broth is added to stocks or soups such as Miso, to not only add a savory, nutty, buttery, even scotch-like flavor; but to thicken it as well. The mushrooms themselves can add their own body and flavor. Next time you need to make a sauce for your stir-fry avoid using cornstarch. Instead, try adding a pinch of flour and some of the hydrating broth from some Nameko mushrooms. You’ll quickly find it works quite well and the dehydrated forest Nameko lend a pleasant bite and taste.

Husky, musty, earthy, with a potent mushroom flavor that doesn’t crack the volume on the boom box but keeps it at a moderate level. We lovingly call the Cepes mushroom the Broth Porcini. It’s a mushroom that you reconstitute in hot water by the boatload. We love to dragoon this mushroom broth into a strong, meaty stock by simmering it down with a bit of green onion. This rich mushroom stock can then be added to soups, sauces, or used to make elegant risottos. Of course, the mushrooms themselves are just are hardy as the broth. After a good rinse under running water to expel any grit chop them up and add them to a Crockpot with some potatoes, carrots, and a round roast. Another dinner option is to pop them into a beef bourguignon for an ethereal take on a classic dish. Tuna noodle casserole with Porcini? Yes, please.

This bitter-tasting mushroom is rumored to have numerous healing properties. It’s long been thought to fight viral infections, reduce stress, and induce sleep. One recent study even showed even demonstrated that it was able to help reverse chemical-driven liver damage. This dried reishi mushroom has a bitter taste and for this reason, is often brewed with other mushrooms so as to cover it up. Other recipes insist on adding lemon, honey, ginger, or even a small bit of bacon fat to help make it more palatable. Another, more palatable option? Simply blitz the Lingzhi mushroom into a powder and add it to smoothies as a superfood supplement.