Porcini Mushrooms, Cepes (Grade B)

An edible mushroom that originated in Western Europe and then spread out through Eastern Europe and South America. They grow under the dark and damp shade of conifer and hardwood forests where they bulk up their fat bottoms and spongy caps (which are porous instead of having gills like most mushrooms). The bolete grows chubby and large; so much so it is often considered the King of the Mushrooms. In fact, some boletes can grow to be 18 inches tall and more than a foot in diameter. The taste of an edible bolete mushroom is hit or miss. Dried, the bolete reeks of dark soy sauce and Chinese black vinegar. When reconstituted the flavor is far more mellow with a slight fermented hint. This European mushroom is popular served with a runny egg, tucked into pasta dishes, and stirred into risotto. A more modern twist is to grind them into powder in a food processor, mix it with salt and black pepper, and use the mixture as a rub for beef.

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.

Dearest culinary enthusiast, We know that for you food isn’t just about sustenance. It’s about art, presentation, and personal aesthetics. Like Spice Jungle, the flower top shiitake cap mushroom understands this. It wants to play an active role by grilling up beautifully and being glazed with kumquat marmalade. It wants to be a bold, savory coin with floral base notes in your cold soba noodle salad. The flower top shiitake wishes to bob in your soup and enthrall the date you’re trying to impress. And you will impress. The flower top shiitake knows this. Of course, so do you. All the best. Love, Spice Jungle

These shredded Wood Ear mushrooms look like destroyed confidential files from a government office rather than food. Perhaps under all that black you might find some undisclosed secret kept hidden from the public. But no, these are mushrooms. Hydrated, these delicate strings of finely sliced Wood Ear mushroom become brown and crunchy with a forest-y flavor. Many chefs have begun to treat shredded Wood Ear like a pasta as instead of a mushroom. Add them to cold soba dishes, or tangle together with fettuccini and slather in an alfredo sauce for an East-meets-West dish. We like to add them into a chicken soup for their antiviral properties. Curious in texture, intriguing in flavor, and with a contemporary appearance this mushroom is perfect for the hip home cook.