Porcini Mushrooms, Dried (Grade A)

It isn’t really hard to guess why the lobster mushroom is so named. This parasitic fungus (it’s not technically a mushroom) grows on other mushrooms and eventually colonizes them with a meaty, red flesh that takes on the appearance of cooked lobster meat. In the process the zombified mushroom host gains both a striking appearance and delightful flavor. The aroma when dried lobster mushroom reconstitutes, strangely, is a little aquatic and somewhat reminiscent of shellfish. The flavor makes the name even more appropriate as there are faint hints of lobster and certainly a taste of clam amongst its otherwise simple mushroom flavor. Use it in place of nearly any mushroom in a recipe. This cooking lobster mushroom for sale is a perfect addition to casseroles or plates of mac and cheese.

Mushroom hunters search high and low for true Morels, and a lucky few have secret spots where they know a bounty will grow every year. Try asking any hunter where their spot is and you’ll be greeted with silence. No mushroom hunter will ever give up dried morel mushrooms. It’s understandable. Dried morel mushrooms have a delicate flavor that only lingers around for a short while. It’s gone the moment you swallow. Chewing is another matter. The flavor is mighty when chewing. It’s a mushroom that’s truly worth the hunt. However, some home gardeners get lucky. It’s not unheard of to buy woodchips for a garden and then after a rain find little armies of Morels springing up. These dried morel mushrooms are great for our sautéed morel mushroom recipe. You can add a bit of salt and cracked pepper for a classic preparation or toss with pasta and serve in a cream sauce with generous shavings of Parmesan.

Growing in colonies on mushroom bags or rotting wood in the forest, Oyster mushrooms are a popular edible mushroom worldwide. They have a mellow taste that’s nothing like an oyster, but perhaps that of mellow morning air on a cold winter day with a hint of chicken.* It’s odd, but accurate. Trust us. Looking like little fairy stepping stools, these dried oyster mushrooms for sale are prolific and work in any recipe that calls for mushrooms. In addition, due to their flatness they cook up uniformly. Easiest way to cook these guys? A simple sauté in oil and herbs with a splash of sherry and cream. Yes, yes, yes. Fun Fact: This particular fungus is actually carnivorous and eats nematodes by trapping them in little glue traps. Perhaps that organic diet of little nematodes is what makes them so darn tasty?

The Grade AA Porcini is one that has the perfect size. The Grade AA Porcini is one that has no worm holes. The Grade AA Porcini is one with an ivory interior and milk chocolate exterior. The Grade AA Porcini is one that produces a dark, fragrant broth whose aroma permeates the room. This is a Porcini that should not be hidden in soups or stews. Dried porcini mushrooms should be sautéed or grilled with a touch of garlic and ginger. It should adorn a steak and be slathered in melted herb butter. It should be the highlight of a salad; the ingredient that everyone eats first before addressing anything green on the plate. Behold! Grade AA Porcinis. Ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom.