Porcini Mushrooms, Dried (Grade A)

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.

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.

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.

Meaty in texture, packed with umami, and adorable to boot. It belongs in every stew, on every pizza, served in every meat sauce, pickled with garlic, tossed with linguini and parsley, and served over salads. The Shiitake is not only versatile in flavor but also filled with health benefits. The Shiitake also contains potassium, calcium, B vitamins, magnesium, and phosphorus. As a bonus, our dried shiitake mushrooms for sale are packed with Active Hexose Correlated Compounds, a compound that has proven antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-cancerous properties.