Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Oyster Mushrooms: Mountain from Molehill. Though Very Nice Molehill.

Did you ever get really, really stuck for really, really no good reason? I guess I was trying to come up with something to say about oyster mushrooms that was as insightful and/or witty as these photos are gorgeous:







Then more than a week passed, and I felt like I should have something REALLY deep and/or revolutionary to offer after all that time. Now it's been over a month, and I just have to get past myself. So, . . .

Oyster mushrooms? Yummy. Flavor more mushroomy than oystery. Really chewy texture, which brings welcome substance to vegetarian entrees without resorting to highly processed proteins. They come in a variety of colors from bluish gray to nearly orange, all of which tasted the same to me. Not entirely as dainty as they look. The caps are pretty delicate, but you have to put some effort into getting the base into pieces. They don't give off much liquid when they cook. They aren't very good raw. They are very good, as far as I experimented, in all common applications where you would use any other cooked mushroom--omelettes, quiches, various pasta sauces, sauteed alone with shallots and garlic, etc. They're super pretty in a clear soup base--oyster mushrooms, bean curd skin and spinach in chicken stock is particularly attractive and delicious.

Oyster mushrooms, they're nice. Try some.

Next!!