From fairytales to farmer’s markets, mushrooms abound in every culture and cuisine. These types of fungi are versatile, nutritious, and come in an incredible variety of sizes, shapes, and colours. From coffee to supplements to working overtime as a hardy meat replacement, is there anything these ‘shrooms can’t do?
While the fungi kingdom is rife with toxic, poisonous species, today we’re looking at edible mushrooms, including many that we carry in Farm Boy stores! (Please note that availability may vary by location. Ask a Team Member if you’re searching for something specific.) From recipes to storage to must-try products, read on to learn a little bit more about these tiny nutritional powerhouses. (And don’t forget to visit our flyer page for tasty savings on products like the ones mentioned below!)
Spotlight on Carleton Mushroom Farms
Since 1984, Carleton Mushroom Farms has operated as a family business out of Osgoode, Ontario. From its humble roots, this family farm has grown into a major operation that produces 10.5 million pounds of the humble fungi per year. They are now the leading supplier of fresh mushrooms to Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. At the farm, customers are able to choose from seven different fresh varieties, like portabella, shiitake, and more, plus exotic dried options.
With chemical-free, pesticide-free, and sustainable growing practices, Carlton Mushroom Farms is able to process, package, and distribute all of its products directly to customers within 48 hours. This ensures that customers are receiving the best quality when it comes to these tasty fungi. At Farm Boy, we’re all about providing you with the freshest, highest-quality produce possible, and Carleton Mushroom Farms helps us achieve that.
How to Store Mushrooms
- Prolong the life of these fungi by storing them in the fridge.
- Avoid the crisper drawer, as it increases the moisture level, which can lead to yucky slime.
- For mushrooms that come in a plastic-wrapped Styrofoam container, remove them and place in a paper bag with paper towel.
- Don’t wash your mushrooms before storing, as it can lead to premature spoilage.
- You can freeze cooked fungi on a baking sheet before transferring to a vacuum-sealed bag. Uncooked ‘shrooms can also be frozen, but it changes the texture. These are best used for stocks and sauces, where their flavour won’t be compromised, even if the texture is different.
Types of Mushrooms
Baby Bella
- Origin: Italy
- Also Known As: Brown mushroom, cremini mushroom, Italian brown.
- Flavour: Firm-textured with a mild flavour that’s slightly meaty and earthy.
- Appearance: Dark in colour, they’re like smaller portabella mushrooms.
- Best For: Soups, stews, pastas, omelettes, tacos, risotto, sautéing, roasting, and baking.
Chanterelle
- Origin: Unclear, with origins in Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa.
- Also Known As: Girolle, golden chanterelle.
- Flavour: Delicate, mild, and peppery, with a slight nuttiness.
- Appearance: Vase-shaped in shades of yellow to deep orange.
- Best For: Pastas, risottos, soups, and sautéing.
Enoki
- Origin: China
- Also Known As: Enokitake, futu, snow puff, winter fungus, winter mushroom.
- Flavour: Mild and fruity.
- Appearance: Long and thin with a small, shiny white cap.
- Best For: Sandwiches, soups, salads, and pasta sauces. Over-cooking will make them tough and bitter.
King Oyster
- Origin: Mediterranean, but also parts of Asia and North Africa.
- Also Known As: French horn mushroom, king trumpet mushroom.
- Flavour: Dense and chewy, with a nutty, earthy, umami flavour.
- Appearance: Cylindrical with a smaller cap and thick, meaty stem.
- Best For: Grilling, broiling, sautéing, and braising. Try them as a substitute for plant-based “scallops”!
Lion’s Mane
- Origin: China
- Also Known As: Bearded tooth fungus, mountain-priest mushroom.
- Flavour: Mildly sweet with a soft texture and an almost seafood-like taste. Slightly earthy.
- Appearance: Large, white, and shaggy.
- Best For: Soups, broths, and sauces. Often used in alternative medicines.
Morel
- Origin: North America
- Also Known As: Sponge mushroom
- Flavour: Smoky, earthy, and nutty.
- Appearance: Oblong and bulbous, ranging in colour from light brown to grey, with a honeycomb-type exterior. Commonly available dried.
- Best For: Sautéing, sauces, pastas, and risottos.
Oyster
- Origin: Europe, North America, and Asia.
- Also Known As: Angel’s wings, abalone mushroom, tree oyster.
- Flavour: Delicate and velvety with a slight fishiness that’s enhanced when cooked.
- Appearance: Large and fan-shaped.
- Best For: Sauces, soups, and stir-fries.
Porcini
- Origin: Italy
- Also Known As: Bolete mushroom
- Flavour: Woodsy and pungent, with a smooth texture.
- Appearance: Large and brown with a thick, slightly sticky stem.
- Best For: Broths, soups, stews, eggs, sauces, and pastas.
Portabella
- Origin: Italy
- Also Known As: Portobello mushroom, field mushroom.
- Flavour: Slightly woody and meaty.
- Appearance: Large and flat with a thick stem.
- Best For: Broiling, roasting, grilling, sandwiches, and stir-fries.
Shiitake
- Origin: Japan
- Also Known As: Black forest, black winter, brown oak, golden oak, donko.
- Flavour: Lightly woody and meaty.
- Appearance: Broad, umbrella-shaped caps in shades of tan to dark brown.
- Best For: Soups, stir-fries, roasting, and steaming.
Shimeji
- Origin: Eastern Asia
- Also Known As: Beech brown mushroom, clamshell mushroom.
- Flavour: Bitter when raw, but crunchy and sweet-nutty once cooked.
- Appearance: Found in clusters, with chunky stems and tops in shades of brown and white.
- Best For: Stews, soups, sauces, and stir-fries.
White (Button)
- Origin: Europe, Asia, and North America
- Also Known As: Button mushroom, cultivated mushroom.
- Flavour: Mild and pleasant.
- Appearance: The classic mushroom shape and size with a milky colour and soft texture.
- Best For: Soups, salads, curries, pizza, pastas, and more.
Nutritional Benefits of Mushrooms
Antioxidants
Selenium and ergothioneine are two antioxidants that can be found in mushrooms. These are trace minerals that help to protect the body against cell damage and can help fight infection.
Phosphorous
Another mineral found in mushrooms, phosphorous helps regulate nerve and muscle function and plays a major role in bones, teeth, and cell membranes.
B Vitamins
For those following a plant-based diet, B vitamins can be under-consumed. Largely present in animal and dairy products, mushrooms also contain helpful B vitamins like riboflavin (vitamin B2), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), and niacin (vitamin B3). These vitamins help strengthen the body’s immune system, promote heart health, and more.
Potassium
Potassium is a vital mineral for the body, helping with nerve signals, muscular contractions, and fluid balance. A medium-sized banana—an excellent source of potassium—has the same amount of potassium as 2/3 of a cup of mushrooms.
Vitamin D
Wild mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D, as they grow in natural sunlight and absorb the vitamin. Cultivated mushrooms contain a plant sterol called ergosterol, which is stimulated to convert into vitamin D. In fact, mushrooms are the only vegetable to naturally contain this vitamin! All other natural food sources of vitamin D are of animal, poultry, or seafood origin. Vitamin D is an essential component of bone health, along with calcium and phosphorous.
Must-Try Mushroom Products
Made with an authentic Italian recipe using durum semolina flour, this fresh pasta offers a classic taste bursting with umami flavour. Delicate and fresh, find this pasta in our Chef’s Market. Enjoy it with any of our Fresh Pasta Sauces or Pestos and finish with some fresh herbs for a light, bright flavour. Ready in under 3 minutes.
An ideal dish for lunch or dinner or as a shareable app, this frozen flatbread has a gorgeously crispy, stone-baked crust and luxurious toppings. Slice up gourmet flavour with this white pizza that features a black truffle oil-infused cream sauce that’s then topped with portobello, cremini, and button mushrooms, plus spinach, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese!
Dinner has never been easier with this convenient chef-prepared creation! Made fresh by our chefs, two juicy portabella mushroom caps are packed with Farm Boy™ Sweet Italian Sausage, old Cheddar cheese, brown rice, and tomato sauce. Oven-ready, simply cook for 20-25 minutes, serve, and enjoy!
Recipes and Ideas!
Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients: white or cremini mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, old Cheddar cheese, garlic flowers, panko breadcrumbs, sundried tomatoes, Parmigiano Reggiano, parsley.
This savoury hors d’oeuvre is full of cheesy, umami flavour and gets an extra pop from our Sundried Tomatoes. The ideal finger food, these stuffed mushroom bites have a lot to love. Easy enough for even the most novice chef, they’re sure to knock your guests’ socks off!
Chef’s Tip: For added savouriness and hearty flavour, pre-cook and add in any of our crumbled Artisan Sausage flavours.
Wild Mushroom Tacos
Ingredients: wild mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil, taco seasoning, Spanish onion, jalapeño pepper, Roma tomato, salt, cilantro, corn tortillas, feta or cotija cheese, salsa, lime.
Skip the meat and cook up this delicious mushroom recipe that’s made with assorted wild mushrooms. For this dish, we opted for king oyster, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms for a depth of flavour. Serve with cheese, salad, and fresh limes to transform Taco Tuesday into a fiesta!
Chef’s Tip: Make this dish totally plant-based by subbing in our Vegan Feta-Style Cheese Alternative.
Mushroom Turkey Orzotto
Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, mushrooms, shallot, garlic, white wine, orzo pasta, chicken broth, salt, pepper, turkey, lemon, butter, Parmesan cheese, parsley.
This robust, earthy recipe makes excellent use of leftovers. Choose a variety of mushrooms to use in this recipe for maximum umami flavour. (Try meaty portobello, cremini, and shiitake!) Creamy and satisfying, this leftovers recipe is perfect for chilly fall evenings.
Chef’s Tip: Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and ditch the turkey to make this savoury dish vegetarian-friendly.
More Dishes & Suggestions
Did you know?
- Mushrooms are more closely related to animals—including humans—than they are to plants!
- Some mushrooms can glow in the dark.
- There are over 2100 varieties of mushrooms that are classified as safe to eat.
- The most expensive mushroom in the world, Yartsa Gunbu, costs $50,000 per pound!
- Button, cremini, and portobello mushrooms are all from the same species, at different ages.
