Bet you didn’t know this about mushrooms…

Mushrooms: Which ones are safe? Do they really taste different? Which ones should I try?

Some people think of mushrooms as Fruit of the Funghi world.

Mushrooms make a great 'main course' in lots of sandwiches

There are around 10,000 varieties, some 5000 in the USA, but only around 100 of those are considered edible and safe for human consumption. Many are beautiful. Most home cooks and many restaurant chefs stick to the most common, both for ease of procuring and to be cost conscious. Some can be outrageously expensive.

According the Mushroom Council, “Mushrooms are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free and very low in sodium, yet they provide several nutrients, including selenium, potassium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin D and more.” Protein isn’t one of their stand-out features.

Perhaps you have tasted or used some of the most popular varieties:

Button mushrooms, round and white often used in salads.

Oyster mushrooms are shaped like an oyster and grow on wood, mostly trees. Some think they have a faint seafood taste. (Imagination?)

Chanterelle mushrooms are funnel or trumpet shaped, and are usually bright orange or yellow and are best used in salads, sauces or risotto.

Crimini mushrooms have an earthy flavor and are used similarly to button mushrooms.

Shitake mushrooms have broad umbrella tops with a full meaty flavor when cooked. They are great whether you broil, bake or sautAc them. They can grow as large as 10 in diameter.

Porcini mushrooms have white stems with reddish caps and can be very pungent. They are quite expensive so if you are a first-timer to cooking with these you might want to have a tried and true recipe.

Morel mushrooms resemble truffles. Some of the most treasured, sought after and expensive mushrooms. They have a smokey, nutty and earthy flavor. The darker the mushroom the more flavor.

Portabello mushrooms are some of the most well known. They are sometimes substituted for beef as in a hamburger. When broiled or grilled with a little garlic and olive oil, they taste wonderfully like a burger and are very healthy.

Mushrooms are delicate and have a short refrigerator life so never keep them in the plastic packaging from the store.Just wipe them clean with a damp paper towel and store them in a paper bag. Never soak or wash with water. Most are best if used in less than a week.

Learn a lot more about mushrooms, compliments of our friends in Canada: