Supplier: Fresh mushroom white bottom
Supplier: Fresh mushroom white bottom
PRODUCT INFO Puffball mushrooms range from small to very large in size, averaging 10-70 centimeters in diameter, and are round, oblong, to oval in shape. Some species are small, golf-ball sized, while others can grow as large as soccer balls. The white fruiting body can be smooth or bear some small scales, warts, or spines and is firm, airy, and spongy. There is also a protective coating that helps keep debris and dirt from entering the flesh. When sliced, the flesh should be pure white and never have any color. Puffball mushrooms are white when young and transition to a yellow-brown when mature and are rendered inedible when they reach this state. There are little to non-existent stems, and the spores are produced internally in the fruiting body. When young, Puffball mushrooms have a mild, nutty, and earthy flavor. Puffball mushrooms contain some phosphorus, manganese, selenium, and clavacin. USES Puffball mushrooms are best suited for cooked applications such as sauteing, pan-frying, and baking. Referred to as the �¢??breakfast mushroom" Puffball mushrooms pair well with egg dishes and are enhanced when sauteing and browned in simple ingredients such as garlic and butter. They can be sliced thinly and rolled with meat and vegetables, chopped into stir-fries, or grilled with marinades. They can also be cut into slices, battered, and fried, sliced and used as noodles in lasagna or ravioli, used as the dough in pizza, chopped into croquettes, blended into hummus, pureed into gravies, or dried and ground into a powder to use as a flavoring agent. The rotund mushrooms can be substituted for tofu or eggplant in many recipes. The flesh readily absorbs accompanying flavors so oil should be used sparingly. Puffball mushrooms pair well with tomatoes, broccoli, beets, rutabagas, radishes, turnips, parmesan cheese, garlic, poultry, scallops, crab meat, and tuna. They do not store well and should be used immediately after harvest. They can also be frozen between sheets of plastic and stored for extended use. Season Puffball mushrooms are available in the late summer through fall.
PRODUCT INFO Ear mushrooms are small to medium in size, averaging 3-8 centimeters in diameter, and are curved and wavy with an ear-like or cup-like shape. The fruiting bodies are brown to dark brown with a slippery or gelatinous texture and can be made up of smooth, wavy edges or many folds and wrinkles with some veining. With age, the gill-less and stemless fungus darkens, and the spores range in color from yellow, cream, to white. When cooked, Wood Ear mushrooms are firm, crunchy, and toothsome with a mild, musty flavor. Ear mushrooms contain iron, protein, fiber, and vitamins B1 and B2 USES Ear mushrooms are best suited for cooked applications such as boiling, stir-frying, and sauteing. Before cooking, the fungus should be rinsed, and any tough patches should be removed. Used for their chewy and toothsome texture, they can be added to soups, salads, or stir-fries and readily absorb accompanying flavors. Ear mushrooms are commonly added to Chinese hot and sour soup and to Szechwan and Hunan cuisine to soak up the spicier flavors. Outside of China, ear mushrooms are most commonly found in dried form and can easily be reconstituted. To rehydrate, the fungus should be soaked in water for at least half an hour. Ear mushrooms pair well with potatoes, fermented black beans, green onions, onions, ginger, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, sesame oil, cilantro, parsley, bay leaves, allspice, snow thistle, cucumber, bamboo shoots, green peas, tofu, pork, ham, shrimp, and crab. They should be used immediately and will only keep for a couple of days when wrapped in paper towels and stored in the refrigerator. Season Ear mushrooms are available from early summer through early winter, while the cultivated versions are available year-round.