Mushrooms have long been the subject of fascination, fear, and to avid cooks, gastronomic delight. For centuries, they have been steeped in myth and fairy-lore, hunted by pigs for vast sums, touted as medicinal miracles, and sought for their psychedelic pleasures. For centuries, only China’s royalty were permitted to consume Reishi, known as the mushroom of immortality, or suffer death.
The mushroom’s odd appearance, and to the average person, their moderately distasteful growing environment (damp and decaying matter) only seems to add to their charisma. The modern and ever-pervasive trend of eating organic, local, and wild foods has brought a resurgence to mushroom enthusiasm— placing the little white buttons firmly on the map.
Attend a farmers market in any city across the county and you’d be hard pressed not to find a multitude of varietals. It’s even quite common to purchase a decaying log on which to grow your own personal supply. A book about mushrooms, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures, recently made the NY Times Bestseller list.
It is safe to say that mushrooms are having their moment— and that moment may be lasting. Beyond all their hype, they really are miraculous powerhouses of nutrition, resilience, and tasty to boot. A perfect way to start your day.
