Text 7847, 75 rader
Skriven 2006-11-22 21:07:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
Ärende: Big Score!
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Kim brought in some truly primo shiitakes for Christmas. They are huagu
or "flower" mushrooms, one of the finest varieties of shiis. They are
large, uniform in size and a light mottled brown in colour. (Like this:
http://tinyurl.com/ugq2u).  They are packaged in a plastic tray with
little cup-like depressions like chocolate bon bons and boxed in a
brilliant scarlet gift presentation box with ornate gold lettering.

The broken English sticker stuck on the back wasn't quite so elegant
though. "Lucky Brand Huagu mushroom is one kind of high class natural
edible mushroom growing in cold weather. Mushroom look like flower when
it is frosting. With rich protein (sic) dride mushroom is swelled with
water and delicious and tasty as meat."

The 310 gram box was only $11.99 which works out to $1.06/oz. Compare
that to Melissa's Dried Shiitake Mushrooms on Amazon.com in a plain old
baggie.... 0.5 Ounce Bags (Pack of 12) Price: $16.41 USD or $3.04/oz CDN
after exchange (plus shipping.) Or Melissa's in the local supermarket at
$1.99 per bag or $3.98/oz!

Naturally I bought a box, together with some dried lily flower, cloud
ear and dried bean curd skins. Tonight I am having a most wonderful,
totally authentic, no compromises, Szechuan hot and sour soup. These
mushrooms are fantastic, best I've ever had.

--MM

About Shiitake, Xiangu or Lentin mushrooms
Categories: mushrooms, info
Yield: 1 info file

Lentinula edodes
shiitake
xiangu
lentin mushrooms
dongu, the winter shiitake
huagu, the flower shiitake

Lentinula edodes is best known by its Japanese name (shiitake), Chinese
name (xiangu), and French name (lentin). This is, by far, the most
important specialty mushroom in North America

In China, where it was originated, xiangu means mushroom with great
aroma (xian means aroma; gu means mushroom). Two highly prized forms
of xiangu are dongu, the winter shiitake (dong means winter), and
huagu, the flower shiitake (hua means flower). Both forms with thick
meaty mushroom caps are produced at winter-like temperature. Huagu,
the most sought-after shiitake and the most expensive on the global
market, is a form of dongu with flower-like cracking pattern on the
upper surface of the mushroom cap.

L. edodes, a mushroom primarily of temperate climate, is indigenous in
the far east. No wild shiitake has been found in North America or
Europe until recently. There have been reported sitings of wild shiitake
in the state of Washington and California. These mushroom inhabitants in
natural habitats in the United States of America are likely wild
transplants from domesticated cultivars, possibly run-away disposals.

Cultivation of shiitake on logs began in China almost a thousand years
ago.

From: http://www.mushroomcompany.com

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Cheers

Jim, in Yellowknife




... Or did I dream this on rotten mushrooms one night?
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