All Things Chill

I heart mushrooms. They’re inexpensive, simple to prep and easy to cook. The earthy flavors and hearty-ness of these fungi have always been the answer to a fickle craving for a certain je ne sais quoi. The white button and portobella varieties are a staple in my pantry, but for a hearty meal, the shiitake is where it’s at.

Normally found dried in food markets here in the US, fresh shiitake mushrooms have steadily become as available as the white button or portobello. Red Envelope saves you the trip to the grocers and offers a Shiitake Mushroom Log for $38.

Now the search for this exotic ingredient will end in their own kitchen. Also known as the Chinese black mushroom, shiitakes are loved by gourmets for their firm texture and distinctive flavor. With proper care, the log yields a crop of shiitakes in just 10 days and keeps on producing every 8-12 weeks for years to come.

Thanks to Popgadget for the link. Cool! It’d be a great center / conversation piece @ your next shin dig and offer some last-minute dish ideas. Combined with your potted herbs and veggies, you could start making some incredibly fresh dinners on the fly. That’d be the ultimate window sill gardener’s dream.

Well, at least mine anyway

~Spec

This entry was posted on Monday, September 26th, 2005 at 6:36 am and is filed under Cooking Culture, Cuisine, Streaming Conciousness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.