Shiitakes for supper!

“Have you seen all the mushrooms growing?” asked my husband Ralph.

My answer was no. A flurry of recent computer-related obsessions had prevented me from paying much attention to my spouse’s mushroom-raising project. However, now that he’d mentioned it, my curiosity was piqued. Abstracting myself away from the clutch of technology, I followed my fungi-enthused partner outside.

Sure enough, just beyond the back door was a stunning crop of shiitake mushrooms sprouting from a row of spore-inoculated oak logs.

Multiple mushrooms growing on multiple logs

Although the four- to six-inch diameter by three-foot-long chunks of wood had been propped against the house for the past 19 months, they rarely produced more than the occasional mushroom. Now, however, instead of just one or two shiitakes growing out of a single length of wood, multiple mushrooms protruded from about a dozen different timbers.

A shiitake almost as big around as the log it on which it grew 

“They really like the cooler weather,” mused my husband, the amateur mycologist.

Originally from Asia where they are considered symbols of longevity because of their many health benefits, shiitakes have been cultivated by Chinese and Japanese farmers on logs for more than 6,000 years. (‘Shii’ means tree, and ‘take’ means mushroom.)

With their woodsy flavor and meaty texture, these brown-colored mushrooms are rich in protein, iron, potassium, copper, calcium, magnesium, niacin and other B vitamins. They have antiviral, anti-cancer and immune-boosting properties as well as the ability to lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure. Because of their many attributes, shiitake mushrooms are proclaimed by many to be one of the world’s healthiest foods.

A plate full of just-picked shiitakes ready to cook

It’s not surprising that my health-conscious, garden-loving spouse is drawn to these mycological storehouses of medicinal properties. Ralph has been passionate about growing shiitake mushrooms since the mid-1980 when he took a three-day mushroom-growing course with renowned mycologist Paul Stamets at his Washington state company, Fungi Perfecti.

(Below is an introduction to growing shiitake mushrooms from the Fungi Perfecti website, www.fungi.com)

Returning to our then Cape Cod home, Ralph used spores purchased from Stamets to inoculate several oak logs cut from trees on our wooded property. Within 16 months, he was able to harvest his homegrown mushrooms to add to stir-fries and other recipes. He continued to harvest the tasty and nutritional fungi on Cape Cod until our move to Florida in 1987, but he didn’t start cultivating the spore-born fruit right away. It took about 15 years before Ralph once again tried his hand at growing shiitakes. His current crop is one of his best yet.

Mushrooms growing out of logs propped up and leaning every which way

Growing shiitake mushrooms in Central Florida requires drilling 5/16-inch holes four to six inches apart in hardwood logs and filling them with spore-inoculated plugs purchased from a reputable supplier. Once the plugs are tapped into the holes with a hammer, an application of hot wax seals the opening. We used a paintbrush to apply wax melted in a thrift shop crockpot for this part of the process.

Two of the tools used to inoculate oak logs with mushroom plugs:  A thrift shop crockpot and drill with 5/16" bit

After the plugging is complete, the logs are stacked in a shady place and watered 2 to 3 times a week for 10 to 15 minutes at time. If all goes well, mushrooms will begin to appear in 6 to 8 months with the inoculated logs continuing to produce intermittently for several years. The word, “intermittently,” is key. In Ralph’s years of experience, shiitake production has been anything but reliable.

As I stood outside admiring the current crop of health-friendly shiitakes, I couldn’t help but wonder why some of the logs were producing while others were not.

“Why do you suppose that is?” I asked my knowledgeable spouse.

Ralph responded with a sigh.

“I have no idea,” he said. “It’s a mystery.”

With gardening, I suppose there’s an element of mystery no matter what crop you grow. With shiitakes, the appearance of fleshy brown mushroom caps protruding from logs is more than a welcome surprise. It signals the start of many delicious meals.

“I’m guessing mushrooms will be on the menu tonight?” I asked with a smile.

“Absolutely — tonight and tomorrow and for as long as the logs keep on producing,” Ralph replied.

Below are a few links with helpful information about growing shiitake mushrooms including sources to buy mushroom-growing products:

Fungi Perfecti is Paul Stamets' company where Ralph has always purchased any products he needs to grow mushrooms at home

Southeast Mushroom is a Florida-based supplier of mushroom spawn.

FAQ - Frequently asked question answered by the folks at Southeast Mushrooms about the cultivation of shiitakes mushrooms 

Information on mushroom growing from the University of Florida IFAS website 

Mushrooms from a different perspective

On the way back from a walk yesterday, I saw two mushrooms in the front yard.  They were the type of mushrooms that conjure up images of miniature worlds.

I thought about rummaging through the toy box we keep for the grandkids to find some of the small animals or tiny houses so I could create a imaginary setting underneath the fungi.  But I got busy with another project and didn't do it.

The next day, after more rain, the mushrooms were even bigger.  The smaller one from the previous day had opened up completely.  After looking them over, I decided to seize the moment.  I went back into the house for supplies.

The first object I placed under the shelter of the mushrooms was an English manor house, a toy that used to belong to Ralph when he was a child.

Next I tried a panda, an animal that Jenny favored when she was little.

And then there was the lion.  I like the way it's perched beneath the bigger mushroom as if it's an umbrella shielding it from the sun or rain. I liked it so much, I took a second picture.

It was a fun project.  A little diversion from my everyday shots of flora and fauna.  Ralph's favorite is the picture with the panda.  But I'm curious, which one do you like best?  Post a comment and let me know.

This mushroom stinks!

A Simply Extra
I smelled it before I saw it...an emerging stinkhorn mushroom on the path around the lake.

Look close and you'll see a fly on the mushroom's gooey, black interior. The black goo is where the spores are. The stinkhorn emit a foul odor that attracts flies.  As flies enter and poke about, they pick up spores eventually dispersing them elsewhere.  It's an effective albeit odoriferous method of fungi reproduction.

To read about another stinkhorn encounter, check out my column entitled, "If you don't know it, don't kick it."

There's a fungus among us — and we like it

Simply Living

(First appeared in Orlando Sentinel August 10, 2009)

My husband is a fungi. I know - it’s a (s)poor joke, (there I go again…) but the truth is, my sweet partner of almost 40 years happens to be a big fan of edible mushrooms. That’s why he was so excited when a package arrived last week.

"What've you got there?" I asked after seeing the contents of a large box sprawled haphazardly across the kitchen counter.

"The dried mushrooms I ordered arrived!" he said with unrestrained enthusiasm.

"Oh, yeah," I responded with a tinge of skepticism. "How many mushrooms did you get?"

He handed me the invoice. On it were listed a dozen varieties of fungus with intriguing names such as matsutake, chanterelle and candy caps as well as a few suspicious culinary monikers, including one called "yellow foot."

"What kind of mushrooms are these?" I asked while examining one of the many 1-ounce packages of what looked like small pieces of brown cardboard.

"I don't know," he responded with a giddy smile. "I ordered an assortment so we could try lots of different types. Which ones do you want to taste first?"

"You pick," I said, aware that this particular pleasure was mainly his to enjoy.

We settled on a random assortment, but before any cooking could commence, the dried mushrooms had to regain their lost moisture. Ralph submerged the flat slivers in a small amount of water. Within minutes, the liquid was absorbed and cooking could begin.

He then coated a large cast-iron pan with a small amount of olive oil and added a spoonful of crushed garlic before placing the rehydrated mushrooms in the sizzling oil. A heavy, woodsy smell permeated the air. Using a spatula, he stirred the heady mixture until the mushrooms were soft and well-coated with garlic oil.

"What do you think?" Ralph asked as we began our taste test.

"Interesting," I remarked. "They're a little chewy and tough, but flavorful, too. Which ones are these again?"

We were sampling a mixture of maitake, black trumpet and lobster mushrooms.

Of the three, maitakes were the only ones we had previously tried. Ralph discovered maitakes — also known as "hen of the woods" — after reading an article about them by medical doctor and author Andrew Weil one of my husband's favorite sources of health information. His Web site, www.drweil.com, says that "maitake has anti-cancer, antiviral and immune-system-enhancing effects and may also help control both high blood pressure and blood sugar levels."

Weil's endorsement motivated Ralph to purchase a supply of dried maitakes to incorporate into our diet. Much to the chagrin of my 17-year-old son, small pieces of the meaty, nutty-tasting mushroom were soon appearing in omelets, stir-fries, soups and just about any other appropriate (or, from Toby's perspective, totally inappropriate) meal.

Ralph's fascination with mycology more than compensates for our son's lack of interest.

Back in the 1980s, while still living on Cape Cod, Ralph traveled to Washington state to attend a weekend mushroom cultivation seminar with Paul Stamets, founder of Fungi Perfecti. Stamets is a pioneer in edible and medicinal mushroom cultivation. After returning home, Ralph began growing his own crop. About six months ago, my husband repeated the process in Florida by inoculating shiitake spores into a stack of freshly cut oak logs. Thanks to the recent delivery from Oregon Mushroom, we have no shortage of other mushrooms to sample while waiting for the shiitake spores to produce edible fungi.

So far, in addition to maitake and shiitake mushrooms, Ralph and I agree that morels have the nicest texture and most pleasant taste. After working our way through each type, we'll probably reorder only our favorites.

"This was just a sampling," Ralph explained while he reorganized the remaining packages. "I just wanted to try a few different types to see how they taste."

I guess that makes him a sporadic spore-addict. Sorry, the temptation to poke fun(gi) was just too hard to resist.