Fall is mushroom madness time, which means the new book "Shroom" by Seattle author, chef and 10-year PCC cooking instructor Becky Selengut couldn't be more timely.
Nancy Leson turned me on to it, and the mushroom lover in me is definitely going to get it.
She says the book is perfect “for people who are fearful about eating mushrooms or don’t know a lot about’em, or they’re not sure what to buy, how to cook them, how to store them.”
Should You Wash A Mushroom?
Nance says the “hilariously funny” Selengut offers stories alongside her recipes, as well as some tips about mushrooms. She even addresses the big question: Should you wash a mushroom?
There has always been this thing about washing mushrooms, which some think are like sponges and will soak up any water. Not so, says the author.
“Mushrooms are roughly 90 percent water. And humans are roughly 50 to 65 percent water. We don’t worry about absorbing water when we bathe, and neither should you worry about mushrooms doing so if they get wet. Wild mushrooms are already getting rained on on a fairly regular basis.
“In conclusion, if you are filthy, take a bath. If your mushrooms are filthy, give them a bath,” Selengut writes in “Shroom.”
Dick And Nancy’s Favorite Mushroom Preparations
Nancy's favorite mushrooms? Matsusake mushrooms, or pine mushrooms, which she likes to have at sushi joints.
"They take these really fragrant mushrooms, steep them in broth," Nance said. "It's like eating air and perfume — in the best possible way."
When cooking at home, Nance likes to take porcini mushrooms — “which also aren’t cheap, but a little goes a long way” — slice them and sauté them very simply.
I like all kinds of mushrooms all kinds of ways, but I do love my mushroom and barley soup. I use regular regular cremini mushrooms from the market with dried shiitakes and some porcinis, and wow, that’s a mushroom soup.
"Out mushroom hunting –
Dangerously close to caught in
Late autumn showers."
– Basho
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