Uncategorized Archives - Mycoterra Farm

February 2, 2019 by Julia

Oyster Mushroom – Pleurotus Ostreatus

Oyster Mushrooms are perhaps one of the most widely consumed mushrooms worldwide. Mycoterra Farm produces several different species of oyster mushrooms including Pearl Oyster, Pleurotus ostreatus; Blue Oyster Pleurotus ostreatus var. columbinus; Golden Oyster, Pleurotus citrinopileatus; Pink Oyster, Pleurotus salmoneo stramineus; Phoenix Oyster, Pleurotus pulmonarius. Our Oyster mushrooms are grown on hardwood sawdust supplemented with organic grains.

Not only do we cultivate the mushrooms for the dinner table, we also prepare oyster growing blocks and plugs for log cultivation. If interested in growing at home please check out our products here.

Pearl Oyster – Pleurotus Ostreatus

Pearl Oyster mushrooms are also an abundant native to North America, found locally on hardwood snags, stumps and logs (but please don’t pick for consumption unless you are 100% positive of identification; if in doubt, throw it out. Or get an expert to confirm your identification). The benefit to purchasing our indoor grown Oyster mushrooms are you know what you are getting and you get to enjoy them before the insects do.

Oyster mushrooms have a milder flavor and more tender consistency than Shiitake but they do hold their own. With a sweet woodsy taste, Oyster mushrooms are also quite versatile and substitute well into many mushroom recipes. We consider them quite exemplary in any egg dish, great in omelets, quiches and fritattas.

Blue Oyster – Pleurotus Columbinus

The Blue Oyster mushroom is a sub species of the Pearl Oyster that exhibits a notable blue-gray hue. The color contrast between the darker caps and pale gills give them a truly stunning appearance. Native to Western Europe, the Blue Oyster thrives in cooler temperatures, helping Mycoterra Farm extend our growing season. Easily grown on rye grain and straw, our production of the Blue Oyster is identical to the process we use for other Oyster species. Look for them at one of our winter markets, or in the early spring or late fall at our main season markets.

We’ve found the Blue Oyster is identical in taste and texture to the Pearl Oyster and have yet to be able to distinguish the two in a blind taste test. They are just as versatile in a wide range of recipes.

Golden Oyster – Pleurotus Citrinopileatus

The Golden Oyster is native to northern areas in the Asian continent it is a popular cultivar in China. An aggressive saprophytic mushroom, there are reports of it naturalizing in North America. It boasts vibrant yellow clusters of mushrooms with a thin delicate flesh. The Golden oyster is distinctly fragrant and offers a complex but subtle aromatic flavor. They are great braised or in soups or stir fry. A farm favorite is on a white pizza with an olive oil garlic base, mozzarella and diced sweet red peppers. As with the other oysters, the Golden oyster also excels in egg dishes, cream sauces, or sautéed until crispy and served as a garnish.

Pink Oyster, Pleurotus Salmoneo Stramineus

The Pink Oyster mushroom boasts a vibrant pink color and ruffled appearance. Other common names include Flamingo Oyster, Salmon Oyster and Strawberry Oyster. Native to the tropics, the Pink Oyster fruits abundantly in warmer temperatures; we’ve found it extremely productive mid-summer when other varieties are stunted by extreme heat. As with our other Oyster species, we produce the pink oyster on rye grain and pasteurized straw.

Although similar to other Oysters in flavor, The Pink Oyster mushroom tends to be more pungent and woody with a tougher texture. Unfortunately the pink color fades upon cooking. Try it in a stir fry, eggs or cream sauce. In soups, the Pink oyster is a great addition to potato leek soup or substitute for the seafood component in a cream based chowder recipe.

February 2, 2019 by Julia

Nameko Mushroom – Pholiota Nameko

The Nameko mushroom, Pholiota Nameko, a cousin of the Chestnut mushroom, is well known in Japanese cuisine for its silky texture, thickening properties, and its subtle earthy flavor with fruity and nutty notes. For centuries it has been a staple of Japenese cusine accenting stir fries and miso soups. Native to the island and found in beech and oak forests, this golden slimy capped mushroom grows in clusters, and has many applications.

This mushroom’s slimy cap gelatinous properties allow it to thicken soups and sauces naturally, delicately adding a new textural element to any dish. The silky texture holds well after its been sauteed or grilled, making it a perfect pairing to seafood, game, and mixed vegetables.

February 2, 2019 by Julia

Shiitake Mushroom – Lentinula Edodes

The shiitake mushroom a native of east Asia, whose Japanese name simply means, “tree mushroom”, has been long regarded as a valuable source of food and medicine in the east for centuries, especially in China, Japan, Korea and Russia. It is saprophytic, so it loves dead wood. Thus we grow our shiitake on organic grain supplemented sawdust. Shiitake mushrooms are a slower growing mushroom than some other species, and that extra effort comes through in the finished product.

It has grown in popularity in recent decades as a food source in North America. China may produce over 80% of the world’s shiitake, however more American based mushroom cultivators are helping fill the growing demand locally. Indoor cultivators prefer sawdust blocks yet many choose to grow on outdoor logs, a popular option for a small home grower. We offer shiitake plugs (and other spawn) if you are interested in cultivating you own mushrooms on logs.

As an edible mushroom, Shiitake boast a rich fragrance that sets it apart from the common mushroom, a firm meaty texture that is not lost in the cooking process, and a robust deep earthy flavor that is distinct yet adaptable taking on the notes of most any dish. Known for their deep Umami taste in eastern cuisine, shiitake are a culinary asset for enhancing the depth of flavor for almost any dish: meat, veggies, poultry, seafood, eggs, even in baked goods (shiitake sourdough is delectable). They are great sauteed, stuffed, roasted, grilled, and even pickled! Put some in your next soup, sauce, stir-fry, pasta or omelet. There are plenty of more exotic uses in brewing, infusions, teas, and fermentation. We offer a variety of mushroom infused products including tinctures, soaps, sun screen and bug spray.