Oyster mushrooms are widely available and complement many dishes with their sweet, woody flavor. They grow on dead hardwood trees and are easy to identify but should be handled with care. They can be used in soups, sauces, and stews, and their leftover liquid can be added to other dishes.
Oyster mushrooms, known scientifically as pleurotus ostreatus, are commonly eaten around the world. In addition to being wild harvested, they are also heavily cultivated, resulting in their ready availability in most grocery stores in both fresh and dried forms. These mushrooms complement a wide range of foods with their slightly sweet, woody flavor and distinct aroma. Many people learning mushroom identification look for this type because they are relatively easy to identify.
In the wild, oyster mushrooms are found growing on the trunks of dead hardwood trees. They prefer slightly moist temperate zones and are widely distributed in many parts of the United States, Asia and Europe. The mushrooms are white with very short stems, well defined gills, and a white spore print. Usually found growing in clusters, the mushrooms bear a resemblance to the mollusks for which they are named. They are also very easy to grow and can be grown on wood chips, logs, and any growing medium that contains enough cellulose.
These mushrooms are very delicate. If they do collect them, individuals should store them in a paper bag in a very cold area of the refrigerator and use them within a week. Those that are bought in the store should be solid and not have any traces of slime or spongyness, and should be stored with care. Those grown in the fall tend to have a more complex and chewy texture, while spring varieties are more tender.
As with any edible mushroom, inexperienced mushroom hunters should always travel with people who are familiar with the different mushroom species. Several other types strongly resemble oyster mushrooms but could cause intestinal discomfort if picked and consumed. The mushroom hunter who is unsure of the identification and cannot obtain a verified sample should throw him out and try again another time.
Fresh oyster mushrooms are often added to soups, sauces and fries. They hold up reasonably well to frying, especially when added at the end, and will impart a subtle flavor that can add a new dimension to a dish. The buckets can be used in stews, stuffings, and other dishes that have longer cooking times. Cooks can rehydrate the mushrooms in boiling water for five to ten minutes, and the leftover liquid can be added to sauces and other dishes that would benefit from a mushroom-flavored liquid.
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