Enokitake is an edible mushroom found in North America and Asia. It comes in two forms: wild and cultivated. The cultivated variety is popular in Chinese and Japanese cuisines, while the wild form is edible but bland. Cultivated enokitake is crunchy with a fruity or yeasty flavor and is delicious in stir-fries.
Enokitake, also known as Flammulina velutipes, is a type of edible mushroom found in many parts of the world including North America and Asia. Enokitake actually comes in two forms: a wild form and a cultivated variety, which look radically different. The cultivated variety is much tastier and more interesting, although the wild form is perfectly edible. Cultured enokitake is very popular in Chinese and Japanese cuisines and can be found fresh and canned in many markets.
The cultivated form of Enokitake is a white to pale yellow mushroom with a long thin stem and a very small button cap. Cultivated enokitake is also sometimes called “golden needle mushroom” due to the shape. The color and shape of the mushroom are the result of the way it is grown, in long dark pots. Deprived of sunlight, the mushroom is unable to take on any color and grows a long stalk in an attempt to reach daylight. The result is a slightly crunchy Enokitake, with a fruity or yeasty flavor that many people find quite delicious.
Wild Enokitake looks very different and is sometimes known as Velvet Foot due to the texture of the stem. In its wild form, Enokitake has a large brown hood that can grow up to three inches (seven centimeters) wide. The mushroom cap is moist, somewhat sticky, and slightly convex, although it will flatten as the mushroom ages. The stem is black and velvety in texture.
Velvet foot is perfectly edible, if a little watery and bland. However, mushroom pickers should harvest with caution, because the winter fruit mushroom resembles many poisonous species. A true velvet foot will make a white spore print and feature the velvety stem and growth pattern of the mushrooms, which usually appear in clusters on rotting wood. Always pick mushrooms with expert guidance and a high quality picking manual.
Cultured enokitake is delicious in stir-fries and other Asian-inspired dishes. The mushrooms are reasonably firm and can hold up well to cooking, or they can be added closer to the end to bring out more of the crunch and flavor. When preparing cultured Enokitake for cooking, the mushroom roots should be cut from the stems and the mushrooms should be gently brushed or washed and patted dry if they are to be used immediately.
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