This document provides information about different types of cultivated mushrooms, including their growth cycles and methods of production. It discusses various mushroom varieties like white button, oyster, shiitake, morel and maitake. It explains that mushrooms grow from spores in a compost medium and details the pinning and harvesting process. Common cooking methods for mushrooms like sautéing, microwaving, roasting and grilling are also outlined. Finally, the document notes that mushrooms are low in calories and contain important nutrients.

1. Culinary consultants
Concept Developers
Food Designers

2. History
Mushrooms, the plant of immortality?
Egyptians believed The delicious flavor of mushrooms
intrigued the pharaohs of Egypt so much that they decreed
that mushrooms was food
In various other civilizations throughout the world including
Russia, China, Greece, Mexico and Latin America, mushroom
rituals were practiced.

3. Mushrooms are our most unique growing vegetable;
and mushroom growing is one of the most unusual stories in
agriculture. Here is a summary of the growth cycles of some
of our most popular cultivated mushroom varieties.
Mushrooms, like all mushrooms, grow from microscopic
spores, not seeds. Plants growing from spores are called
fungi. . The medium-called compost is scientifically
formulated of various materials such as straw, corn cobs,
cotton seed and cocoa seed hulls In two to three weeks,
the compost becomes filled with the root structure of the
mushroom, a network of lacy white filaments called mycelium.
Eventually, tiny white protrusions form on the mycelium and
push up through the peat moss.
Farmers call this pinning. Size is no indication of maturity
in mushrooms. Perfectly ripe ones vary from small buttons
to large caps.
White

4. Crimini
Mushrooms are grown and harvested in the same manner
as the white mushroom. The reason they have a darker
color and slightly denser texture is that they come from
a different strain of spores.
Portabella
Mushrooms are also grown like the white mushrooms.
Actually, the Portabella is a mature Crimini.
It's usually three to seven days older than the Crimini
when harvested. As a result of their longer growing period,
Portabellas develop much larger caps-ranging up to six inches
in diameter.

5. Oyster
Mushrooms are grown in mushroom houses but they require a bit more humidity and fresh air
than the white variety.
They grow well on a range Shiitake mushrooms were originally cultivated on natural oak logs, a
process which took two to four years before the mycelium colonized the wood sufficiently to
produce fruiting. Shiitakes were harvested on a seasonal basis (spring and fall) for about
six years.
Now, however, oak sawdust is packed into poly bags, sterilized, inoculated with spawn and
placed in environmentally controlled rooms. These man-made "logs" produce Shiitakes in seven
weeks.
The total process, from spawning to the end of harvesting takes about four months as comp to
the six year cycle on natural logs.

6. Enoki,
current technology uses automated systems to fill plastic
bottles with substrate usually ground corn cob pellets along with other ingredients such as
wheat bran and soybean meal.
Enokis require a colder environment, 45 degrees compared to
growing temperatures of about 60 degrees, which other varieties require. After about 90 days,
the mushrooms are harvested.
The collars are removed, the Enokis plucked from the mouth of the bottle and usually packaged
in shrink-wrapped bags.

7. Beech
Mushrooms is similar to growing Enokis.
However, Beeches require a temperature of 60 to 64 degrees
in order for the culture to fully develop. It takes about 100 days to produce a mature crop.
Afterward, the mushrooms are
harvested and packaged for sale. Since Beeches only produce
one set of fruiting bodies per crop, the remaining substrate is
recycled for agri-business products.
Current technology uses automated systems to fill plastic bottles with substrate usually
ground.The collars are removed, the Enokis plucked from the mouth of the bottle and usually
packaged in shrink-wrapped bags.
. Enokis require a colder environment, 45 degrees compared to growing temperatures of about
60 degrees, which other varieties require. waste products including hardwood chips, chopped
cereal straws or corn cobs.

8. Maitake
Starts out as a mushroom "culture"- a piece of mushroom tissue grown on special sterile media
in a Petri plate in a laboratory.
The mushroom spawn is used to inoculate Maitake production logs, which are made out of
sawdust supplemented with grain byproducts such as bran.
The logs go through a "spawn run" where the mushroom spawn colonizes the sawdust and
supplements and knits them together in a solid mass.
The logs go through a "spawn run" where the mushroom spawn colonizes the sawdust and
supplements and knits them oge their in a solid mass.The whole process from lab to table takes
from 10 to 14 weeks.

9. MAJOR GROUPS OF FUNGI:
Fungi are classified accordingly to the manner in which they produce their spores and the type
of fruit body they develop.
The three main classes of fungi: the zygomycetes, the ascomycetes and the basiomycetes.
CHANTERELLES:This small group includes short lived, fleshy fungi.
MUSHROOMS AND TOAD STOOLS:This is most abundant group of fungi. The mushrooms are
the edible but they differ in the manner they form the spores.
CLUB-FUNGI AND TOOTH-FUNGI:The club fungi and the tooth fungi are also , for most part, soft
and fleshy. Most species grow on the ground, though a few occur on the dead wood.

10. BRACKET-FUNGI: These are a large group, of which the majority grow on the living or the dead
wood, and hence found in the woods or forests.
PUFFBALLS AND RELATIVES: The bird’s nest fungi, which fall in the order called gasteromycetes.
All puffballs are edible when flesh is young.
STINKHORNS: they are slimy and the slime has an strong and unpleasant smell but is attractive
to flies. The spores are eaten and thereby dispersed.
JELLY-FUNGI: All the species grow on the wood, not regarded as edible though the varieties
Aricularia polytricha and Tremella delica are often found in the Chinese cuisine, for its flovors
and texture

11. Varieties
White "button"
White "button" mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) make up about 80 percent of all the mushrooms
harvested.
Oyster (Pleurotus spp.)
These mushrooms carry intense flavors and, perhaps more importantly, can be grown in a
variety of colors, including yellow, pink, blue, brown, gray, and white. Oyster varieties are grown
on substrates of wheat straw, cottonseed hulls, or wood chips.
Cremini
More than a decade ago, growers started marketing the brown version of the Agaricus
mushroom as a specialty crop. The underside of the cap, called the veil, remains intact.

12. Enokitake (Flammulina velutipes)
These long-stemmed mushrooms are raised on substrates composed of wood chips in Asia and
corn cobs or wood chips. Their delicate structure and flavor make them ideal for soups, salads,
and other recipes.
Portobello
This is a cremini allowed to grow much larger. The veil under the cap is allowed to break,
exposing the striations, or "gills," underneath. The more mature mushrooms produce an intense
flavor and are marketed for use in pastas, salads, as meat substitutes in burgers, or as
"mushroom steaks."
"The latest new Agaricus to be marketed is a 'portobellini,"It's basically a cremini
mushroom that has been picked just after its veil has broken. Think of them as
small portobellos."

13. Maitake (Grifola frondosa)
Maitake mushrooms are growing in popularity not only for flavor, but also for their medicinal
properties. The mushrooms are grown on substrates of wood chips.
In Asia, powdered maitake is used in teas, tablets, drinks, and powders.
Shiitake (Lentinula edodtes)
Intensely flavorful, this mushroom is the most popular exotic variety. Traditionally, farmers
raised these mushrooms on freshly cut hardwood logs. Refined ways to grow shiitakes on a
substrate of sawdust, so cultivation is not so laborious and yields are higher.
Morel (Morchella esculenta)
These mushrooms, shaped like a Christmas tree or a pinecone, are just beginning to be called
"sclerotia," which retain nutrients as they overwinter. The sclerotia are placed into a substrate of
peat moss and bark. When water is added, mushrooms appear.

14. Here are some easy methods for cooking mushrooms.
Fresh mushrooms are truly a cook's best friend
Basic Preparation.
The only trimming they need is the stem end, if it's dry, or the tough stem portion of Shiitakes or
the root of the Portabella.
All other mushroom stems may be prepared along with the caps.
Mushrooms can be sliced thick or thin, cut in quarters, coarsely or finely chopped using a sharp
knife. For slicing or chopping large quantities, use a food processor with
the slicing or wing blade attachment.
If a recipe calls for just caps, twist stems loose or separate them from the caps with
the tip of a knife.

15. Sautéing:
(The most popular way to cook mushrooms) For each eight ounces of mushrooms, melt
one tablespoon butter or heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add mushrooms.
Cook and stir until golden and the released juices have evaporated, about five minutes.
Don't overcrowd the skillet or the mushrooms will steam rather than brown.
Microwaving:
Mushrooms cook extremely well in the microwave. Simply clean and cook as follows:
Put eight ounces thickly sliced mushrooms in a microwave able bowl
(no oil or butter needed); cover and cook on HIGH (100% power) for two to three
minutes stirring once.

16. Roasting:
Place mushrooms in a shallow baking pan, Toss with a little oil and roast in a 450 F oven, stirring
occasionally until brown, about 20 minutes. Use about one tablespoon of oil for
each eight ounces of mushrooms.
Grilling or Broiling:
(Preferred for larger capped mushrooms like Portabellas and Shiitakes) Lightly brush caps and
stems with oil to keep them moist, and season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil 4 to 6 inches
from heat source for 4 to 6 minutes on each
side, brushing again once or twice.
Seasoning:
Mushrooms are very similar to meats and other vegetables. Virtually any and all seasonings
go well with mushrooms. If serving as a side dish, use seasonings compatible with the main
dish.

17. NUTRITIONAL VALUES
Though mushrooms are often grouped with vegetables and fruits, they are actually fungi--for
that reason, they are in a class of their own, nutritionally speaking.
Mushrooms do share some of the benefits of fruits and vegetables.
They are low in calories, have no cholesterol and are virtually free of fat and sodium.
And that’s not all. Mushrooms are stars when it comes to some of the essential minerals and B-
complex vitamins not easily found in produce.
In addition, some contain substances that might prove to be useful in the treatment and
prevention of serious diseases.

18. Selecting Mushrooms:
Look for mushrooms with a fresh, smooth appearance, free from major blemishes, with a dry
(not dried) surface. A closed veil (the thin membrane under the cap) indicates a delicate flavor;
an open veil means a richer flavor.
Storing Mushrooms:
Keep mushrooms refrigerated. They're best when used within several days after purchase. Do
not rinse mushrooms until ready to use.
To prolong shelf life, store fresh mushrooms in a porous paper bag.
Always remove plastic overlay from packaged mushrooms. Avoid air tight containers- this
causes moisture condensation which speeds spoilage.

19. Cleaning Mushrooms:
Gently wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth or soft brush to remove occasional peat moss
particles. Or, rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Freezing Mushrooms:
Fresh mushrooms don't freeze well. But if it's really necessary to freeze them, first saute in
butter or oil or in a non-stick skillet without fat; cool slightly, then freeze in an air tight container
up to one month.
1 pound Crimini or White mushrooms = 5 cups sliced (lightly packaged)
1 pound sliced Crimini or White mushrooms= 2 cups saute 1pound Crimini or White mushrooms
= approximately 35 medium sized mushrooms
4 ounces Shiitake mushrooms without stems = 1 1/2 cups sliced or chopped
6 ounces trimmed Portabella mushrooms = 2 1/4 cups coarsely chopped

23. Harsh Deep Mishra
harshdeepmishra@gmail.com
www.angelsandachef.com
Hand phone - +91 75688 18304
Whatsapp – +91 97997 57159
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