Marvellous mushrooms

Story by Alf Cryderman

Raw, sauteed or simmering in a winter stew - they're marvellous.

WHY ARE MUSHROOMS SO POPULAR? IT’S NOT HARD to answer – they look good, taste great, have a nice texture and they’re convenient and nutritious.

Mushrooms Go Way Back

We’ve been eating mushrooms for a long time. Excavations of Stone Age settlements show that mushrooms were part of the daily diet thousands of years ago. Ancient Egyptians believed that wild mushrooms were sent down to earth on lightening bolts and had supernatural powers to cure illness and prolong life, so only the Pharaohs could eat them. The Greeks and Romans believed that eating mushrooms gave warriors great strength in battle.

Commercial production of white mushrooms began in France in the 17th century and dates back to 1912 in Canada.About 190 million pounds are produced annually – with 19 million in Alberta, with Money’s Mushrooms and Prairie Mushrooms as the largest producers. That’s not surprising because we Albertans love our mushrooms – on average we’re eating 6 lbs per person per year – and that’s on the rise.

In the Dark

While wild mushrooms generally grow in shady areas beneath trees (and there’s a growing market niche in wild mushrooms, too), commercial mushrooms are grown in the dark because they don’t need sunlight to grow.

Today, they’re grown on a commercial level with rich raw materials and close attention to timing, temperature, humidity,CO2 and ventilation in specially designed barns. It takes seven to nine weeks to grow this fine foodstuff.Mushroom spores are planted in a material called “substrate,” a kind of compost made up of natural organic material like straw and animal bedding. The “substrate” is in large beds in which light, heat, temperature and moisture are controlled. The beds are continually monitored so that the mushrooms are harvested at the peak of growth and freshness. In large operations like Money’s, this is a continual, year-round process, so that there are always mushrooms fresh for the picking.

Nutritional Winner

Cholesterol-free, low in calories and loaded with important nutrients and minerals,mushrooms are good news for the nutrition conscious. For example, 100 grams of mushrooms will contain three grams of protein; various amounts of Vitamins A, B2 and C; 6 milligrams of calcium; 15 milligrams of sodium; 114 milligrams of potassium; plus some niacin, iron and folate; with only a trace of fat and 28 calories.

Mushrooms Go Mainstream

Today’s produce shelves are full of different mushroom varieties.

White Button – With smooth, firm texture and mild flavour, these are the most widely available mushrooms and make up about 90% of Alberta’s mushroom production.

Crimini/Italian Brown – These are the light tan to dark brown mushrooms, that can be used like the whites, but have a richer, earthier flavour.

Portabella – These flavourful, popular mushrooms are often substituted for meat in many recipes and can be huge (up to nine inches across).

Exotic – Small amounts of other varieties are grown in Alberta like oyster, shiitake, and enoki, and can be found all year round.

Exotic – Morel, lobster, porcini and chanterelles are seasonal and are only found in the wild. Always be careful when harvesting wild mushrooms. Looks can be deceiving, and some wild mushrooms can be deadly.

Tip: For longer life in your fridge, store mushrooms in paper, not plastic bags.

For more information about different types of mushrooms, see www.moneys.com.