Fresh
Mushrooms
White Button
Also called button or champignon mushrooms, button mushrooms are the most common and mildest-tasting mushroom and perhaps the most popular. 90% of the mushrooms consumed in North America are of this variety. They can be eaten either raw or cooked, and work well in soups and salads, and on pizzas.
Crimini
A crimini is a baby portabella. Although the crimini is darker and more flavorful than its cousin, the white button mushroom, the two can be used interchangeably. Sometimes these are called “baby bellas.”
Portabella
Portabellas lend depth to sauces and pastas and make a great meat substitute. Mushrooms of this variety can be as wide as the palm of your hand, and their meaty texture stands up to grilling and stuffing.
Shiitake
Fresh shiitakes have a light woodsy flavor and aroma, while their dried counterparts are more intense. In Japanese, shiitake means “oak fungus,” which describes where the mushrooms can be found in the wild.
Maitake
This mushroom can look like a head of cabbage. They have an earthy aroma and a gamy flavor, and is native to both the northwestern United States and Japan.
King Trumpet
It’s hard not to be inspired when you have this mushroom in your fridge. Known for its distinctive thick white stem, the king trumpet mushroom varies in size from 4-7 inches long and 1-2 inches in diameter. Use king trumpets in place of meat in pulled “pork” sandwiches, vegan “scallops” and even “ribs.”
Beech
These unique-looking mushrooms add such a pleasant surprise to the plate. With a flavor some call “buttery” or “nutty,” beech mushrooms give off an almond aroma, and the texture leans toward the crunchy side when cooked.
Chanterelle
Chanterelle mushrooms typically grow to 2-5 inches, and their yellow to orange color make them easy to identify. This exotic mushroom gives off an apricot-like aroma when harvested, and their nutty flavor makes them a culinary delight.
Black Trumpet
Considered one of the smaller varieties, black trumpet mushrooms range from 2-6 inches and can be identified by their vase-like shape and curled edges. Giving off a robust woodsy aroma, people generally gravitate to their modestly chewy texture, rich smoky flavor.
Morel
Generally maturing to 1-3 inches, morel mushrooms are a fleeting springtime treat in the Midwest and West. You can’t mistake its spongy, conical, honeycomb-shaped cap. They deliver an earthy, woodsy flavor and meaty texture that makes them an ideal choice for sautéing and frying, among other culinary applications.
Lion’s Mane
Lion’s mane mushrooms are more than just a cool-looking mushroom. Ranging in size from 2-7 inches in diameter they possess an irregular-shaped cap that is white and fluffy looking, reminiscent of a lion. Crunchy, nutty, and meaty, this mushroom tastes very similar to a chanterelle.
