7 Mushrooms That Go Beyond the Button

The romance of mushrooms often leans to wild varieties, found through foraging. But farmed specialty varieties offer cooks reliable access to mushrooms and give non-foragers an opportunity to move beyond white button and meaty portobellos—without the risks. "My friend has a saying, and it's that all mushrooms are edible, but some mushrooms are edible only once," says Jim Angelucci of Phillips Mushroom Farms. Each variety introduces different, subtle flavor notes and textural elements into a dish.

RELATED:Mad for Mushrooms

Petite beech mushrooms are sold in bouquets, with several stems attached in one clump. They're crunchy, slightly sweet, and can be white or brown; they make a crisp topping for soups or salads and can hold their own in a Mushroom Conserva for topping toast.

MAKE:Mushroom Conserva

White and puffy, lion's mane mushrooms look a little like Koosh balls. They have a dense texture and a taste that's reminiscent of crab or lobster.

MAKE:雪利酒味的蘑菇杜塞尔

These have a longer, thicker stem and smaller cap than white button mushrooms, making them ideal for skewers. They have a delicate almond flavor, almost like mushroom pastry cream.

MAKE:Smoky Mushroom Skewers with Labneh and Salsa Verde

This fan-shaped variety gets its name thanks to its feathery tendrils; it's also known as maitake. The "feathers" crisp up nicely when roasted, seared, grilled, or fried. You can cook them whole or break them up with your hands.

MAKE:Crispy Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms with Marinara and Parmigiano-Reggiano

白色按钮,creminis (known as "baby bellas"), and portobellos all belong to the same species, Agaricus bisporus, which can mature in two colors, white and brown. The white strain is cultivated for tender, creamy white button mushrooms. The brown strain grows into firmer cremini or, when fully mature, into portobellos.

MAKE:黄油炒蘑菇与新鲜草药

Rich and woodsy-flavored mushrooms with umbrella-shaped brown caps and curved stems, shiitakes are on the hardier side for mushrooms. That means they're wonderful in soups, stews, and stocks, but it also means that their tough stems should be removed before cooking.

MAKE:烤生姜和大蒜汤中的蘑菇饺子

牡蛎蘑菇的味道不像牡蛎，尽管它们看起来确实像它们。实际上，这种蘑菇有彩虹的颜色，包括蓝色，黄色，灰色和粉红色，具有温和的，鲜艳的味道，使其成为调味料和调味料的好工具。他们在烧烤架上也很好地酥脆。

MAKE:烤蘑菇与熏制的奶油

Grow-your-own-mushroom kits usually include sawdust-based substrate that's been inoculated with mycelium culture—all you need to do is mist it with water a couple of times a day, no sun- light or open space required. For beginners, cultivation company北孢子offers kits to grow lion's mane or pink, golden, or blue oyster mushrooms.$ 28 ATNorthspore.com

All mushrooms have similar signs of freshness. The surface of the mushroom should be dry but not dried out. Look for a plump, smooth cap. They shouldn't have an overly strong odor. When mushrooms start going bad, some become slimy and mushy, others get dark spots, and others get dried out and wrinkled. Fresh mushrooms last five to 10 days in the refrigerator in their original packaging or in a paper bag. They don't freeze well raw, but after cooking, they can be frozen for up to three months.

有些人更喜欢用纸巾或蘑菇刷刷蘑菇，但是将它们冲洗干净是可以的。厨师詹姆斯·韦曼（James Wayman）说：“只是不要太早。”“在您使用它们之前，先洗净它们。”注意不要浸泡它们，然后将它们拍干，以鼓励锅中的褐变。