Mu-shrooms, Yo-shrooms, Our-shrooms

Alice falls into a long black hole, and finds herself in Wonderland. After speaking to the caterpillar and some other creatures, she discovers the magic growing and shrinking power of MUSHROOMS!

Mushrooms can be classified as either edible or poisonous. It goes without saying that we will only be talking about the edible ones here. And unfortunately (or fortunately?) the mushrooms in our world (although very healthy) won’t have the same effect as the mushrooms in Wonderland.

Mushrooms are part of the macrofungi species. Macrofungi are fungi that have fruit structures that are visible without using a microscope. There are more than 10 000 different types of mushrooms worldwide, but availability differs from one country to the next.

In South Africa the most common types that are sold include:

The White Button Mushroom This variant is the one sold in majority across the world. Its uses are endless and include using the raw or cooked mushrooms in soups, stews, salads, stir fries, on pizza or on its own.

Brown Mushrooms This variant has a stronger, firmer texture than the white alternatives and its flavour is nuttier.

The Brown Button Mushroom also known as Portabellini These have a dense texture and a stronger flavour than the white alternatives. It’s used in salads, kebabs and some Italian meals and can either be raw or cooked.

The Large Brown Mushroom also known as the Portabello This flat mushroom is the largest commercially sold mushroom. It is a highly flavoursome mushroom and is a favourite alternative for chefs worldwide. It can be used in a range of different recipes – grilled, fried, in a stir fry or on the braai.

Some tips when you buying & storing mushrooms:

Make sure they are firm and dry – avoid damp mushrooms.
Don’t wash them before storing. When they are unwashed they last longer.
Ideally, store them in a brown paper bag in the fridge – best on the lowest shelf. A clean tea towel can work as well as it give the mushrooms chance to ‘breathe’ and prevents them from becoming slimy.
Before usage, wipe them with a damp cloth or kitchen towel.
Mushrooms can be frozen, but should be used in their frozen state when you make a stew, soup or other dish (i.e. don’t thaw them).
You can also freeze mushrooms after they were sautéed for up to a month.

The largest producers in the world are China, USA, the Netherlands and Poland. China produces and distributes more than a million tons of mushrooms per year.

Highveld Mushrooms is one of the largest companies producing and distributing mushrooms in South Africa.

The products that they sell include: