The most popular edible mushrooms
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Agaricus (white
mushroom, button mushroom) Widely available; varies in color from white to light brown and in size from small to jumbo stuffer; plump and dome-shaped; pleasing flavor intensifies when cooked. Mature Agaricus with open veils have an intensely rich taste. Agaricus is quite versatile, being excellent for use both raw and cooked. Also available canned and dried. AKA - common mushroom, button mushroom, white mushroom, table mushroom, champignon mushroom, crimini mushroom, Swiss brown mushroom, Roman brown mushroom, Italian brown, Italian mushroom, cultivated mushroom, or when mature, the Portobello mushroom Grow your own: Seasonal White Button Mushroom Growing Kit 
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Chanterelle (girolle) Vase-shaped; ranging in color from bright yellow to orange; nutty and delicate flavor and texture; expensive when fresh; also available dried and canned. Add late in the cooking process to avoid toughening. Use in salads, sauces and risottos. AKA - girolle, egg mushroom, pfifferling |
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Crimini (Italian
brown) Naturally dark cap that ranges in color from light tan to rich brown; rich, earthy flavor is more intense than that of the button (Agaricus). Substitute for button mushrooms to add a more full-bodied flavor. The mature version of the crimini is the Portabello. AKA - common mushroom, button mushroom, white mushroom, table mushroom, champignon mushroom, crimini mushroom, Swiss brown mushroom, Roman brown mushroom, Italian brown, Italian mushroom, cultivated mushroom, or when mature, the Portobello mushroom |
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Enoki Long stems and tiny, snow-white caps; small white mushrooms are joined at the base and resemble bean sprouts; light and mild, almost fruity, flavor with a crisp texture. Also available canned. Before using, cut away from the communal base. Use in sandwiches, salads and as garnishes. If you use them in a cooked dish, add at the last possible moment as heat toughens enoki. AKA - enokitake; enokidake; snow puff mushrooms; golden mushrooms; velvet stem |
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Enotaki Grow your own: The Enokitake Mushroom |
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Morel A relative of the highly-prized truffle; tan to dark-brown, cone-shaped, spongey; smoky, earthy, nutty flavor; expensive and also available canned and dried. The darker the mushroom, the more pronounced is the flavor. This mushroom must be cleaned well when fresh due to its dimpled head. Grow your own: Morel Mushroom Kit 
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Nameko These are Japan's second most popular cultivated mushroom. The Nameko has a strong flavor, some report they slight taste similar to that of cashews. Grow your own: Nameko Mushroom Kit 
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Oyster Oyster mushrooms are prized for their smooth texture and subtle, oyster-like flavor. They are grown commercially, so they're widely available and fairly inexpensive. Fluted cap resembles a fan; ranging in color from a soft beige brown to gray; can be eaten raw in salads but more often this mushroom is cooked to bring out its delicate flavor and velvety texture. Some say this mushroom has a faint oyster-like or seafood flavor, to match its likeness in shape to oysters. AKA - abalone, white, blue, golden, pearl, red, tree,trumpet (King Trumpet, King Oyster (Eryngii)...so many varieties Grow your own: Oyster Mushroom Kit  |
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Piopinno Grown on decaying tree stumps or beneath popular trees. The Piopinno mushroom is a popular food ingredient in both Asia and southern Europe. Also known as Black Poplar mushroom named from its growing habitat around poplars, the Pioppino develops a light brown colored cap sprouting from a thin white stem. Firm in texture, the Pioppino provides a mildly nutty flavor when cooked and can be added to complement a variety of rice, risotto, and meat dishes. AKA: Black Poplar mushroom Grow your own: The Pioppino Mushroom |
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Porcini Resembles the traditional fairytale toadstool; weighing from a couple of ounces to a pound each with caps from one to ten inches in diameter; smooth, meaty texture; pungent in flavor; pale brown color; very expensive; many general cooking uses. Also available dried. AKA - cepes; boletes; boletus; steinpilze; singular tense: porcino |
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Portabella The Portabella mushroom is one of the tastiest mushrooms ever grown. When harvested young in the button stage, it is called a crimini and can be used in the same way as the regular white button mushroom. When harvested as a mature mushroom, with the gills exposed, it is called a Portabella. Its long growing cycle gives a deep, meat-like flavor, and substantial texture. They are good whole, sliced, grilled, baked, stir-fried and deep-fried.The thick cap on the Portabella is meaty and is wonderful to cook with. Portabella caps can grow from 3-4" across to as large as 5" in diameter. Grow your own: Seasonal Giant Heirloom Portabella Mushroom Kit 
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Shitake Ranging in color from tan to dark brown; characterized by broad, umbrella shaped caps up to ten inches in diameter, wide open veils and tan gills; rich, full-bodied flavor, is almost steak-like, with a meaty texture when cooked. These are best when cooked in almost any method, particularly sautéing, broiling and baking. Remove stems before cooking but reserve them for soup stocks. AKA - black forest mushroom , black mushroom , black winter mushroom , brown oak mushroom , oak mushroom, Chinese black mushroom , Oriental black mushroom , forest mushroom , golden oak mushroom , donko Grow your own: The Shiitake Mushroom Kit 
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