Greg Hager and his brother-in-law John Herron are raising oyster mushrooms at their farm, Landis Gourmet Mushrooms in Rowan County. A green operation all the way around, they use recycled cardboard as a host rather than trees. They harvest their mushrooms daily.
Oyster mushrooms, also called phoenix or pleurotus, and get their name because their convex cap, and shell-like shape reminds folks of oyster shells. Their texture is thick and soft, and they are quite chewy. Oyster mushrooms taste rather mild. These mushrooms are not commonly available in grocery stores because of their short shelflife. They are best consumed within 5 days of harvest, or dehydrated for use later.
Greg and John are growing three different varieties of oyster mushroom: brown, golden or blue.
Golden Oyster Mushrooms are one of the most spectacular gourmet mushrooms. They grow in clusters of small, convex, thin-fleshed, funnel-shaped bright yellow caps. All varieties are relatively tender and mild when cooked. Their fragrance is sweet, rich, pleasant, distinctively anise and sometimes even almond-like.
More information on oyster mushrooms, including recipies can be found here.
1 comment:
We tried the mushrooms last month and they were really delicious. They were some of the best oyster mushrooms I've tried. Very delicate in flavor and texture. However, they held up well in both a stir fry as well as an Italian beef stew.
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