Black Pearl

Pleurotus spp.

This is a relatively new strain in the mushroom farming world, and its origins seems somewhat mysterious. It is apparently a hybrid of two Asiatic oysters, but it acts somewhat like a king oyster and somewhat like a common oyster. The whole stem is soft and edible, and the taste is delicate with a touch of soy and scallops.

Chestnut

Pholiota adiposa

Great butter with a crunch - that's what these are like in your mouth. Yeah, I know - SOLD, right? People are loving these newcomers to the artisan mushroom farming palette - they are the first to sell out every time for us at farmer's market.

King, or Trumpet

Pleurotus eryngii

Aptly named, the kings are king (who is queen, then?...). Their meaty density and well-rounded, earthy, delicate flavor have earned them an indisputable place amongst the finest of fungi.

Lion's Mane

Hericium erinaceus

This species is the current super star of the gourmets, legitimately famous now for it's well-known medicinal properties. However, it's value as a delicious food is less well-known. They are great, though, often used as a substitute for seafoods. Our favorite preparation of the lion's mane is to make "crab" cakes with them - SOOO good!

The Oysters...

Pleurotus spp

There are SO many oyster mushrooms grown and or wild-harvested for food around the world. And in the gourmet mushroom growing community, it is certainly the most ubiquitous of species, or rather, genus, as many different species are lumped under the umbrella term "oyster," or "common oyster." Indeed, you may have noticed that two of the above mushrooms NOT labeled as "oyster" here are also within the genus Pleurotus. To further confuse the matter, one of the "oysters" listed below, the elm oyster, isn't actually in the genus at all! The oyster mushrooms are as a whole considered the easiest to cultivate, the most prolific, and fastest growing of the gourmet fungi, which is certainly a heroic trio of attributes and thus it is understandable that they are so widespread. They may also be the most pungent and the heaviest flavored of the bunch. That's not the same thing as saying they're the most delicious - I don't believe they are; however, they are great choices in any dish where more delicately flavored mushrooms may get drowned out by other strong ingredients. Their powerful and adaptable taste make them favorites in the restaurants (and the fact that they are more available and generally cheaper than other gourmets. We will likely always continue trying out new oyster strains and species, but here are some of what we already grow...

Blue Oyster

Pleurotus ostreatus

Elm Oyster

Hypsizygus ulmarius

Pink Oyster

Pleurotus djamor

Golden/Yellow Oyster

Pleurotus citrinopileatus