Confused About Mushrooms?

Have your mushrooms mixed up? Here are some popular varieties:

Agaricus (ah-GARR-uh-kiss): The common white cultivated mushroom with a smooth, round cap and a short stem. Newly picked, it has a veil attaching the bottom of the button to the stem. On an older mushroom, the veil falls back to expose the gills. Flavor is mild and woodsy when raw, more intense when cooked.

Crimini: (kreh-MEE-nee): Also called Italian brown. It’s closely related to the white mushroom, but its color ranges from tan to brown. Flavor is denser and earthier than the white variety. Use as you would white mushrooms.

Portobello: This is simply a crimini mushroom allowed to grow to giant proportions. Caps often are 6 inches wide. Color is tan to dark brown. Texture is dense and meaty. Serve whole or sliced, grilled, roasted or deep-fried. Can be a side dish to meats, a main dish or an ingredient in stir-fries and sauces.

Enoki (ee-NO-kee): Tiny button caps on long thin stems grow in clusters. Joined at the base. Color is creamy white. Texture is slightly crunchy. Flavor is mild. To use, trim base to separate caps. Add raw in salads, sandwiches, Asian soups.

Shiitake (she-TOCK-ee): Broad, umbrella-shaped caps with exposed tan gills underneath. Color is tan to dark brown. Flavor is rich and woodsy. Texture is meaty. Grill or saute for stir-fries, pastas, soups, entrees and side dishes.

Oyster: Unique ruffled oyster shell shape. Soft brown to smoky gray. Flavor is delicate, briny. Texture is velvety. Appearance is striking. Best when cooked. Use like white mushrooms to add flavor and texture to sauces, soups, stir-fries, pastas and seafood.

Morels (More-ELLS): Vertical shape with deeply ridged caps and short, hollow stems, morels appear to have come from a landscape for elves. Flavor is rich and pungent. Texture is firm. Use sauteed in any rich dish. A similar-looking mushroom called a false morel is poisonous; never eat morels you find in the wild without being sure they are true morels.