so, mushrooms.
People seem to either obsess over them or absolutely refuse to let them near their plate. They’re weird, right? Technically fungi, not plants. They grow in damp, shadowy places. And half of them look like props from a fantasy video game. But when you get past the whole “this sprouted from a log in the forest” thing, mushrooms are kind of magical. Flavor bombs. Texture chameleons. The best thing to happen to pasta, risotto, ramen… or just some butter in a hot pan.
And honestlypart of their charm is the mystery. Because walk into any grocery store and you’ll see a neat little carton of button mushrooms, maybe some portabellos if you’re lucky. But there’s this whole hidden world of edible varieties, each with its own quirks, flavors, and “oh wow I didn’t know food could taste like that” moments.
So today: let’s talk mushrooms. Not the psychedelic kind (different blog). Just the delicious, edible ones that make you want to lick the pan clean.
button mushrooms: the starter pack 🍄
You know these guys. White, round, innocent-looking. They’re like the “default” mushroomwhat you picture if someone says the word mushroom with no context. Sometimes they’re tiny, sometimes they’re a bit bigger, but they always look like they belong in a cartoon forest.
Button mushrooms are mild. That’s the nice way of saying they’re not super exciting raw. But sauté them? Ohhh, they transform. They go from “kinda bland” to this soft, earthy, slightly nutty flavor that just works with everything. Omelets. Pizza. Burgers. Stir-fries. You name it.
Confession: I’ve eaten them straight out of the can before (don’t judge). Not as good as fresh, but weirdly comforting in a retro, mid-century casserole kind of way.
chanterelles: the fancy pants ones
Okay, chanterelles are like the prom queens of the mushroom world. Bright golden, shaped like little trumpets, andlet’s be realkind of expensive. If button mushrooms are jeans and a hoodie, chanterelles are silk dresses and Champagne.
They’ve got this nutty, delicate flavor that feels very… French. Like, you want to cook them in butter, maybe throw them on some pasta, and pretend you’re sitting in a Paris café while someone plays accordion in the background.
The one rule? Don’t overcook them. They’ll get rubbery, and nobody wants chewy mushroom sadness. Treat them gently. Think of them as guests you want to impress.
cremini: baby bellas, aka the middle child
cremini mushrooms are basically button mushrooms that went to grad school. Same family, just darker, slightly bigger, and with a deeper flavor. Sometimes called “baby bellas” because they’re the younger siblings of portabello mushrooms (we’ll get to those beasts later).
They’re perfect if you like the idea of button mushrooms but wish they had a little more oomph. Toss them in soups, throw them in risottos, or just sauté them with garlic. Simple, earthy, satisfying.
And honestly? They’re my go-to weeknight mushroom. Affordable, easy to find, not too fussy. Like the reliable friend who always shows up with wine.
shiitake: meaty, earthy, slightly dramatic
If mushrooms had personalities, shiitakes would be the soulful poets. They’ve got these big, umbrella capssometimes up to ten inches acrossand a flavor that’s almost… steak-y. Rich. Deep. A little intense.
Cook them right and they’ll give you that umami punch that makes you close your eyes and just… sigh.
I use shiitakes in stir-fries a lot (they soak up sauce like nobody’s business), but they’re also amazing roasted. One tip: cut off the stems before cooking. They’re kind of tough. But don’t toss them! Throw them into a pot for stock and you’ve got instant flavor gold.
oyster mushrooms: delicate little fans
Oyster mushrooms look like something you’d find on the side of a tree in a fairy tale. Their caps are soft and fluted, like seashells, in shades of beige or gray. And here’s the fun partsome people swear they taste faintly like seafood. (Personally I just think they’re buttery and slightly sweet, but I get the comparison.)
They cook fast. Just a quick toss in a pan with olive oil and garlic and you’ve got something that feels fancy without even trying.
Oh, and the king oyster version? Bigger, meatier stems, almost like vegetarian scallops if you slice and sear them. I tried that once and, no exaggeration, it blew my mind.
enoki: long and stringy and kind of cute
Enoki mushrooms are the oddballs. Picture a bundle of long, thin white stems with tiny little capsalmost like bean sprouts dressed up for Halloween. They’re crunchy, light, a little fruity even.
You’ll see them a lot in ramen bowls or hot pots, because they cook in seconds and add this delicate texture contrast. But I also like them raw in salads, like little edible confetti.
The one thing to know: don’t cook them too long. They get stringy and sad if you leave them in the pan. Treat them like herbstoss them in at the very end.
portabellos: the heavyweights
Portabellos are basically cremini mushrooms that grew up, hit the gym, and decided to take over the barbecue. They’re huge. Like, cap-the-size-of-your-hand huge. And they’ve got that meaty, chewy texture that makes them one of the few veggies that can convincingly stand in for a burger patty.
Fun fact: for a long time, farmers thought these “overgrown” mushrooms were unsellable. Then someone rebranded them in the 80s as gourmet “portabellos” and boomtrend. Marketing, man.
Grill them, roast them, stuff them with cheese and breadcrumbswhatever. They’re hearty, filling, and kinda dramatic on a plate.
porcini: the fairy-tale ones
Porcini mushrooms look like they belong in a children’s book illustration. Fat stems, rounded caps, earthy brown colors. They’re a staple in Italian cooking, especially Tuscan recipes, and people pay a lot for them when they’re fresh.
They’ve got a bold, nutty flavor that makes soups and stews sing. Even dried porcini (which are easier to find) pack an intense punchjust soak them in hot water to rehydrate, and boom, instant umami bomb. I always save the soaking liquid and use it as broth. Don’t waste that liquid gold.
morels: the elusive treasure
And finally: morels. If chanterelles are the prom queens, morels are the eccentric artists. Weirdly cone-shaped, spongy, full of little pits and ridges. They look… well, let’s just say not super appetizing at first glance.
But once you cook them? Whole different story. Smoky, earthy, nutty, almost truffle-like in flavor. They’re rare, they’re expensive, and they’re totally worth it if you get the chance.
One warning: clean them really well. All those little nooks and crannies are like dirt magnets. Nothing ruins a fancy mushroom faster than gritty bites.
random thoughts while writing this (because mushrooms make me ramble)
– I once tried to grow mushrooms from a kit on my kitchen counter. Looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. Didn’t end well.
– My dog once ate a mushroom off the lawn. Cue me googling “are backyard mushrooms poisonous???” at 2am. (He was fine, but my nerves weren’t.)
– Mushroom coffee is a thing now. Still not sure how I feel about that.
cooking tips that actually help
Not to turn this into a PSA, but here’s the deal:
– Don’t soak mushrooms in water. They’re like little sponges and will just get soggy. Quick rinse and pat dry is plenty.
– High heat is your friend. Mushrooms release water when they cook, so give them space in the pan and let that liquid evaporate. That’s how you get browning instead of sad, steamed mushrooms.
– Butter + garlic + mushrooms = life. (Olive oil works too, but butter… come on.)
– If you’ve got dried mushrooms, save the soaking water. It’s basically umami tea.
so… should you eat more mushrooms?
Yes. Probably. Unless you hate them, in which casefair. But if you’re on the fence, try a new variety. Go beyond the little white buttons at the grocery store. Pick up some shiitakes or enoki next time and play around.
Because here’s the thing: mushrooms are one of those foods that can be humble and everyday, or luxurious and special. They’re as comfortable on a weeknight stir-fry as they are on a Michelin-starred tasting menu.
And they connect us, in this cool way, to forests and soil and this whole hidden ecosystem. Which sounds cheesy, but seriouslywhen you bite into a perfectly seared portabello or a buttery chanterelle, you’re kinda tasting the earth itself.
Okay, I’ll stop before I get too poetic. But yeah. Mushrooms are worth celebrating.
(end rambly love letter to fungi.)
