Are you a mushroom lover and enjoy different delicacies of mushrooms? How many mushroom types have you wanted, and do you know there are more mushroom types than you can even imagine? You may be surprised at just how many different kinds of mushrooms exist in the world.
Below are just 8 of the numerous collections out there. You may want to check out more, but this is a great place to start. Keep reading for more fascinating details.
1. Button Mushroom
This is not what you have heard about the magic shrooms in Canada. On the contrary, button mushroom is one of the most popular mushrooms globally because it is easy to grow, not to mention the fact that many growers find it profitable. What’s more, it is easy to cook, and probably what you have eaten in many restaurants if you are a mushroom lover.
So, you can be sure that you will find button mushrooms anywhere in the world as long as it is a grocery. These are used for different foods, including spaghetti sauces, pizza toppings, and other mushroom dishes. An even more exciting bit about bottom mushrooms is that you can grow them yourself and save yourself the cost of having to buy them every time you want to enjoy a mushroom dish. However, be careful about foraging for button mushrooms in the wild. Though they look harmless like their grown counterparts, they are dangerous since they are poisonous.
Related: 8 Interesting Facts About Magic Mushrooms That You Should Know About
2. Cremini Mushroom
You have probably heard about these types of mushrooms because they are not very different from the button mushroom except for color and a deeper flavor. It is known that even button mushrooms were brown for the longest time until, in 1926, someone found white mushrooms under his bed and worked on cloning them to create the current button mushroom as we know it. If you are unsure about this type of mushroom, you can relax knowing that it is not very different from button mushroom, and when well-spiced, you will not even notice the difference in taste.
3. Shiitake Mushroom
These are popular in Japan, Korea, and China and are generally the wild kind of mushrooms. Whenever you order mushrooms in an Asian restaurant, these are probably what you will get. They are chewy and meaty, which makes them an easy inclusion in most dishes and sauces. Many who love Shiitake prefer them because of their excellent flavor. You may not always find them fresh, but you can console yourself with the powdered version of the same.
Related: 7 Advantages of Buying Mushrooms Online
4. Russula
Known as Russula Emitica, this kind of mushroom is good but requires one to cook it well. It is poisonous and dangerous when eaten raw or undercooked. In most cases, you get nauseous and end up vomiting or diarrhea. People are advised to stay away from this type of mushroom unless they properly understand cooking it without any side effects.
5. Portobello Mushroom
This is another common type of mushroom across the globe. It is a matured white mushroom, which caps outwards hence the name. It is characterized by being meaty with mild flavor making them versatile for use in numerous dishes. Some people find it very tasty, especially when they are grilled. This type of mushroom is easy to find in North America and Europe.
6. Porcini Mushroom
If you want mushrooms that are both flavorful and meaty, then you can never go wrong with porcini. Any Italian dish lover knows this because they have probably eaten porcini in one of the numerous Italian dishes. The flavor is nutty and creamy, and they are brown. You find them either dry or fresh.
However, to enjoy the dried mushrooms, make sure to soak them 15 minutes before cooking them. They also grow so large, which makes them an excellent choice for someone who wants big mushroom chunks in their food.
7. Oyster Mushroom
This type of mushroom looks quite different from many other types of mushrooms. While the look can be intimidating, it is an excellent mushroom to consider. They are attractive because of their sweet and delicate flavor. Their unique name stems from the fact that they look like oysters. You can even confuse them for star anise-like taste, especially at certain times of the year. Most people love them because they are also easy to cook. They are excellent in a variety of dishes because of the versatility in their flavors.
You can easily include them in different sauces and soups if you want to. To identify them, you should watch out for brown, grey, and sometimes even reddish-colored mushrooms. A tip that will work every time is to choose the younger oyster mushrooms because they are more flavorful, and you are likely to enjoy them more. It is a worthy investment, and you can be sure of getting an excellent experience when you try them even for the first time.
8. Hedgehog mushroom
This may not be what you come across every day, but it still is an excellent mushroom type to choose for your sweet dishes. If you are keen on smells and scents, you will love it more because it smells and tastes like sweets. It tastes a lot like Chanterelle mushroom and grows mainly in winter. It is both meaty and chunky, not forgetting nutty.
Other Types of Mushrooms
Besides those mentioned above, there are loads of other types of mushrooms that you can choose from. However, besides the friendly and edible mushrooms, there are others that one needs to be wary of. These are the poisonous types.
While some mushroom types need exceptional cooking to remove the poison, others are entirely inedible even when cooked. Therefore, it is crucial to differentiate the good and poisonous mushrooms lest you get yourself in trouble. Make sure you cook mushrooms that you are familiar with or ones that you have been taught to.
Final Thoughts
You can try different types of mushrooms and decide on which one you like most. However, it would help if you did some research first to ensure that you are not choosing poison. The good news is that most of the mushrooms sold in grocery shops are safe. So just try out different recipes to find out which of the other mushroom types you like.
