Those readers that have visited also my Zen Cart on line Boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics, have read under: About Mariette, CITIZENS OF THE WORLD, that I have been involved into the Mushroom business.
Also on my LinkedIn Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder profile you can read about my publications. So rest assured, I do know just a little bit about What to LOOK for when Buying Fresh Mushrooms.
You can click on the above hyperlinks and down below in this post, I will show you my Mushroom Harvesting book that I wrote, also one page about quality with photos.
Let's look at some of my Fresh Mushrooms of GREAT quality that I found at Costco.
These are really Firm, Closed and with Broad Stem - the parameters you ought to look for!
Costco often sells brown or cremini mushrooms. But it really doesn't matter; they are all the same AGARICUS BISPORUS! Like people from Asia, Middle East, South America or Africa are looking different from Europeans. But we are ALL the very same HUMAN BEINGS and we all have red blood in our veins. So that aside, and regardless those fancy names like Baby Bella; look for the STEMS.
Compliments to C&M Mushrooms LLC in Avondale, Pennsylvania! They did manage to pick these mushrooms in time and shipped them out quick. Beautiful creminis. I wonder if we had these people in one of our Kenneth Square Seminars for Campbell's Soup's Full House?...
It was a cold and windy, but sunny day when I took these creminis out into daylight. Using my Mother-in-laws hand embroidered brown-white tablecloth and our German 'daughter-in-law's hand made oven proof dish. Earlier, above I told you already to look at the STEMS. We all could learn from the male population; ask them what they look for when checking out a girl? They look at the LEGS... Aha; lesson learned so for Mushrooms you ought to check out the STEMS! These are 98% first quality: FIRM, CLOSED and with BROAD STEMS, not elongated as that is a sigh of a weakening mushroom.
C&M might provide their pickers some better mushroom knives, as is shown in my book. Some of these Mushrooms look like they got handled by the wrong sort of knife, or even with a dull knife. I've done consulting at some mushroom farms that would work fabulous for opening up a KNIFE MUSEUM. I laughed at the variety of knives used, mainly too long, too straight or too dull. Great for hunting, scaling fish or whatever but NOT for cutting mushrooms with a swift, straight and clean cut.
But I'm not into this business anymore...
Those angle shaped cuts are because they cut them in a reversed sequence, thereby dropping some 3% or more of its weight into the waste bucket; the harvester's money first but also the owner's money of course!
This is called: cross cut - meaning cut in the wrong sequence.
Also I see here a few with Soil On Stem, for the same reason, cut in the wrong sequence.
This means only a little bit of work for you, the person cooking with them, as they need to be trimmed.
WHY do they have to have a broad stem?
Mushrooms do expand very rapidly and in about 24 hours they double in size.
A mushroom's existence is not for being good quality, but for growing up, stretching its velum between stem and cap and than finally opening up and releasing its millions of spores for the next generations...
That's the complete cycle in nature; a few times a year. After heavy rain we suddenly see them show up.
A mushroom grower just mimics Mother Nature by creating a perfect Fall or Rainy Season environment by maintaining the proper temperature, humidity and by watering daily so those fruit-bodies can grow.
Here I have to mention another FACT.
That is a fairy tale, as they are being watered really heavy before they ended up on your counter.
Sure, during transport and even at time of harvest they ought to be DRY to prevent those bacterial blotch spots that grow within 20 minutes as those bacteria multiply rapidly, and become very slimy. You know those orange looking marks? Be careful not to get those!
They are picked too moist and not handled well after harvest time.
But yes, before cooking them you can wash them with a clear conscience!
Don't wash them hours ahead of time as they will brown easily and look awful.
Wash, slice or, whatever way you will use them, and prepare right away!
A mushroom itself contains about 92% of water...
Again, broad stems and firm first quality.
You should ask the male population that do select Miss U.S.A. or Miss Universe.
What is your guess; do they chose an 18-year old beauty or are they more inclined towards an 80-year old beauty ...?
Yes, age has a lot to do with beauty and quality. The young ones, they are firm. The older they grow on those beds, the more rubbery they become and lighter too. Only minutes away from opening up. They even will open up after they got cut by the knife!
Do you see the veil that stretches all around the stem?
That veil will open up in a matter of hours as this mushroom is still desperately trying to release its millions of spores!
Lesson learned?
So no matter what, white or cremini; look for the presence of a broad stem!
Regardless the size; that is still valid for small, medium and large.
The one to the left has been cut off by a dull knife... and it also is starting to stretch its veil already...
So for girls in modeling, slender and long legs are considered optimal and are called race horse legs.
But this is NOT the case for mushrooms; here the broader and shorter stems are proof of better quality! Of course there are several other factors to quality but here I just give you some simple examples for explaining mushroom quality in a nutshell.
So that's the story about Quality Fresh Mushrooms!
Hope you did learn a few tricks as what to look for.
On page 22 of my book, you can read and see the difference about first, second and third quality.
Top photo, left shows ONLY ONE first quality mushroom; bottom left is a PERFECT BEAUTY!
Top row left is already a second quality mushroom. The others are fast on their way in becoming a second.
Totally open ones are more mature, more old and also softer and more rubbery in feel.
If they are firm and fresh they still can be used but I've seen too many on the market that were almost mushy and started already smelling foul.
For me; the very best is the firm, closed one with broad stem!
My book is being sold on line still a lot in Russia by: Agaricus Russia foreign language literature (scroll down) besides the spawn company Sylvan that has them. If you click on above link from Alexander Tsarev, you will find it when scrolling down. Also my husband Pieter's famous Mushroom Bible (as it is being called): Modern Mushroom Growing.
This is the English version and it is translated and published into 8 languages.
Two more that have been published; Romanian with Pieter granting them the use of certain pictures. The Chinese published, without bothering any copyrights.
Not that one gets rich from writing any scientific book but it is something for leaving a mark behind you, with pride!
For more info you can check out: linkedin.com/in/pieterjcvedder
Found this once on Amazon.com and it proves that my husband Pieter's knowledge is still very much being sought after... below, you find 3 for $ 790.00 at Amazon!
Meanwhile, you can order our newest book with an entire chapter about harvesting, see link below this post...
My 3rd trip to India - Consulting and Harvesting Video | other post by me
Techniques for Harvesting Quality Mushrooms & Gratitude to Mushrooms Canada | other post by me
1978 - P.J.C. Vedder's Modern Mushroom Growing Book Published in English
1978 - P.J.C. Vedder's Modern Mushroom Growing Book Published in English
