Ingredients

Shiitake Mushrooms

The Japanese suffix “take” means mushroom and the Shiii tree is the tree on which these lovely mushrooms grow naturally. They are indigenous to Korea and Japan and for years were available around the world as dried mushrooms, but are now widely cultivated and available fresh.

The cap is broad and flat ranging in color from a tan to dark brown. The stems are tough and woody but add earthy flavor to soups and stocks, so don’t toss them out. As with all mushrooms, the clear indication of quality is a veil that is still closed on the underside of the cap covering the spores. This shows freshness but also indicates if the mushrooms were rushed in growing. It is very hard to find very fresh shiitake mushrooms and most are at least a few days old.

The Japanese have three grades of shiitake - Donko, Koko and Koshin. Donko are higher grade having thick, firm caps, while the lower grade koshin have thin flat caps. Koshin are faster growing and are the more common cultivated strain. Some feel that these mushrooms are not worth purchasing. Koko are intermediate grade.