Gourmet Mushroom Kits
Imagine picking fresh oyster or shiitake mushrooms right in your own kitchen. Mushrooms that you grew yourself, that were always on hand, with gourmet taste. Try a mushroom grow kit. You’ll soon discover how easy it is to grow your own indoor gourmet mushroom patch.
It’s simple. Open the cellophane window in the mushroom kit and perforate the bag in several places. Soak the bag with the mushroom culture block in cold water overnight so that it becomes waterlogged.
After twelve hours remove the culture block from the water bath and locate it in a place where it will not be exposed to direct heat or sunlight. Mushrooms prefer dark or low light, cool, moist and humid growing environments. In a house, a basement is often ideal, but a spot under a sink may be all that is necessary. To help the culture block retain moisture, generously mist it with water, 2-3 times a day.
Mushroom heads will start to appear within 10-15 days, and from that time forward you can see their development.
Mushrooms can easily double in volume each day.
Watch as their caps take shape and increase in size, and their gills gradually unfold.
When the rims on the mushroom caps are flat it’s time to harvest. At this peak stage, the mushroom offers tender flesh and pronounced flavour. Mushrooms with concave rims that have turned up and in on themselves, are more than ready to be picked, so don’t wait any longer to enjoy them.
How do you pick a mushroom? Take hold of its base and pull gently, with a slight twisting motion of the wrist. You can also prune mushrooms with a knife, but be sure to remove all of the stem. Remaining stems can dry out the culture block.
Each mushroom kit is prepared from spent coffee grounds and produces 3-4 flushes of mushrooms, approximately 150 grams each, every 15-20 days. That’s over 600 grams (1.5 lbs.) of mushrooms. After each flush, place the culture block in the fridge for 2 days, and then soak again repeating the process described above.
Mushroom kits make great indoor, winter gardening projects. You can grow several varieties including blue oyster, elm oyster, shiitake and reishi mushrooms.
Blue and elm oyster mushrooms have a delicate, velvety texture and generally are considered milder in flavour than shiitake mushrooms. They are versatile in the kitchen and can be eaten raw or cooked. Delicious when sautéed; the gills have a tendency to absorb cooking sauces and seasonings. Oyster mushrooms complement chicken, seafood, and pork dishes.
Blue and elm oyster mushrooms have a delicate, velvety texture and generally are considered milder in flavour than shiitake mushrooms. They are versatile in the kitchen and can be eaten raw or cooked. Delicious when sautéed; the gills have a tendency to absorb cooking sauces and seasonings. Oyster mushrooms complement chicken, seafood, and pork dishes.
Shiitake mushrooms are firm and dense, with a rich and pleasant savory flavour. They are commonly used in stir-fries, pasta dishes, and soups, but these mushrooms are also an excellent meat substitute in many dishes. They also dry well – which is fortunate, because shiitake mushrooms often yield large flushes.
Shiitake mushrooms are firm and dense, with a rich and pleasant savory flavour. They are commonly used in stir-fries, pasta dishes, and soups, but these mushrooms are also an excellent meat substitute in many dishes. They also dry well – which is fortunate, because shiitake mushrooms often yield large flushes.
Reishi mushrooms have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. Reishi mushrooms are almost always dried for later use and traditionally prepared as a tea. While reishi mushrooms have many health benefits it is recommended to seek the advice of a professional health care practitioner before consuming.
Reishi mushrooms have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. Reishi mushrooms are almost always dried for later use and traditionally prepared as a tea. While reishi mushrooms have many health benefits it is recommended to seek the advice of a professional health care practitioner before consuming.
Mushrooms are remarkably nutritious while being low in calories – they have little fat and cholesterol. An average 100 gm serving of mushrooms contains 2 grams of protein, almost as mush potassium as a banana, and several B vitamins. Mushrooms are also a valuable source of selenium, a nutrient found in meats that may be in short supply in vegetarian diets.
These gourmet mushroom grow kits are produced in the heart of Montreal, Canada. The coffee grounds are locally sourced within a 2 km radius of the production site, and the culture blocks contain no pesticides or fertilizers. To find the nearest retailer contact Florissa here.
