Title: The Mushroom Industry
Categories: Mushroom
Yield: 1 Servings

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This is the magic story of mushrooms -- how they grow, how they are processed, and how they may be used to enhance any dish, anytime.

For many, many centuries, mushrooms lived in a dark mysterious world of their own. The wild varieties were known and enjoyed by the ancient Chinese who used them for medicinal purposes; bu the early Greeks and Romans who considered them as food for the gods and for the enjoyment of the aristocracy only; and by the Egyptians who thought the common man so unworthy of these fragile fungi that only the Pharaohs were permitted to eat them.

It was not until the late 16th century, during the reign of Louis XIV, that the art of cultivating mushrooms was discovered. The Parisians experimented with decomposing organic matter (manure) and the growth of the mushroom plant. By 1749 mushrooms were being grown successfully in caves and cellars with better results than when they were grown outdoors. The quarries under Paris housed the mushroom beds and by 1900 about 1500 miles of these beds were winding their way through the caves under Paris.

Canadian mushrooms first came on the commercial market in 1912. By 1969 the Canadian Mushroom Growers' Association reported that approximately twenty-seven million pounds of mushrooms were produced in Canada: of this amount, between fifteen and eighteen million pounds were grown in Ontario alone.

Canadians, today, eat about one pound per person per year, approximately three times as much as fifteen years ago. New Canadians and an increased interest in gourmet cooking and foreign foods have made us more aware of the mushroom's flavorful pleasures.

Hints on How to Buy, Keep, and Prepare Mushrooms:

1. Eat mushrooms often for good nutrition:

(a) They contribute substantial amounts of Vitamin B - thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin to the diet, as well as limited amounts of Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorous, and iron.

(b) They contain impressive amounts of protein and are low in fats and sugars -- they are a weight-watcher's joy at only 66 calories per pound (a pound is 4-5 half cup servings).

2. Versatility is essential when serving mushrooms -- they are just as delicious eaten raw in salads as they are broiled, sauteed, or barbecued and put next to steak.

3. Enhance the taste appeal of almost any meat, fish, poultry, egg, or vegetable dish by adding a few or many mushrooms. The Chinese have shown us how the small cost of mushrooms is more than worth the unique flavor they add to a variety of dishes.

4. Select fresh mushrooms carefully.

(a) An obvious indication of freshness is a smooth, white, unblemished cap, with no space between the inverted rim of the cap and stem. As a mushroom matures and loses its moisture, the cap opens, exposing on its underside, a fluted formation called gills. These should be light in color, not black or brown.

(b) The larger mushrooms are considered by connoisseurs to be the pick of the lot. Button mushrooms, a homemaker's delight, are simply at the infant stage of the mushroom crop, picked because of crowding. They lack the full flavor of more mature mushrooms.

(c) Short stemmed mushrooms are preferred because although perfectly edible, stems sometimes lack the tenderness of the cap.

5. Handle mushrooms tenderly.

(a) Mushrooms object violently to having a bath although they enjoy a quick shower if they're dried off well. Because of their sponge-like capacity for any liquid, mushrooms will throw off any absorbed water at the first sign of heat. This loses valuable flavor and tenderness. Washing quickly under running water and drying thoroughly should satisfy the most fastidious cook and at the same time allows the mushrooms to retain their natural moisture when heated.

(b) Never peel fresh mushrooms. The most intense flavor lies in the skin. At the most, snip off only the sandy stem tips.

(c) Lighten or preserve the color of mushrooms by sprinkling lightly with lemon juice or white wine.

(d) Do not overcook mushrooms. Saute small amounts at a time in limited amounts of butter, oil, or cream - 5 to 6 minutes is plenty of time.

(e) Refrigeration is needed to prolong the life of the mushroom. Unless they are maintained at a temperature of 30 F - 38 F, the veins open resulting in rapid dehydration and discoloration. Kept in an open container in the refrigerator vegetable crisper, mushrooms will keep for up to one week. continued in part 2

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