A mushroom by any other name - "white portabello"?

Saw a big jar of mixed dried mushrooms for sale at Costco, but the blend puzzled me. Some varieties, like morel and porcini, were easy to spot (though there weren't many). The majority seemed like pale large mushrooms, and the list on the label said "white portabello," which is not a variety I'm familiar with. In fact, I thought portabellos were just overgrown regular white mushrooms.

Also on the Costco mushroom front, picked up a frozen mushroom and truffle pizza that trumpeted being made it Italy. Probably not truffly, but who knows?

At least they had 300g/10.6oz of Papillon Roquefort for US$11/7.40EU! Not quite ripe, but in good shape (not sweating or breaking down) and for far less than I can get those mummified slices of Societe from Safeway.

Walt

Saw a big jar of mixed dried mushrooms for sale at Costco, but the blend puzzled me. Some varieties, like morel and porcini, were easy to spot (though there weren't many). The majority seemed like pale large mushrooms, and the list on the label said "white portabello," which is not a variety I'm familiar with. In fact, I thought portabellos were just overgrown regular white mushrooms.

Also on the Costco mushroom front, picked up a frozen mushroom and truffle pizza that trumpeted being made it Italy. Probably not truffly, but who knows? Walt

I too have never heard of white portobello mushrooms Walt. But I was under the impression that a portobello was a mature crimini mushroom. The only white mushroom that I have seen in the store here is the common "button mushroom" there is a type of large white mushroom with large caps, but don't think I have ever seen those on the grocery produce shelves though.

[Jenise]

But I was under the impression that a portobello was a mature crimini mushroom.

You're correct, Bob. I'll bet "white portabello" is just a new way to market an extra large white mushroom (which get flabbier and more tasteless as they grow--they're wonderful when they're tiny, like an inch or under in diameter).

My favorite renaming recently is crimini being marketed as "baby portabellos"

My favorite renaming recently is crimini being marketed as "baby portabellos"

I see that a lot around here too Dale. Leave it to some Marketing major!

My favorite renaming recently is crimini being marketed as "baby portabellos"

That borders on being criminial.

Jenise, I'm sure you're right, thanks to you and Bob for reminding me about the crimini connection. The flavorless overgrown white mushrooms no doubt make up the bulk of the dried mushroom canister, which I found on Costco's website. Also has "Brazilian" mushrooms, which I've never heard of.

Walt

[Jenise]

[quote="wnissen] Also has "Brazilian" mushrooms, which I've never heard of.

Walt[/quote]

MUST. RESIST. TEMPTATION.

Ah heck--okay, most of the hair has been removed.

Dear Jenise,

I found this diagram showing Brazilian mushrooms online:



The mushroom on the left is a regular mushroom, the one on the right is Brazilian.

Walt

Too funny, Walt ! I'm sure it's a quick, painless process..

Beware the package containing the legend:

"Mushroom! (like substance)

"Rare Pennsylvania mycelia environment packaged organically under ideal dark conditions."

Beware the package containing the legend:

"Mushroom! (like substance)

"Rare Pennsylvania mycelia environment packaged organically under ideal dark conditions."

Is that like "Pasteurized Process Cheese Food"?

On a cooking discussion group at my former employer, someone once remarked, "I don't know why they call it 'cheese food'. I put some in my refrigerator, and the cheese won't touch it."

I'd never buy anything labeled "Mushroom-like substance".

-Paul W.

I would certainly hope not.

And yet they sell the hell out of "Baby Portabellos" and "White Portabellos."

Or portabellos in general. I just don't find them very appealing, especially the way most restaurants prepare them.

Or portabellos in general. I just don't find them very appealing, especially the way most restaurants prepare them.

Don't cook 'em. Don't eat 'em. (And I love mushrooms.)

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.

Though I have eaten them when faced with a menu created by a chef who clearly hates vegetarians and includes it as a grudging accommodation. But why waste the effort in a world that has chanterelles, maiitake, porcini, and morels?

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.

Though I have eaten them when faced with a menu created by a chef who clearly hates vegetarians and includes it as a grudging accommodation. But why waste the effort in a world that has chanterelles, maiitake, porcini, and morels?

Okay , I admit to being ignorant of thing mushroom. It comes from growing up with a mother who was afraid of them, except for the white button mushrooms. After all, what you don't know can kill you. Similar situation on my wife's side of the family. So, here I am, in my late 50s and all I've ever had is white button and portabellos. I look at other varieties in the store, with strange shapes and colors and I get confused. "What the hell do you do with those things?" I think, so I never buy them. I believe my sentiments and experience are shared by the vast majority of Americans. Help me out here. Lead me out of the mushroom darkness. Not just Stuart, anybody. Recipes! Suggestions! MTNs! Links! (note: I am not a vegetarian).

Howie, I hope the vast majority of Americans remain ignorant, otherwise I won't be able to buy my share.

It's still probably too early up there for fungus to be appearing, but I bet there will be fresh morels before long. They can be treated very simply- wipe them clean and trim the stem end, cut them in half lengthwise, wipe out the insides, then sautee in some butter with salt, pepper, and garlic.

On my cobweb site, I have a recipe for morels en croute which can be made with dried morels. There are some basics on using morels, but they can apply to other mushrooms as well. You can NEVER go wrong with simple sautees to get an idea of what a particular variety tastes like, then you can riff with it and incorporate them into other dishes that you know how to make (e.g., chanterelles in a pot pie, or porcini in a brown gravy).

Risotto is a natural. So is pizza.

Pizza with maiitake, hedgehog, onion, potato, and raclette:


Pizza with porcini and raclette:


I can go on and on about this. I love wild mushrooms.

On my cobweb site

And the URL would be?

And, I could eat either of those pizzas!!! YUM!

But why waste the effort in a world that has chanterelles, maiitake, porcini, and morels?

Because crimini mushrooms are usually anywhere from two to five or six times cheaper than the ones you mention.

I agree, I never have a use for the full-blown portabellos, but, I often buy criminis because of the price, especially if I need a decent amount. My next step up is usually oyster mushrooms. (Not that I don't love chanterelles, maiitake, porcini, morels, matustake, etc) But, I guess it all depends on priorities.

Side note, had the sauteed artichoke hearts last night with potatoes and garlic and it was lovely. Tonight, more sauteed artichoke hearts will find their way onto a pizza with nettles and olives.

Sorry, ran out of time before I could search for it, but here it is:

http://www.the-stupids.com/food_Veggies.htm#morel

Rahsaan, you know how to eat!

Crimini are a different story, and certainly my first choice for duxelles or mushroom soup or champignon a la grecque (for example). But to overgrow them like that and lose their earthy sweetness in the name of size... nope, I just can't buy into that whole portabello deal.

It comes from growing up with a mother who was afraid of them, except for the white button mushrooms. After all, what you don't know can kill you.

And, most ironically, the common "white button mushroom" happens to be one of the few non-toxic members of the same genus that includes the Destroying Angel and Fly Agaric.

This is precisely why mushroom identification is such a hazardous art. Nearly all of the closest relatives of the most commonly consumed commercial mushroom are deadly poisonous.

-Paul W.

There is probably a happy morel to this story.

It comes from growing up with a mother who was afraid of them, except for the white button mushrooms. After all, what you don't know can kill you.

And, most ironically, the common "white button mushroom" happens to be one of the few non-toxic members of the same genus that includes the Destroying Angel and Fly Agaric.

Destroying Angel = Death Angel = amanita phalloides? Oh, never mind. Google tells me that they're a. virosa. I didn't realize that those insipid little fuckers in the supermarket were an amanita. It's gives them oh so much more cachet, though I still won't cook with 'em.

This is precisely why mushroom identification is such a hazardous art. Nearly all of the closest relatives of the most commonly consumed commercial mushroom are deadly poisonous.

But, as a for instance, a. muscaria will never be mistaken for a supermarket shroom. Indeed, if ever there were an instance of nature issuing a warning sign, there 'tis (sort of like that Far Side about "Nature's Warning Signs").

Mark Lipton

Btw, Stuart, my next novel opens with morel foraging in the Cascades. Early season blacks and grays.