Mushrooms are typically lumped together with vegetables in the grocery section but to those in the know, they’re actually fungi. They’re classified as macrofungi or fungi that have fruiting structures that can be seen with the naked eye. Mushrooms can either be wild or cultured, with wild mushrooms fetching a higher premium as they’re much harder to come by and are purportedly more flavorful than their cultivated counterparts. As a rule of thumb, unless you’re certain or if you’ve studied mushroom identification techniques extensively. Mushrooms are rich in “umami” taste which gives a hint of meatiness and amplifies the taste of the dish.
Mushroom Trivia
- While mushrooms are usually substituted for meat or added to meat dishes, they’re actually quite low in protein but high in carbohydrates called “Chitin”.
- Even though mushrooms are technically not vegetables, they’re still ranked as one of the top 3 most popular vegetables in both Great Britain and the United States.
- Mushrooms have no leaves, no roots, no seeds, and do not require light for growth.
- The largest living organism on earth is a fungus in Oregon that covers more than 2,200 acres and is growing every day.
- Mushrooms are mostly water with many various types consisting of almost 90% water.