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Shitake Mushrooms growing On A Log
Shitake Mushrooms
I got the log and Shitake spores from MoTown Mushrooms, who I took a workshop with, 2 years ago. Yes, I waited 2 years for my first harvest. Shiitake mushrooms are one of the healthiest foods on the planet, used extensively in ancient Chinese medicine. Shitake mushrooms are great for your immune system, the cardiovascular system, and are a very good source of iron, are rich in B vitamins, such as B2, B5, B6, Riboflavin, and niacin. Additionally, they are rich in minerals, being an excellent source of selenium and copper, a very good source of zinc, and a good source of manganese. They are also a good source of vitamin D and dietary fiber. They also provide a wide variety of unique phytonutrients. Lentinan, a potent antifungal protein in shiitake mushrooms, was found to have cancer-preventing properties.
Fiddleheads
Fiddleheads are the furled fronds of a young fern, harvested for use as a vegetable. These fiddleheads I found in the wild in Vermont. Though all ferns have a fiddlehead stage, it’s the Ostrich fern, a specific edible species, that has become synonymous with the word “fiddlehead.” Their taste is often described somewhere between asparagus, broccoli and spinach. Pick them before they unfurl, when they’re about one to four inches in height. Wash off the the feathery-brown, paper-like material that covers the sides of the coils. Boil the fiddleheads for 5-7 minutes. Pour off the water, then saute' with garlic in olive oil. Enjoy! Though they are not hard to find, many keep their locations secret so they will not be over harvested. And I feel the same way! I would recommend an experienced guide the first time to be on the safe side. Some fiddleheads look like the Ostrich fern varieties and are not only not edible but can be toxic.
There are also some good guidebooks that will help you identify fiddleheads and other wild edibles. I recommend:
The Forager’s Harvest by Samuel Thayer, or Peterson's Field Guide-A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants
Fiddleheads & Shitake Mushrooms
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