Oyster Mushrooms
Estimated Inventory, 5 lbs : 11.55
This item was last sold on : 11/22/24
Description/Taste
Oyster mushrooms are medium to large in size with caps averaging 5-25 centimeters in diameter and a very short or non-existent stem. The caps are broad and fan-like, ranging in color from dark gray, brown, tan, pink, to yellow, and have curled edges that become wavy and lobed with maturity. White gills extend from beneath the cap, and the flesh is white, meaty, and firm. Oyster mushrooms have a slightly chewy texture and are soft with a bittersweet aroma reminiscent of anise. When cooked, they have a mild and nutty, seafood-like flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Oyster mushrooms are available year-round, with a peak season in the late summer through fall.
Current Facts
Oyster mushroom is a general descriptor used to refer to three different species of fungi including Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulmonarius, and Pleurotus populinus, which all belong to the Pleurotaceae family. Oyster mushrooms get their name from an uncanny resemblance in appearance and taste to fresh-shucked oysters. Found growing on decaying wood, especially beech and aspen trees, Oyster mushrooms grow in stacked layers in a shelf-like formation and are found in many different temperate forests across the world. Oyster mushrooms are one of the most cultivated mushrooms in the world along with shiitake and button mushrooms and are extremely versatile in flavor melding with many different cuisines and culinary applications.
Nutritional Value
Oyster mushrooms contain vitamin B6 and D, fiber, potassium, and folate. They also contain an antioxidant called ergothioneine, which can help decrease inflammation in the body.
Applications
Oyster mushrooms are best suited for cooked applications such as frying, stir-fry, and braising, as up to ten percent of the population could have a slight allergic reaction to eating the fungus raw. They can be cooked and added to soups, chowders, sauces, egg dishes, tarts, pasta, lasagna, and pizza. They can also be fried for tempura, fried into vegan calamari, used as a substitute in mock-oyster Rockefeller, or stuffed into dumplings. Oyster mushrooms cook relatively quickly and are typically added at the end of the cooking process. They are popularly used in many Asian dishes in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese cuisine. They can also be dried for extended use and do not have to be rehydrated before using. Oyster mushrooms pair well with onions, shallots, green onions, garlic, ginger, potatoes, thyme, parsley, peas, green beans, eggplant, sherry, soy sauce, tofu, scallops, poultry, lemon, and spaghetti. They are extremely perishable and are recommended to be used immediately for optimum flavor and quality. They can also be stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator for a very short time.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Oyster mushrooms are one of the only few carnivorous mushrooms, feeding on bacteria and nematodes, which are small roundworms, to obtain nitrogen for growth. They also grow rapidly on decaying wood, contributing to a faster rate of decomposition which helps add additional minerals back into the ecosystem. With this ability, Oyster mushrooms are being studied as an alternative way to clean toxins from the environment. While further research needs to be completed before assessments can be made, scientists are hopeful these mushrooms can offer a safe and effective way to remove unwanted toxins from designated areas on a small scale.
Geography/History
Oyster mushrooms are native to Europe, North America, and Asia and have been growing wild since ancient times. They were first recorded and classified in 1775 by Dutch naturalist Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr Von Jacquin and were later reclassified in 1871 by German mycologist Paul Kummer to the classification we are currently familiar with. Oyster mushrooms were also commercially cultivated beginning in the 1940s, and today China is one of the largest exporters of cultivated Oyster mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms can be found at local markets and specialty grocers in Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Firefly Beach | San Diego CA | 619-222-6440 |
| The Santaluz Club Inc - Main Dining | San Diego CA | 858-759-3150 |
| US Grant Hotel Main | San Diego CA | 619-232-3121 |
| All Aspects Catering and Events | San Diego CA | 855-287-7658 |
| The Plot Restaurant (Costa Mesa) | Costa Mesa CA | 714-852-3181 |
| Nolita Hall | San Diego CA | 619-618-8820 |
| Catania La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 858-551-5105 |
| Eddie V's La Jolla - EV# 8511 | La Jolla CA | 858-459-5500 |
| Sheraton Carlsbad (7 Mile) | Carlsbad CA | 760-827-2400 |
| Aztec Shop Catering | San Diego CA | 619 594-3576 |
| Bar Ella | San Diego CA | 858-808-2286 |
| Bica | San Diego CA | 619-669-5725 |
| Secret Sister | San Diego CA | 619-281-0718 |
| Sepulveda Meats & Provisions | San Diego CA | 619-501-1878 |
| Armonia LLC | San Diego CA | 619-724-7210 |
| Bernardo Heights Country Club | San Diego CA | 858-487-4022 |
| Toast Catering | San Diego CA | 619-795-9135 |
| Barbarella La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 858-454-7373 |
| Parkhouse Eatery | San Diego CA | 619 295 7275 |
| Lauberge Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-259-1515 |
| Del Mar Country Club | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-759-5995 |
| Harbor Breakfast | San Diego CA | 619-888-6586 |
| Edgewater Grill | San Diego CA | 619-232-7581 |
| Mesa College | San Diego CA | 619-388-2240 |
| Fish Guts | San Diego CA | 619-888-0081 |
| Marisi La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 951-852-6730 |
| Nick & G's Restaurant | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-771-1871 |
| Polaris Supreme | San Diego CA | 619-390-7890 |
| Pacific Yacht Agents | Los Angeles CA | 808-214-0970 |
| The Guild Hotel | San Diego CA | 619-764-5108 |
| Reata Glen | Ladera Ranch CA | 949-545-2250 |
| Hasta Manana Cantina | San Diego CA | 619-276-6700 |
| Davanti Enoteca Little Italy | San Diego CA | 619-237-9606 |
| Carbon | San Diego CA | 702-423-3807 |
| Tahona (Kitchen) | San Diego CA | 619-573-0289 |
| The Plot | Oceanside CA | 422-266-8200 |
| Herb & Sea | Encinitas CA | 858-587-6601 |
| Sheraton Carlsbad (Banquets) | Carlsbad CA | 760-827-2400 |
| The Smoking Goat | San Diego CA | 858-232-4220 |
| Black Radish | San Diego CA | 619-775-7412 |
| Shoreside Support Boat | San Diego CA | 704-277-7929 |
| Sago | Encinitas CA | 858-382-4047 |
| Mister A's | San Diego CA | 619-239-1377 |
| Brandon Matzek- Blogger | San Diego CA | 800-221-9730 |
| Herb & Wood | San Diego CA | 520-205-1288 |
| Kitchens For Good | San Diego CA | 619-450-4040 |
| Panama 66 | San Diego CA | 619-206-6352 |
| Nomad Donuts | San Diego CA | 619-431-5000 |
| Poseidon on the Beach | Del Mar CA | 858-755-9345 |
| The Pearl Hotel | San Diego CA | 877-732-7573 |
| Espadin | Temecula California | 951-383-5585 |
| Boujiemana | San Diego CA | 415-710-0510 |
| Park Commons - ARE | San Diego CA | 619-295-3172 |
| Sandpiper Wood Fired Grill & Oysters | La Jolla CA | 858-228-5655 |
| Nobu | San Diego CA | 619-814-4124 |
| American Pizza Manufacturing | La Jolla CA | 858-246-6756 |
| Solare Ristorante Lounge | San Diego CA | 619-270-9670 |
| Juniper & Ivy | San Diego CA | 858-481-3666 |
| Lucky Bolt | San Diego CA | 662-832-3638 |
| Grass Skirt | San Diego CA | 858-412-5237 |
| Inn at Rancho Santa Fe | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-381-8289 |
| Pamplemousse Grill | Solana Beach CA | 858-792-9090 |
| Lafayette Hotel - Quixote | San Diego CA | 619-296-2101 |
| Ridgeview Health Center | San Diego CA | 858-293-3950 |
| Lodge at Torrey Pines Grill | San Diego CA | 858-453-4420 |
| Prager Brothers Artisan Bread | Carlsbad CA | 760-445-9536 |
| Cocina de Barrio Encinitas | Encinitas CA | 760-840-1129 |
| La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club | San Diego CA | 619-816-8319 |
| Bali Hai Restaurant | San Diego CA | 619-222-1181 |
| Mabel's Gone Fishing | San Diego CA | 619-228-9851 |
| The Glen at Scripps Ranch | San Diego CA | 858-444-8500 |
| Sheraton Carlsbad (20/20) | Carlsbad CA | 760-827-2400 |
| C 2 C | San Diego CA | 619-972-9345 |
| DS Catering Kitchen | Chula Vista CA | 619-703-9321 |
| Cocina De Barrio | San Diego CA | 760-840-1129 |
| The Village | San Diego CA | 619-729-8515 |
| Mission Pacific | Oceanside CA | 760-450-7864 |
| Communion | San Diego CA | 619-606-5568 |
| Mothership | San Diego CA | 858-342-3609 |
| Barleymash | San Diego CA | |
| Donna Jean | San Diego CA | 619-299-5500 |
| La Jolla Country Club | San Diego CA | 858-454-9601 |
| Hotel Indigo | San Diego CA | 619-295-3172 |
| Fox Point Farms | Encinitas CA | 619-892-0553 |
| Cocina de Barrio Point Loma | San Diego CA | 858-349-2313 |
Recipe Ideas
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