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This is the description page for Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) and includes a description as well as an image, if available and a selection of recipes from this site that relates to the wild foodstuff: Oyster Mushroom.  Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus is a very distinctive species of basidomycete fungus (filamentous fungi composed of hyphae that reproduce sexually) and is a member of the Tricholomataceae family of the Agaricales (Agaricus) order that have pale lilac spore prints (though the spores appear white under the microscope). It is a very common species distributed world-wide that is saprophytic (ie lives by digesting dead and dying wood). The oyster mushroom is also one of the few known carnivorous mushrooms, for its mycelia can kill and digest nematodes and this may be a way for it to gain additional nitrogen. Typically it friuts maximally in Decmber, with a smaller fruiting in October, but can be found in the wild each month apart from July (though they are most common in late Autumn and Winter). The mushroom typically grows gregariously in tiers on the trunks of deciduous trees, especially beech, and is rare on coniferous wood but is most commonly found on stumps, fence posts and all kinds of decaying wood. The mushroom is braoadly flat and fan-shaped and can be very variable in colour, with young specimens typically being slate blue though older specimens can range from grey through buff to almost white. They are fan shaped, growing between 5 and 20cm in length and some 3cm thick and with in-rolled edges when young. They are smooth and moist to the touch. The gills are on the hymenium, start out white and age to straw are pronounced, distant, unbranched and decurrent. The stem is also variable, and thugh typically eccentric (at an angle to the main fruiting body) can also be lateral or even eccentric. When the fruiting bodis are densely clustered the stems may become fused and will bear caps of different ages. The flesh is firm and white and smlls distinctly of mushrooms, though there can be an anisedy overtone due to the production of benzaldehyde. The flesh can be tough near te stem and it's best to discard this part in older specimens. The oyster mushroom is an excellent eating species and is much used in Asian cuisines. It is also one of the few mushroom species to be successfully cultivated and can commonly be found in supermarkets. You can also buy kits to grow this mushroom at home. Typically it is used in soups, is stuffed or stir-fried with soy sauce. The 'oyster' description in both the common and Latin names derives from the mushroom's grey oyster-like appearance when young and to the mushroom's oyster-like texture and taste. The oyster mushroom can be preserved by pickling, but does not freeze or dry well dries well. The colour, shape, season of fruiting and growth on dead wood means that there are no poisonous species with which it can be confused in most of the world (the exception is Australia and Japan, where there is a toxic look-alike, Omphalotus nidiformis). In britain there are some species with which it can be confused, in that they have similar habitats and growth forms, and which are best avoided. The first of these is Hohenbuehelia petaloides that tends to grow on old stumps and which has a beige cap, white gills and gelatinous flesh and smells faintly mealy. This fungus creates antibiotics that may cause allergic reactions in some people. The next mushroom is Panellus serotinus (the Olive Oysterling) which has an olive-coloured, slimy, cap and gills that turn brown with age. Authorities differ on the edibility of this mushroom, with some saying it is edibe but others saying it is not (or, at least, is not worthwhile). The third common lookalike is Crepidotus mollus (the Peeling Oysterling) which has smaller of-white caps, as compared with the oyster mushroom with crowded gills that are white when young and turn brown as the spores ripen and has fibrous flesh. This is not edible and should be avoided. It should also be noted that spores of oyster mushrooms can cause respiratory allergies in those sensitive to them and it is possible that the trace levels of arabitol found in oyster mushrooms could cause gastric upsets in a small percentage of susceptible people. As always, if you are uncertain of the identification of a mushroom, do not pick it and, if you have not eaten a mushroom before, cook it well and only eat a small amount the first time, in case you are susceptible. Recipes Utilizing Oyster Mushroom Mushroom and Epazote Soup |
Welcome to the Celtnet guide to wild foods. As this recipe site has grown it has become obvious that to allow people to replicate some of the more ancient recipes on this site (especially from the Ancient, Roman and Medieval periods) it is necessary to list modern alternatives but also to produce a guide so that the curious can find the original (often wild) ingredients for themselves. These pages are an attempt at bringing all these potentially useful and often forgotten wild foods together into one place.
It is a sad fact that we have lost much of the knowledge we once had of the seasonal wild foods that we have on our own doorstep and which are not only safe to eat but which are also very tasty and fresh. This section of the site grew from the work I've done on the ancient recipes section of this site. After all, for our ancestors before farming wild foods were the only foods available. This guide therefor represents images lists and recipes for various wild foods you can gather and what you can do with them. For the most part the list contains edible plants. But I am beginning to add a new section on edible wild mushrooms and this part of the site will be expanding to include many other plants and species very soon. If you would like to know how to cook with these wild foods, then as well as having links to individual recipes on these pages you can also visit my Wild Food Recipes pages for many more (over 1000 and growing) recipe ideas.
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A hot smoker is a method of cooking food, particularly fish, in a mixture of steam and wood chip or sawdust smoke. This article tells you how to make a very cheap home-made smoker from standard kitchen components, as well as telling you how to cook with it.
The article focuses on the Chinese construction machinery sector, its rapid development and changes that have taken place due to the global economic crisis.
Fusion cooking is the blending of ingredients and cooking techniques from different areas of the globe. Though most people thing of Asian-influenced dishes as being typically 'Fusion' modern Fusion cuisines can represent dishes influenced by the foods of any region of the world. Though South-east Asian, African, Middle Eastern and Indian influences tend to predominate. Here you will learn a little more about fusion cookery and will be presented with a classic Australian fusion dish.
The main course is the most important part of any formal meal, with preceding courses leading up to it. Here you will learn a little more about main courses as well as how they developed in Ancient Rome. In additional a recipe for a classic Roman main course is provided.
Lamb is one of the sweetest an most versatile of the red meats. Typically it is very tender and lends itself to a whole range of cooking methods. Here you are presented with two classic lamb-based recipes.
Barbecuing, or cooking meat directly above a flame, is a very traditional cooking method and probably represents humanity's oldest cooking technique. There is nothing like a summer outdoor barbecue and here you will find recipes for a classic kebab and sticky ribs both designed to make the most out of barbecuing.
Game is one of the oldest meat types that humans have ever used. However, game animals tend to be very lean and need to be cooked carefully. This article provides some information about game animals and a recipe for cooking venison by braising slowly in dark beer.
Fruit have been a crucial part of the human diet for half a million years and more. Here you will learn a little about why fruit are so important and why certain foods are called 'fruit'. You will also learn a little about superfoods, what they are and what the next superfoods will be.
Fish is the staple protein source for much of the human population. Fish is an important high-quality protein source that much of the Western diet is deficient in. In this article you will learn a little about fish as well as gaining two classic fish recipes.
The egg is one of nature's finest storage foods, packed with protein and fats. Chickens have been domesticated several times throughout human history and they are mankind's commonest domesticated animal, raised for meat and eggs. Here you will learn a little about eggs, why they are important in cookery and how they have been used throughout the ages.
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