Straw Mushrooms

APPEARANCE: These are about 1 inch tall and wide. When young and fresh, they are beige and firm. With age, they darken, become slightly slimy, and fracture, as the umbrella-like mushroom cap grows through its surrounding membrane.

QUALITY: Select the youngest, i.e. those that are pale, small, firm, and whole.

COMMENTS: The name of this mushroom derives from the fact that it was originally cultivated on rice-straw; modern farmers have discovered it does equally well on fertilized cotton wool — but the old name sticks. Cho gwu are comparable to the field or button mushroom of tile West in mild taste, firm cooking texture, and ease of mass production.