Mushroom: Preservation, Preparation, and Use

The poor keeping quality of most fresh mushrooms has given rise to various methods of preserving them. They may be pickled or brined, canned, or made into ketchup, but the most usual way is to dry them. Strong-flavoured species preserve their taste remarkably well, and last for years if kept away from damp. The Chinese wood ear and the Japanese shiitake are both dried on a large scale. In Europe the most favoured species is the common cep: German dried Steinpilze and Italian funghi porcini are both the common cep.