Mushrooms

Given a choice between cultivated white mushrooms and old-fashioned brown mushrooms, also known as cremini, Italian grandmothers much prefer the plump darker ones because their flavor • is nuttier, richer, and more intense, their texture firmer. Portobello mushrooms are cremini mushrooms that have grown to maturity, their caps fully opening to reveal a fan of chocolate brown gills. To clean mushrooms, use a moist soft brush. Don’t even think of washing them, because they soak up water like a sponge.