Shiitake

Swarthy and handsome, with a cream-colored interior, lightly garlic-pine aroma, the supple-firm shiitake (shee-TAH-kay) is among the most popular of the “exotic” mushrooms—particularly in restaurants that offer new-style French, Oriental, Italian, and American cuisine. The subtle scent and appealing feel of the mushroom are made even more attractive by the fact that it can be cultivated in captivity.