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Packed with umami goodness and vitamin D, mushrooms are a favorite across

cuisines. Check out the different varieties you can use to give your dishes extra
oomph.

Not to be mistaken as bean sprouts, enoki mushrooms have button-shaped


caps and long, thin stems. Also called golden needle mushrooms, they are
favored in Asian cooking for their mild flavor and subtle crunch. They're best
used in soups and salads.

Originally from Japan and Korea, savory and meaty shiitake mushrooms are


popular in Asia. They have umbrella-shaped caps, and tough curved stems
which should be removed before cooking. They're best known for lending umami
flavor to dishes.

Popular the world over, oyster mushrooms are shaped like a trumpet, and


feature brown or grayish caps. Velvety with a slightly sweet flavor profile, they
are quite versatile and easy to cook. Here's a delicious recipe for Parmesan
Oyster-Mushroom Chips: 

Having a weekend barbecue? Put portobello mushrooms on your grocery list. Tan in color


and with extremely large brown caps, they are meaty and have a steak-like flavor and
texture. They're perfect marinated and grilled, and can sub for meat in burgers.

White button is one of the most common mushroom varieties. They have
plump, white caps and short, smooth stems. Slightly firm in texture, they have a
mild earthy flavor perfect for salads, soups, and pizzas.

ing trumpet or king oyster mushrooms have long, thick, white stems and brown,
flat caps. They're hearty and meaty, and have a slightly sweet, buttery flavor
profile. They're popular in Asian cooking, and are perfect sautéed in butter or
cooked tempura-style.
Mushroom Based Products
Here are six of the best value-added mushroom products – all easy to process, and requiring no
expensive equipment or packaging:

1. Mushroom jerky.

This is a popular snack for vegetarians and non-vegetarians as well. Oyster mushrooms are best,
and easy to prepare. Simply remove the gills, clean and marinate in diluted soy sauce (1 cup
water and 2 tablespoons soy sauce) for an hour or so, then drain. The mushrooms can be sliced or
left whole. Bake until tender, then place in a food dryer/dehydrator until dry. Package in plastic
bags with a well-designed label. These are delicious, so be sure to give out samples to shoppers
at the farmer’s market.

2. Pickled mushrooms.

Profitable Pickled Mushrooms

These have been a popular snack in Europe for centuries, and can be customized with other
foods, like onions, or seasoned with a variety of herbs or spices, like garlic. Start with a basic
recipe – just do an internet search for “pickled mushrooms” – then pick the recipe that works
best for your taste buds. If you use your imagination, you can transform plain pickled
mushrooms into a gourmet delicacy that brings high prices and profits at the Saturday market.
Imaginative packaging, such as a special glass jar, a cute label and a simple raffia bow on the jar,
can complete the gourmet image.

3. Mushroom seasonings.

A blend of finely ground dried mushrooms and coarsely-ground sea salt is a popular item at
farmer’s markets, as well as blends of mushroom powder and dried herbs, such as an Italian
blend, which complements a roasted chicken or a savory soup.

4. Dried mushrooms.
This is a perfect solution for blemished or unsold fresh mushrooms. Most mushroom varieties
can be dried whole or dried in slices about 1/4 inch thick. You’ll need a food dehydrator and
packaging. Re-sealable glass jars work best, both for eye appeal at the farmer’s market, and for
ease of re-use. A customer can just tighten the lid to save any unused mushrooms for later.

5. Mushroom growing kits.

Oyster Mushroom Growing Bag

Simple to make and very profitable, these one-use kits allow customers to experience the joy of
growing and harvesting their own mushrooms without the work involved in preparing and
inoculating the substrate. Most consist of just a plastic grow-bag filled with pre-inoculated
substrate, such as sawdust, inside a cardboard box. Because shipping is expensive, you can sell
kits locally for a lot less than those sold on the internet, yet still make a solid profit. If at all
possible, have a sample growing kit on display, complete with fruiting mushrooms, to help
customers visualize what will happen at harvest time.

6. Medicinal mushrooms.

Although many varieties of mushrooms are used for medicinal purposes, the U.S. Food & Drug
Administration does not allow anyone to make claims about their healing powers, especially
claims that a certain variety of mushroom can cure or treat a specific disease. Medicinal
mushrooms can be sold fresh, dried or powdered to individual retail customers. Follow the
example of supplement companies, who simply state that mushrooms can be used to “help
support immune health.”

Mushroom growers should follow state and federal regulations and any applicable food safety
guidelines, including those that may be applicable to prepared mushroom products. Your state
regulations may also require that food must be processed in a licensed kitchen. In some states,
those selling at farmer’s markets or direct to consumers from the farm may be exempt from this
requirement. Your local county health department can tell you what regulations apply in your
area.
As more growers produce and market fresh gourmet mushrooms like oyster mushrooms and
shiitake mushrooms, those who also offer mushroom products will be better able to compete in
the marketplace, as the markups can be substantial on value-added products. As more and more
consumers appreciate the flavors of gourmet mushrooms, demand will likely continue to grow.
To learn more about growing gourmet oyster and shiitake mushrooms, read Growing Gourmet

Mushrooms For Profit.

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