In the past two weeks, we have discussed the science behind pizza: the dough and the sauce. All that’s left is the toppings! In the last post, we learned that popular “vegetables” that we use as pizza toppings are actually fruits, like peppers and olives. But what about mushrooms? They’re not a fruit or a vegetable, mushrooms are part of a completely different group in the fungi kingdom! Neither plant nor animal, fungi are very interesting and complex organisms. Let’s break it down:
What is Fungus?
Fungus is a term used to describe any spore-producing organism that feeds on organic matter, including molds, yeast, mushrooms, and toadstools. That’s right, the yeast from your pizza dough was a fungus as well! Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing “fruit” of a fungus that grows above ground.
What is Fungus?
Fungus is a term used to describe any spore-producing organism that feeds on organic matter, including molds, yeast, mushrooms, and toadstools. That’s right, the yeast from your pizza dough was a fungus as well! Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing “fruit” of a fungus that grows above ground.
The types of mushrooms you typically find on your pizza have three main parts; a stem, a cap, and gills on the underside of the cap that release spores for reproduction. But the mushrooms are just a small part of a larger fungus that lies underground. Mushrooms start their lives as a little white fluffball underground, and if the environment is humid, nutrients are available, and the temperature is just right, mushroom buds will form and start pushing their way to the surface to find sunlight.
Of the thousands of mushroom species in the world, only about 10% of them are edible. These mushrooms are mass produced on mushroom farms - where a bunch of them can be harvested at once! These are the mushrooms we see and buy at the grocery store, although most of the time, they’re cut in half to make them easier to cook.
Cooking With Mushrooms
Mushrooms are very versatile ingredients - meaning that they can be used in a variety of ways in different kinds of food. They can be boiled, fried, microwaved, grilled, or steamed to prepare them on their own; you can even eat them raw (just be sure they’re very clean)! The only thing you shouldn’t do is wash them in water. Mushrooms will soak up the water and that makes the taste less pronounced.
Some of the most popular types of mushrooms to cook with are portobello, shiitake (pronounced shuh-TALKIE), and the common white or “button” mushroom, like the ones below!
Of the thousands of mushroom species in the world, only about 10% of them are edible. These mushrooms are mass produced on mushroom farms - where a bunch of them can be harvested at once! These are the mushrooms we see and buy at the grocery store, although most of the time, they’re cut in half to make them easier to cook.
Cooking With Mushrooms
Mushrooms are very versatile ingredients - meaning that they can be used in a variety of ways in different kinds of food. They can be boiled, fried, microwaved, grilled, or steamed to prepare them on their own; you can even eat them raw (just be sure they’re very clean)! The only thing you shouldn’t do is wash them in water. Mushrooms will soak up the water and that makes the taste less pronounced.
Some of the most popular types of mushrooms to cook with are portobello, shiitake (pronounced shuh-TALKIE), and the common white or “button” mushroom, like the ones below!
The button mushroom is what you’d typically use as a pizza topping. Just add a handful of mushrooms to the top of your pizza before it goes into the oven, or to enjoy mushrooms as the star of your meal, try making stuffed mushrooms like the ones pictured below. We recommend this recipe from Allrecipies.com for Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushrooms by Angie Gorkoff!
Image Credits:
Hodan, George. “Small Mushrooms”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/13/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net
O'Sullivan, Kecia. “Huddled Mushrooms”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/13/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net
Greyling, Lynn. “Raw Mushrooms”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/13/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net
Greyling, Lynn. “Mushrooms On The Grid [sic]”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/13/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net
Hodan, George. “Small Mushrooms”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/13/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net
O'Sullivan, Kecia. “Huddled Mushrooms”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/13/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net
Greyling, Lynn. “Raw Mushrooms”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/13/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net
Greyling, Lynn. “Mushrooms On The Grid [sic]”. Released into the public domain. Uploaded on 3/13/2017 from publicdomainpictures.net
