• antlion@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    15 days ago

    Mushrooms are interesting. They generally have no caloric value raw. When cooked they have protein and various vitamins and minerals, but no carbohydrates. Mushrooms cell walls are made of chitin (like the exoskeletons of arthropods), which means you can’t really overcook mushrooms - they never get softer or less chewy than when they’re fully cooked.

    Some mushrooms taste pretty good, those are called “choice” in mushroom hunting books. The giant puffball is not really described as “choice”, rather it’s edible and absorbs the flavors of what it’s cooked with. Many mushroom foragers bring in big hauls, as it’s kind of an all or nothing thing. I once harvested about 8 lbs (3.5 kg) of chanterelles, but I would hardly say they “fed my family”. Rather, they were a nice addition to several meals. Not sure what the point of this article is, other than to throw a warning about poisonous mushrooms.