Thursday, April 6, 2023

When Are You Going to Start Taking Mushrooms Seriously?

 Hello All:

Over twenty years ago this question was asked half in jest and was then turned into a small writing that included a recipe for something made with mushrooms. But throughout the past couple of decades it has evolved. 

Well, it's evolved even further. Last night I posed my silly question to Google's AI engine, Bard. It resulted in a moment of brainstorming and I walked away from the conversation with an entirely new perspective on mushrooms. Yes, mushrooms are very important!

When Are you Going to Start Taking Mushrooms Seriously?

Mushrooms are incredibly versatile and nutritious, and they're becoming more and more popular as a culinary ingredient. But there is so much more to mushrooms that you probably haven’t considered. Mushrooms are an important part of our ecosystem, and they have a lot to offer us in terms of food, medicine, and even spirituality. They're also being studied for their potential health benefits, including their ability to boost the immune system, fight cancer, and improve cognitive function. It's important to take mushrooms seriously and to learn more about them so that we can use them to their fullest potential.

Here are a few reasons why mushrooms are serious business:

    • Mushrooms are one of the most efficient decomposers on the planet. They break down dead plants and animals, returning their nutrients to the soil. This is essential for keeping our ecosystems healthy.

    • They're a good source of protein, fiber, and vitamins B and C.

    • They're low in calories and fat.

    • They contain compounds that can boost the immune system and fight cancer.

    • They may help to improve cognitive function.

    • Mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. They have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and immune-boosting properties.

    • Mushrooms can be used to create a variety of products, including dyes, inks, and biofuels.

    • Mushrooms have the potential to be used for other purposes, such as biofuel, biomaterial, and bioremediation.

    • Mushrooms are a beautiful and fascinating part of nature. They can be found in all shapes and sizes, and they come in a variety of colors.

    • They're delicious and versatile, and can be used in a variety of dishes.

It's clear that mushrooms are serious business. So if you're not already eating mushrooms, I encourage you to give them a try! You might be surprised at how much you enjoy them.

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The world seems divided between mushroom lovers and mushroom haters. You must admit that the thought of eating fungus that grows in strange places is a little gross. So why do us mushroom lovers love mushrooms? It's a question I'm afraid we'll never be able to answer. What is known is that mushrooms have a tender, meaty texture when cooked, and they are also porous which helps them to absorb flavors in whatever meal they are made with.

There are thousands of types of mushrooms around the world which are edible, but many of them are difficult to obtain much less cultivate. Some mushrooms are edible to one person but poisonous to another. And other mushrooms are just flat-out poisonous. There are even a collection of mushrooms that are hallucinogenic and contain properties such as psilocybin. One must truly be an expert on mushrooms if ever going mushroom hunting.

Mushrooms have been eaten for thousands of years. They were enjoyed by ancient Romans and Egyptians alike, and they do have a history of being (at times) an exclusive royal food. In some parts of history, whenever a new mushroom was going to be introduced to the palace, the royal taster was given the mushroom to make sure it was okay to eat. I suppose modern mushroom cuisine owes many a thanks to these unfortunate royal tasters who lost their lives in the name of mushroom eating!

Mushrooms are very important throughout the upper-northern hemisphere of the world where winters are long. The mushroom can provide nutrients throughout the winter. This fact is baffling because mushrooms are low in calories, low in fat, and low in protein. But they do have a high amount of potassium. Still, if you enjoy mushrooms and have ever eaten a sizable amount, you soon realize that mushrooms can be filling. It's a very interesting food.

The most common mushroom found in grocery stores are the white-cap mushroom which make a delicious snack when sliced up and cooked in olive oil with a little salt. portobella mushrooms are another common mushroom that are even thicker in texture and are very close to eating meat. It yields a huge mushroom cap that averages 6 inches in diameter. Some people even grill them on the barbeque with burgers or simply portobello burger with all the fixings and no meat! But if you are really hungry and crave a special treat, try a thick, extra-tall burger, and top it off with a portabella cap!

Shiitake mushrooms can also be found in the store, but they are not as easy to come by. Shitake mushrooms are usually popular in Chinese restaurants and mixed in with chow-mien or other dishes.

The truffle is popular, but nearly impossible to come by. It is so difficult to cultivate the truffle, yet it is delicious! With this combination, the truffle is a highly expensive mushroom. Upscale restaurants offer a $70 macaroni and cheese dish simply because it contains truffle mushrooms!

I am on a quest. I am in search of a gigantic mushroom the size of a tree. It would probably exist somewhere in the Amazon jungle and would probably have a very, tough outer shell; almost like wood. But when you break open the outer shell, inside would be a tender and delicious mushroom that would be out of this world when you fry it with butter. To be honest, I would be against eating a mushroom of this size because finding a mushroom like this would be a treasure. This gargantuan mushroom more than likely does not exist, but it is a fun fantasy.

What is the nutritional value of a simple white-cap mushroom? They have a total of 20 calories, no fat, no sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of protein.

 ***

This article was developed with the help of Bard, a large language model from Google AI. Bard is always happy to help people create content, and is always looking for ways to improve. If you wish to put Bard to work for you please visit: https://bard.google.com/

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