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Serving Suggestion:

Patrick and Vilma McDougall love sautéing or grilling whole fresh shiitake with olive oil and garlic. Topped off with a slice of gruyere or jalapeno jack cheese, it’s a tasty lunch sandwiched between whole wheat burger buns or pita bread.

Vilma also dehydrates shiitake, and grinds it finely in a powerful blender or spice/coffee grinder. Just a tad of dried shiitake in soups or stews hints at something special that’s subtle, yet robust, she notes. Ground shiitake stores indefinitely in the freezer.

Since SideCreek Farms gets its water from pure mountain springs in an environmentally controlled area, their organic shiitakes are unrivalled for food safety, traceability and eating enjoyment.

Taste secrets of shiitake? For one, shiitake is full-bodied, with an earthy flavor that’s surprisingly meaty, succulent and satisfying for chefs to finesse with any dish. Shiitake’s texture is velvety and glides sensuously down the gullet—thus delighting diners with a rare gastronomic experience.

Just one bite, and you’ll be back for more. It’s easy to order them, too - just use the dropdown box to select the quantity you desire and click "Add to Cart"

The logs are cleaned, drilled with half-inch holes, spaced about 4-5 inches apart and filled with organic spawn. Vilma points out they maintain organic integrity by covering up the holes with food-grade cheese wax, not beeswax. The shiitake take 6-18 months to grow.

“Instead of forcing them to fruit, we give them time to mature. This way, our shiitake yields high-quality protein, are rich in natural minerals and taste meaty,” Vilma says.

Health Benefits:

From time immemorial, the Egyptians revered shiitake as food fit only for royalty; so did the Chinese in cultivating them only for emperors and kin.

• Renowned for medicinal and healing benefits in centuries-old Chinese culture where food is medicine in balancing yin and yang energies, shiitake:
• Protects body cells with anti-oxidant, anti-aging and anti-tumor properties
• Is rich in B vitamins—such as stress-reducing B1 and B2; B3 or niacin which increases HDL or good cholesterol levels and therefore heart friendly; B6 for metabolic functions; B12 enhances the brain, nervous systems and blood formation
• Excellent protein source that’s rich in amino acids (protein “building blocks”)

Storage:

Vilma advises storing shiitake at 36-40°F, unwashed, in a brown paper bag to absorb excess moisture. Stored properly, they’re good up to a week.