Cultivated mushrooms

Introduction

Gourmet Mushrooms specialise in the organic cultivation of local wild mushrooms. By this we mean that we collect wild mushrooms from local woods and fields on the Essex - Suffolk borders. From these we select specimens for cultivation. We take cuttings from these specimens to produce our mushroom spawn. By taking cuttings we are able to cultivate mushrooms with the same characteristics as the original wild specimen in the same way as plant growers propogate plants. Selecting local mushrooms ensures that the mushrooms we grow are suited to our environment.
Cultivated mushrooms have a number of benefits over wild mushrooms. The cultivator is able to select the best strains for flavour, texture, colour and shape. They are always picked in prime condition, generally free from grit, dirt and bugs and are available for more of the year than their wild cousins.
There are two groups of mushrooms that can be cultivated - those that decompose wood and those that decompose other plant matter. The wood decomposers are grown on sterile wood shavings and the other mushrooms are grown on composted straw. All the cultivated mushrooms at The Mushroom Table are grown to organic standards.