About a month ago, Sarah over at Color Kitten documented, in a series of posts, her experience of growing mushrooms indoors. From a kit she bought online. I thought this was a super-cool idea and that the kids would get a kick out of this. Once again, she inspired me and I followed her lead and ordered my own little kit from Fungi Perfecti.
The kids were enthralled with the idea of growing mushrooms we could harvest and eat within a couple of weeks. Well, Evan thought it would be cool to eat the mushrooms. Flynn, not so much.
Not long after I place my order, my Enokitake colony arrived snugly wrapped in plastic and nestled in its own blend of sterilized, enriched sawdust. We followed the directions and within a week we had these baby mushrooms:
"Oh, Mommy! They're sooooo cute!" said Flynn.
These mushrooms grow best in cold temperatures and I didn't have room in my fridge, as recommended in the growing directions, so I left them in my garage and misted them with water two times a day.
This is what they looked like today, a week later, just before we harvested them:
You can see little baby ones at the base.
I've never cooked Enokitake mushrooms before and next time I think I'll leave them raw (the way Evan prefers them) and add them as a garnish to a miso soup. Tonight I just sauteed them in a little butter, olive oil and garlic. They tasted fine, but think they'd fare better with gentler treatment.
And, to my amazement, Flynn actually ate one, teeny, tiny mushroom. After she'd chewed and swallowed, she said she'd rather just hold the mushroom.
Evan wants to try a different type of mushroom next time.
Maybe the Shiitake...mmmmm.
The kids were enthralled with the idea of growing mushrooms we could harvest and eat within a couple of weeks. Well, Evan thought it would be cool to eat the mushrooms. Flynn, not so much.
Not long after I place my order, my Enokitake colony arrived snugly wrapped in plastic and nestled in its own blend of sterilized, enriched sawdust. We followed the directions and within a week we had these baby mushrooms:
"Oh, Mommy! They're sooooo cute!" said Flynn.These mushrooms grow best in cold temperatures and I didn't have room in my fridge, as recommended in the growing directions, so I left them in my garage and misted them with water two times a day.
This is what they looked like today, a week later, just before we harvested them:
You can see little baby ones at the base. I've never cooked Enokitake mushrooms before and next time I think I'll leave them raw (the way Evan prefers them) and add them as a garnish to a miso soup. Tonight I just sauteed them in a little butter, olive oil and garlic. They tasted fine, but think they'd fare better with gentler treatment.
And, to my amazement, Flynn actually ate one, teeny, tiny mushroom. After she'd chewed and swallowed, she said she'd rather just hold the mushroom.
Evan wants to try a different type of mushroom next time.
Maybe the Shiitake...mmmmm.
5 comments:
Ooh! Super-awesome! I should start a flickr group for all our mushroom kits so we can see how they grow. I think we are actually going to do a button/crimini mixed box next -- it can live in the basement where there's more room. I should actually decide though!
They're super cute!
But I'm with Flynn. I'd rather just hold them, too. :)
What a great way to get kids interested in mushrooms! You should check out thecapcrew.ca, there are lots of kid friendly mushroom recipes, activites and games.
Great photos btw!
- Brittany
that is so cool, I have to try this!
They are really cool.
Like Flynn and Quigs I'd rather hold them too!!
But they do look like they might make and interesting centerpiece, kinda like a bouquet of flowers. =)
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