Shiitake- mushrooms in the woodpile

[Michael Stafford]

A few years ago I was doing some work with a guy who intentionally grew mushrooms in his woodpile- shiitake mushrooms. He had developed a way to purify the spores and impregnate wooden dowels with the spores. Then he would drill holes in hardwood logs which he had stacked up corn crib style. He pounded the inoculated dowels into the logs and sealed them with wax. About two years later and once a year for 3-5 years thereafter he would harvest wonderfully meaty and flavorful shiitake mushrooms. He sold them fresh and dried for very high prices. He also sold the inoculated plugs to mushroom farmers around the country for a percentage of their dried product. After a few years his lab became contaminated and he was unable to produce pure spore strains and he had to move. Let me tell you something, if you have never had dried shiitake mushrooms reconstituted in some wine and added to your spaghetti sauce you just don't know what you are missing. Big Mike don't know everything about woodworking but Big Mike do know a thing or two about eating. ;)

[Jamie Buxton]

Like this?

http://www.mushroompeople.com/aboutshi.htm

[Michael Stafford]

Yep, just like that Jamie. I haven't seen anything about that operation in a few years. I was involved with it in a food regulatory manner. Don't believe it is the same guy I knew. Interesting site, thanks for telling me about it.

[Dan Mages]

Mike. What type of wine do you reccomend for reconstituting mushrooms? I occasionally use a bottle of pino grigiot (sic?)

Dan

[Jim Becker]

Hah! I forgot about this...'was going to do it and just plain forgot. 'Great idea if you like mushrooms and cooking with them and considerably less expensive than buying them at the "premium local farm store" where they cost an arm and a leg.

[Michael Stafford]

Dan, I don't think it really matters although we use a red wine most of the time. There used to be a Cajun chef on PBS by the name of Justin Wilson who had the philosophy that you did not buy cooking wines, you just bought drinking wines and used some for cooking. If it's not good enough to drink by itself then it's not good enough to cook with! Hic...

[Jim Becker]

There used to be a Cajun chef on PBS by the name of Justin Wilson who had the philosophy that you did not buy cooking wines, you just bought drinking wines and used some for cooking. If it's not good enough to drink by itself then it's not good enough to cook with!
Absolutely. NEVER...did I happen to say, "never"...buy "cooking wines". Horrible stuff. Use what you would drink. Since Dr SWMBO and I rarely finish a bottle at a meal, that's what we often cook with. The bottle caps that let you draw out the air will help keep it fresh for some time, at least for cooking purposes. I cook mostly with whites, but red has it's place in many situations. They do impart a "different taste" to the food, not to mention color. For example, I made an apple/brown sugar/butter glaze/topping for some grilled pork chops the other night. Some available Merlot was just right for that and made for a nice burgundy color and a bit of flavor.

[Michael Stafford]

You need to sip on the wine while you are cooking with it, just to make sure it is okay. Next time you whip up a batch of those glazed pork chops how about giving ole Big Mike a call. He might just make sure there ain't no leftovers...

[Jim Becker]

Next time you whip up a batch of those glazed pork chops how about giving ole Big Mike a call. He might just make sure there ain't no leftovers...
Leftovers? We don't got no stinkin' leftovers!

[Michael Stafford]

Jim, just didn't want you and Dr. SWMBO to come down with a case of food poisoning. You know how leftover porkchops can go bad and a guy like me, Food Scientist and all, would not want anything bad to happen to those pork chops, er, I mean you and Dr. SWMBO... :p

[Dan Gill]

NEVER...did I happen to say, "never"...buy "cooking wines". Horrible stuff. Use what you would drink.

I'm about as un-wine-connoisseur-ish as you can get, but I do cook with wine, and Jim knows of what he speaks. So called "Cooking wine" is suitable only for . . . well, I can't think of anything it's suitable for.

[Jamie Buxton]

"Cooking wine" is the you drink while you're cooking -- so it should be good, too.

[Jim Becker]

"Cooking wine" is the you drink while you're cooking -- so it should be good, too.
Ahh....a wise man speaks! Indubitably! Hickup........:p

[Tom LaRussa]

There used to be a Cajun chef on PBS by the name of Justin Wilson who had the philosophy that you did not buy cooking wines, you just bought drinking wines and used some for cooking. If it's not good enough to drink by itself then it's not good enough to cook with! Hic...
Uh yeah, but ...

I remember good old Joostan quite well. Used to watch him for gastronomical comic relief.

It's true he advised only cooking with wine one would want to drink -- and the point is a good one -- but in the case of Joostan, he apparently liked to drink wine from great big jugs with screw tops. :eek: (This was before any of the reputable wineries began using alternatives to corks.)

[Dan Mages]

Dang! Now you have me goin.... I have a bottle of blended white in my fridge for tomorrow. I am going to make a nice risotto with mixed mushrooms and 24 month aged parmesean cheese for dinner tomorrow night.

Dan

[Jim Becker]

Ah, Dan...that will be a very nice risotto. BTW, Dr. SWMBO picked up one of those "auto-stir" thingies for risotto and it works great. That way, you have your hands free to sip on your wine, rather than holding the pot with one hand and a spoon with the other to deal with the constant stirring!

[Michael Stafford]

Uh yeah, but ...

I remember good old Joostan quite well. Used to watch him for gastronomical comic relief.

It's true he advised only cooking with wine one would want to drink -- and the point is a good one -- but in the case of Joostan, he apparently liked to drink wine from great big jugs with screw tops. :eek: (This was before any of the reputable wineries began using alternatives to corks.)

I loved to watch Justin cook. One particular show I remember he was making spaghetti sauce and had used a lot of wine in his own particular way of a little for the sauce and a lot for Justin. He went on to ask the viewers if they knew how to tell when the pasta was done. In his own inimitable style he said, " You flang it against the wall and if it sticks it is done". He proceeded to fling a strand against the wall and gave that comic look of his directly into the camera and said, " I missed the whole dang wall...." Definitely comic relief... :D