Image of mushrooms Im growing in my office :D

[Tinybu88les8]

[a0c8c]

What are you growing it on? It looks like my aunt's pecan nugget roll cut in half. Crazy looking!

[Tinybu88les8]

it was a mushroom kit I ordered online. It came in a sealed bag that was injected with spores. I think its growing on barley, wheat, straw...things like that? lol I don't know exactly what MINE are growing on since I didnt make it. Im a newbie but I want to learn how to do the whole thing by myself!

[applestar]

That got MY attention!
Looks to me like Blue Oyster Mushrooms, and they look GREAT!
I'm thinking harvest on Friday for weekend brunch!
(Don't let it go over the weekend, they might be overmature by Monday)
Have you seen my mushroom growing thread where I'm been hanging out a lot lately?

Looking at the photo again, with the smallish cap and substantial stems, they could be Eryngii (King Oyster Mushrooms?) If they're Eryngii then they might be ready to pick by late today or tomorrow.... I want to try growing Eryngii.

[Ozark Lady]

Very nice mushrooms. There is no point of reference for me, so about what size would you say that they are?

I have never seen any white with black caps like this before. Can you direct us to where you found them, so we can identify them?

And then... you just have to tell us... How did you cook them, what did they taste like?

[GardenGeek]

Great looking mushrooms
I have never tried or tasted mushrooms but if they taste great do tell me. I will definitely plan to grow some

[wolfie]

are you going to actually eat them???

[GeorgiaGirl]

So creepy-cool! Looks like something in a Dr. Seuss book!

[Tinybu88les8]

Here is an updated picture from today. They grow so fast its amazing.

Ozark Lady- they are about 3" tall in the 2nd picture if that helps you at all. The caps are more of a blueish grey color than they are black. I ordered my kit online from Ebay. All in all I paid about $18 bucks for it. The seller I ordered from was the most reasonable I could find. Some of these kits get waaaaay up there. After this kit exhausts I want to order a moral mushroom kit.

as for eating them.... are you nuts?! OF COURSE I AM GOING TO EAT THEM! ALL OF THEM! haha, just not sure how exactly I am going to cook them. My bf hates mushrooms so maybe Ill just sauté them up in garlic and EVOO and Ill be good to go.

[wolfie]

what are they going to taste like? regular mushrooms u put in salads?

how long, start to finish, did it take to grow, and will there be more once you harvest those? $18 for just that much seems a bit high no?

[Tinybu88les8]

I haven't tasted them yet so I don't know for sure. All i know is they are Elm and Oyster mushrooms. WHat you see in the picture isn't all of it. They go through "rushes". This is just one rush of mushrooms. After I pick these there will be another rush... mush better than the first. The first supposedly is never as good as the 2nd 3rd or 4th rush. After about 4 or 5 rushes it expires. So you get pretty good bang for your buck. Not only that though...its for the experience. Its a lot of fun and so neat to watch! In fact from now on I think Im going to grow my own mushrooms. No more store bought for me. I need to get an oak log or something and drill holes in it so I can buy mushroom plugs and grow all kinds of neat things! Now If I can figure out how to grow truffles Ill be set! haha!

[a0c8c]

I don't think Truffles will grow in Socal, but I know they grow in Kentucky. Now you just need to learn how to save spores. If I remember correctly, the hardest part is preventing mold.

[applestar]

Oyster mushrooms typically produce a lot of spores so that part should be OK. Just by leaving the mushrooms on any surface, loosely covered overnight, will result in a spore print (a pattern of spores released). It's fun to leave the caps with stems cut off, gill side down, on different colored paper to see what color spore print results.

However, in order to successfully grow the spores later, you need to sterilize the surface, and make sure it is not still hot if you used heat.

So far, my best uncontaminated spore was collected on a glass Weck canning jar lid, boiled for 15 min along with the jar, then removed and left to cool upside down (the jar on top of the lid). You can also bake an aluminum foil in an oven and some people talk about baking papers. Alcohol and/or hydrogen peroxide can also be used. You need to make sure the spores are thoroughly dry, away from contaminating mold spores, etc. Then they can be stored until ready to use. Thoroughly wash hands (like surgeons you know), DON'T wipe hands on towels, and use rubbing alcohol to sterilize and dry your hands before handling anything.

My last attempt to grow spores on agar, the spore print was made on a black constraction paper that had been sprayed with alcohol, then peroxide. I had one or two spots of mold on the agar, but scooping them out, so far, seems to have been successful. Some details and photo are on the other thread that I linked above.

When I don't make special preparations, and I still end up with a spore print, on a plate, paper towel, or on the cutting board, etc. I get a mixed feeling of frustration that I *could*/*should* have saved the spore properly.... I sometimes save the spore print anyway.

For optimum flavor, these mushrooms should be harvested before the rolled down edges turn up. Time to harvest, Bu88les?

[BrianSkilton]

I've been thinking of growing a few mushrooms in my indoor grow area, after the plants make it to the garden. What seller did you order from? They look delicious!

[Ozark Lady]

I have never tasted homegrown mushrooms.

But wild oysters... wow they are the bomb. Morels move over...

Actually I like them both.

How do you describe a taste? Almost meaty? Kind of woodsy? Awesome works for me...

I just clean off any leaves, wipe with a paper towel, cut them into reasonable sizes, take flour add salt and pepper... Then I coat the mushrooms and fry them in butter, not too hot or you scorch the butter and ruin the taste.

I tried doing that with your basic canned mushrooms... it wasn't bad at all.
But, I missed the "woodsy" notes.