All About Black Trumpet Mushrooms

Black trumpet mushrooms have a waxy grey surface and are known as fragile and trumpet-shaped. It is a very rich and buttery mushroom, beloved in French cuisine because of their unique flavor and texture. They have a unique fragrance which some population say smell like apricots. Black trumpet mushrooms are known to be pretty gritty, and you assuredly do want them as clean as you can get them. Make sure you pick over the mushrooms carefully and rinse if needed, then pat them dry and set on paper towels.

Although black trumpet mushrooms are delicious, they are also very little known. They are fragrant and fruity and go very well with fish or in cheddar cheese dishes. You can try them in a creamy soup or pasta sauce, risotto, or on pizza. As this mushroom type's fruity, musky nature pairs up well with dairy or cheese dishes. Try placing the mushrooms in a skillet on medium heat, and then melt some butter and sauté the mushrooms 4 to 5 minutes. Next season with salt and pepper to taste, but do make sure to support a small handful of the mushrooms for some terrine, and finely chop the rest.

Truffle Cultivation

Typically during the summer months in the Pacific Northwest is where you will find wild black trumpet mushrooms growing. This type of mushroom does not ordinarily grow on wood, even though they are said to sometimes have a woody flavor. This mushroom kind has a trumpet-shaped cap that lengthens down to the stalk. With a color ranging from dark red to light gray or nearly black, black trumpet mushrooms are extremely regarded for their unique and rich flavor. Coloring of the spore surface and stem can range from pale grey to a salmon color to nearly black with wrinkles or raised veins rather than gills. The cap and interior is ordinarily darker, salmon brown to black and hollow top to bottom.

All About Black Trumpet Mushrooms

Black trumpet mushrooms are part of the chanterelle house and can commonly be known as "the poor mans truffle." These mushrooms are ordinarily sold dried rather than fresh. These mushrooms look like little trumpets (or vases if you prefer that image), which rings quite true to its name, and have a distinctive smoky flavor that even borders on buttery. These mushrooms can turn any basic dish into something spectacular. They are mostly sold in specialty markets so they can be hard to find if you are not used to shopping for mushrooms. They can also be a bit on the pricey side; but just a little bit of these mushrooms will go a long way. These mushrooms are known for their added depth and woodsy aroma and work endlessly with cream sauces.

This type of mushroom is a excellent candidate for dried mushroom powder because of the earthiness that ensues within the dehydration process. Dried mushrooms are a delicious way to add a vibrant and pleasant taste to vegetarian and vegan dishes. You will see that black trumpets most all the time grow in synchronicity with some type of moss. And if you spray any type of pesticide on your lawn to kill the moss that harbors these little mushrooms, there's no way you'll find any black trumpets growing there in the future.

Black trumpets are pickable when they are at least two to three inches in height, but can sometimes grow up to six or seven inches tall. This sometimes resembles clusters of black or dark gray rabbit ears. Unlike any other flavor, black trumpet mushrooms have a unique deep, delicious taste weather they are fresh or re-hydrated. These black trumpets are a true wild mushroom that is almost impossible to cultivate. Thus, their arrival in markets and restaurants is restricted to their natural season.

Although, in the Ozarks, black trumpets tend to almost grow year round, they are most abundant in the springtime after good rain, and in the fall. In some years, black trumpet mushrooms are astoundingly plentiful, and then pitifully scarce in other years. But these mushrooms do assuredly dry well. Use the lowest setting you can if you plan on drying them in a food dehydrator. Black Trumpet mushrooms as well as cinnabarinus mushrooms will still be good a year after harvesting them. All you need to do is place them in some water and let them plump back up for a few hours before using them.

All About Black Trumpet MushroomsThe Scent of Black Tube. Duration : 12.10 Mins.

In the Cahors region of France, black truffles are almost literally as valuable as gold in the culinary world. Prized for their glorious scent, black truffles are fungi that grow exclusively on the roots of oak trees. Found in late autumn and winter, the truffles cannot be seen since they grow under the ground. Pigs, or specially trained dogs have been used to search for these elusive truffles. About 20% of the French production comes from southwest France, which possesses the limestone soils and dry hot weather that truffles need to grow. In the late 19th century, an epidemic of phylloxera destroyed many of the vineyards in southern France. Large tracts of land were set free for the cultivation of truffles. Thousands of truffle-producing trees were planted, and production reached the peak of hundreds of tonnes by the end of the 19th century. Wars during the 20th Century decimated the fields. After 1945, the production of truffles plummeted, and prices rose dramatically. In 1900, truffles were used by most French people, and on many occasions. Today, they are a rare delicacy reserved for the wealthy, or used on very special occasions. Originally a common grape in Bordeaux, Malbec has lost popularity as one of the five varieties in the Bordeaux blends. Meanwhile, Malbec increased its status in the French region of Cahors, an area southeast of Bordeaux, where it creates distinctive wines that now require 70% of the variety. GrapeRadio is proud to present a look at the ...

Keywords: wine, cahors, malbec, france, truffles, foie, gras