Shiitake Mushroom
Produced over a thousand years in China, this mushroom species is currently one of the most produced in the world. In their natural habitat, fungi tend to develop biological strategies to compete among the multiple microorganisms that cohabit their environment. One of the strategies is the production of certain chemical compounds that fungi can release into the environment where they live. These include, but are not limited to, antibiotic substances that are designed to reduce competing bacteria that may harm them in the struggle for their energy sources to feed themselves. Throughout history, humanity has been able to harness some of these components for its own benefit, such as the emblematic case of the discovery of penicillin from the fungus Penicillium notatum that revolutionized the history of medicine at the beginning of World War II. Nowadays, there is a great interest in mushrooms with medicinal effects, such as Lentinula edodes, called xiangu in China, from where it originates. Its name means aromatic mushroom. Xian means aroma and gu is mushroom, better known by the Portuguese as shiitake, common name in Japanese. Shiitake cultivation on wood logs is the oldest of all edible mushrooms. It originated in China about a thousand years ago when it came to master the technique of mushroom production in the natural environment. Japan specializes in selecting high quality varieties where it is also produced on a large scale. Today, China remains one of the world’s largest shiitake producers, consumers and exporters. Originally from the temperate zone of Northeast Asia, this food, already present in many nationally made recipes, remains one of the most widely produced species in the world. Over time, it has gained some fame in the West for its gastronomic and medicinal interest.
https://www.portugalfarmexperience.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2986/2019/08/b1e6f40-41c04788-a821-4a4c-b196-f48c3215d7a2.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&
Visit a Portuguese Shiitake Mushroom Farm
, learn how to make it, pick it up yourself, and in the end indulge yourself with a tasting. You will arrive at the mushroom farm and we will introduce you to the farmer. After the presentation, we will walk through the farm to see the shiitake mushrooms and all the equipment and special techniques for harvesting. This is a true experience, so you will have a workshop about ” mushroom inoculation” and you will pick your own shiitake mushrooms. The farmer will teach you how to taste shiitake mushrooms, and explain what makes good mushrooms ?and what makes the bad stuff, too. During the lunch on the farm, you will see all the mushrooms dishes: risotto and homemade sauteed. You will end this day with a wealth of knowledge about production techniques, history, and the freshness, intensity, and variety that high-quality mushrooms can offer.
Our Farm
Our farm is characterized by being family-friendly, where the family “Lopes” based on human and ethical values, combines the experience of the elders with the irreverence of the younger. Its products are completely organic finding the entire production process certified by Naturalfa.
Shiitake Mushroom Benefits
Long a symbol of longevity in Asia because of their health-promoting properties, shiitake mushrooms have been used medicinally by the Chinese for more than 6,000 years. Like other mushrooms, these specialty mushrooms are as mysteriously unique as they are delicious. While often thought of as a vegetable and prepared like one, mushrooms are actually a fungus, a special type of living organism that has no roots, leaves, flowers or seeds.They are rich in B vitamins, a good source of vitamin B2, and a good source of vitamin B6, niacin, choline, and folate. Additionally, they are concentrated in minerals, being and excellent source of selenium and copper, zinc and manganese.
Preparing and cooking
Mushrooms are very porous, so if they are exposed to too much water they will quickly absorb it and became soggy. Therefore, the best way to clean mushrooms without sacrificing their texture and taste is to clean them using minimal, if any, water. We recommend healthy saut