Another great local supplier has popped up in Hambrook. Roger has started growing Oyster Mushrooms using straw and used coffee grounds from an Emsworth cafe as his substrate. The mycelium grows into the substrate log in a dark, warm room for 3-4 weeks, before being moved into a light, high humidity room for 10 days to two weeks while the fruiting body (the oyster mushrooms) grow outside the substrate.
We currently have the grey oyster mushrooms, but Roger will soon be introducing pink and yellow oysters as well as other varieties.
As with most fruit and veg, the fresher the better. Roger can pick and deliver before the shop opens, so you can have extremely fresh oyster mushrooms on toast that evening. This retains all the best nutrients and flavour. Mushrooms are a superfood, full of vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and fiber while being a great source of cholesterol-free protein.
They are also delicious and can be used in any mushroom recipe. They can be found in the wild, growing on deciduous trees, particularly beech. They grow in large shelf-like clusters on stumps and fallen wood, usually in the autumn, although I did spot some yesterday which was pretty unusual.
£1.60/100g