CookSmart (2nd Issue) Page28

New Food Ingredients

The Gold Crown

Mushroom is a kind of fungus which typically grows in dark environment. It was considered a Royal delicacy back in ancient Egyptian times. It was not until the 17th Century when the French harvested mushrooms in caves that turned them into a common ingredient among the civilians. There are over 38,000 species of mushrooms today. Some are inedible while some are so toxic that they should be left untouched.

A Special Species

Golden-cap mushroom (Pleurotus Citrinopileatus), also known as Coral mushroom, grows out of decaying trees or woody shrubs despite its beautiful appearance. They are mostly cultivated in greenhouses in recent years. Golden-cap mushroom is available all year round and is sold at about HKD80 per catty (600 gm) in local market. Its fruiting body is white in colour, with an umbrella shaped like a fan, a button or a trumpet. Upon maturity, the cap turns gold and the whole cap looks like a bouquet of flowers.