Episode 110: Mousam Valley Farm & Mushrooms

To put it in perspective, we cultivate a dozen different varieties of mushrooms. There are literally tens of thousands of varieties in nature.

-John Sharood

Are you the person who still wrinkles your nose at mushrooms after a silmy experience as a kid? Even Maggie, who had them on the top of her Never Serve to Me list, now loves incorporating the cultivated mushrooms grown at Mousam Valley Farm in her pastas, pizza and appetizers.

Whether you want to take a bite or not, you could be awed at the process of growing mushrooms indoors. Each variety needs a very specific temperature, lighting schedule and humidity level. At Mousam, we walk through Springtime in Japan, where Shiitakes thrive then Autumn in Florida where Golden Oysters hit their stride. From Lion's Mane to Hen-of-the-Wood, the mushrooms that come out of Mousam's "caves" are distributed as far down the Eastern seaboard as Delaware and in many Maine restaurants and grocery stores.

In the kitchen, Chef Josh shows us one of his favorite recipes: Mushroom Risotto finished with parmesan and Truffle oil. Especially in the dead of winter, this dish will warm your soul and impress your friends. Maggie shares a Duxelles recipe perfect for adding into chicken or pasta dishes and we create Arancinis with Honey for Leftovers.