Shiitake

gourmet
Written By Thomas Young

Lentinula edodes

See artwork and accessories in our shop celebrating the Shiitake!

  • Disclaimer: Please refrain from picking and consuming mushrooms without proper guidance. If you have an interest in learning how to forage, I strongly encourage you to join your local mycological society. You can find a list of clubs across America, organized by state, on the North American Mycological Society's website.

Etymology: The word "Shiitake” originates from the Japanese language, combining "Shii" (椎), which refers to the Japanese chinquapin (Castanopsis cuspidata) tree where the mushroom often grows, with "take" (茸), meaning mushroom.

Other Common Names

  • China by grade/quality:

    • Common: Xiang Gu (香菇) - Fragrent mushroom

    • Middle: Dong Gu (冬菇) - Winter mushroom

    • Highest: Hua Gu (花菇) - Flower mushroom

  • Japan by grade/quality:

    • Generic Term: Shiitake (シイタケ)

    • Normal: Koshin

    • High: Donko

  • Black Forest Mushroom

  • Golden Oak Mushroom

  • Sawtooth Oak Mushroom

Location: Shiitake originate form East Asia

Ecological Group: The decomposers! These fungi play a crucial role in nature by breaking down dead trees and logs, aiding in the recycling of nutrients and organic matter.

Edible? Absolutely! The mushroom cap boasts a meaty texture and a rich, earthy flavor that becomes even more pronounced when cooked. While the stem can be quite tough and challenging to eat, it's commonly utilized to enhance the depth of flavor in soups and broths.

    • Shiitakes have been cultivated for over a thousand years, with the earliest recordings from the Sung Dynasty (960 -1127 CE). (Rahman, 2012)

    • The oldest recorded guide on growing Shiitake dates back to 1313 in the Chinese author Wang Cheng’s "Nong Shu" (農書) or “Book of Agriculture”. (Sun, 2019)

    • Shiitake mushrooms have shown to improve the quality of life and efficacy of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. (Zhang, 2019)

    • Shiitake contains a special type of polysaccharide (carbohydrate) called Lentinan which helps stimulate the immune system. (Zhang, 2019) For this reason, scientists are exploring its potential to help people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). (Rahman, 2012)

    • Shiitake mushrooms are one of the four most cultivated mushrooms in the world, alongside the common store mushroom, Oyster mushroom, Enoki, and wood ear mushroom. (Prasad et al, 2023; Royse et al, 2017)

    • The traditional method of growing Shiitake mushrooms in East Asia is called “Soak and Strike”. Fresh logs were leaned against already inoculated logs to propagate spores. The logs were then buried for a year to allow for colonization. Finally, when ready to fruit, the trees were unearthed and beaten with sticks. (Sun, 2019)

    • The processed material left over after shiitakes stop fruiting can then be used as a growth substrate for other saprophytic mushrooms such as the common table mushroom. (Stamets, 2011)

    • Shiitake mushrooms come in different grades or qualities, with higher grades boasting a richer flavor and a more substantial, meaty texture. In China, the grades are referred to as Hua Gu and Dong Gu, while in Japan, they are known as Donko and Koshin. To produce these premium grades, the mushrooms are cultivated in colder, drier conditions. Furthermore, the top-grade Donko/Hua Gu mushrooms are harvested before the cap fully opens, maintaining their firm and thick texture. This characteristic can serve as a helpful indicator of mushroom quality, as higher-quality mushrooms typically have caps that are partially rolled in.(Bugajski, 2022; Campbell et al, 1999; “DONKO” and “KOSHIN”, 2021; Melissa, 2017; Natural Import Company)

Learn More

  1. Shiitake Wikipedia

  2. Wild About Mushrooms Cookbook: Shiitake - A little information and recipes provided by the San Francisco Mycological Society

  3. Fresh Cap: Growing Shiitake Mushrooms - Interesting guide along with some info about growing shiitake

References

Bugajski, M (December 09, 2022). Shiitake Mushrooms: The Difference Between Donko and Koshin. Kokoro Care Packages. Retrieved April 22, 2024, from https://kokorocares.com/blogs/blog/shiitake-mushrooms-the-difference-between-donko-and-koshin

Campbell, A. C., & Racjan, M. (1999). The commercial exploitation of the white rot fungus Lentinula edodes (shiitake). International biodeterioration & biodegradation, 43(3), 101-107. [Link]

Deng, S., Zhang, G., Kuai, J., Fan, P., Wang, X., Zhou, P., ... & Huang, Y. (2018). Lentinan inhibits tumor angiogenesis via interferon γ and in a T cell independent manner. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, 37(1), 1-12. [Link]

“DONKO” and “KOSHIN”, Forest-grown Shiitake mushroom - Dried Shiitake mushroom. (July 02, 2021). Sugimoto.co. Retrieved April 22, 2024, from https://sugimoto.co/en/blog/2021/07/Donko-and-Koshin/

Melissa (2017, January 24). Ever felt at a loss when choosing Chinese dried mushrooms? The Burning Kitchen. https://theburningkitchen.com/how-to-choose-shiitake-mushrooms/

Natural Import Company - Traditional Japanese foods - shiitake grades. (n.d.). Naturalimport.com. Retrieved April 22, 2024, from https://naturalimport.com/shiitake_grades

Prasad, D. Singh, R. P. (2023). Mushroom Production in the World: An Overview. In Conference: “Vision 2047: Sustainable Developments towards Atma Nirbhar Bharat (VSANB-2022)”At: FDDI- Chandigarh (Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India) [Link]

Rahman, T., & Choudhury, M. B. K. (2012). Shiitake mushroom: A tool of medicine. Bangladesh J Med Biochem, 5(1), 24-32. [Link]

Royse, D. J., Baars, J. J. P., & Tan, Q. (2017). Current Overview of Mushroom Production in the World. In John Wiley & Sons, Ltd eBooks (pp. 5–13). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119149446.ch2 [Request Link]

Stamets, P. (2011). Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms. United States: Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed. [Book Info]

Sun Joo Kim. (2019). A Mushroom Talk: From Natural Delicacy to Colonial Objec. Harvard. [Link]

Zhang, M., Zhang, Y., Zhang, L., & Tian, Q. (2019). Mushroom polysaccharide lentinan for treating different types of cancers: A review of 12 years clinical studies in China. Progress in molecular biology and translational science, 163, 297-328.

Disclaimer: Please refrain from picking and consuming mushrooms without proper guidance. If you have an interest in learning how to forage, I strongly encourage you to join your local mycological society. You can find a list of clubs across America, organized by state, on the North American Mycological Society's website.

Thomas Young
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