When it’s cold and you’re eating hotpot, what exactly is in the mushroom platter that you always order?

Produced by: Science Popularization China

Author: Li Bo (Shaanxi Institute of Biological Agriculture)

Producer: China Science Expo

The sudden rain and wind startle the morning, and another autumn comes early.

This year, there has been a lot of rain. After a few rains, the temperature dropped unexpectedly. As a result, the cold and wet weather has once again made hot pot the most popular food in the streets and alleys. Every year at this time, I have to write an article to introduce some mushrooms that you will encounter when eating hot pot. This year is no exception. In order to make you still the most handsome guy next to the hot pot, let us learn about some delicious mushrooms that are not usually familiar.

Hot pot and mushroom platter

(Photo from: veer gallery)

The ultimate flavor of autumn: Matsutake

Matsutake, scientifically known as Tricholoma matsutake, belongs to the genus Tricholoma, the order Agaricales, the family Tricholomataceae, and the subphylum Basidiomycotina. It is widely distributed in mountainous areas above 2,500 meters above sea level in the northern hemisphere. In Asia, the main distribution areas of Matsutake are Changbai Mountain in northeast my country and Hengduan Mountains in southwest China, and there are also small distributions in Japan and the Korean Peninsula.

Among known edible mushrooms, it is of medium size, with a solid, cylindrical, and relatively sturdy stem, usually 2-4 cm in diameter and about 6-14 cm in length. The cap is 5-12 cm in diameter, spherical to hemispherical when young, and flattened into a round shape when mature. The surface of the cap of fresh matsutake is reddish brown, covered with yellow-brown or brown scales, and the flesh is white. This feature has also become an important basis for judging its commercial value.

Freshly picked matsutake

(Photo source: veer photo gallery)

It is worth noting that the stem of Matsutake has a ring, which is often covered with dirty white powder above the ring and brown scales below. The base of the stem is slightly swollen. The ring and scales are often characteristics of some highly poisonous mushrooms (such as Amanita phalloides and Angiospermum cylindrica) , so we advise greedy diners not to pick and eat what you think is "Matsutake" in the wild at will. You must purchase it through formal channels to ensure food safety.

The reason why Matsutake mushrooms have become a household name is mainly due to a food documentary that has swept the world - "A Bite of China"

(Photo source: Screenshot from the documentary "A Bite of China")

As a highly specific ectomycorrhizal fungus, Matsutake has extremely high requirements for its living environment. Not only does it need a high altitude, but its mycelium must also form ectomycorrhizae in symbiosis with the roots of Fagaceae (such as oak, Cyclobalanopsis, etc.) or Pinaceae (such as red pine, red pine, etc.) in order to survive.

For most of the year, the mycelium of Matsutake grows underground, relying on the mycorrhiza to accumulate nutrients, and only from August to October each year will the mushrooms grow out of the humus layer. The species name of Matsutake means "mushroom under the pine tree" in Latin.

Introduction to Matsutake picking in A Bite of China (Season 1)

(Photo source: Screenshot from the documentary "A Bite of China")

Although the research on artificial cultivation of matsutake has been started since the beginning of the last century, there has been no successful precedent in the world so far. The "high standards and strict requirements" of matsutake for the living environment and the complexity of its symbiotic relationship with plants have always made us at a loss. It is for this reason that matsutake has become the well-deserved "king of mushrooms" in the food industry.

The humble king of food: truffles

Truffles, even if you have never seen them, you must have heard of their famous name. In the Western food world, they are an expensive ingredient that is known as the "three giants of food" along with caviar and foie gras. However, if someone in the wild tells you that this "lump of earth" with a strange smell and that looks like shit is a truffle, I think you will be greatly disappointed.

The truffles just dug out from the tree, it's not an exaggeration to say that they look like shit

(Photo source: China National Geographic Magazine)

Unlike the mushrooms we usually call, truffles are actually a type of tuber, belonging to the subphylum Ascomycotina, family Tuberaceae, and genus Tuber, which coexists underground with the roots of deciduous broad-leaved trees such as oak, oak, and birch. Because of their slow growth, scarcity, and difficulty in collecting, truffles were once as valuable as gold .

Truffles were first eaten in Greece and the Mediterranean region, but in addition to Europe, truffles are distributed in Central Asia, America and East Asia. There are also many members of the Chinese truffle genus, in addition to the Chinese white truffle (Tuber. sinensis) and the Chinese truffle (Tuber. indicum), there is also the Himalayan truffle (T uber . himalayensis) which looks very similar to the black truffle loved by Westerners, and its main distribution area is in the southwest of China.

White truffles (left) and black truffles (right) are considered the most popular high-end ingredients in Western cuisine.

(Photo source: veer photo gallery)

In recent years, as people have conducted in-depth research on truffles, a team of experts from the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has achieved bionic cultivation of a variety of truffles. At present, most of the truffles you eat in restaurants are obtained through artificial bionic cultivation in China .

Truffles harvested through bionic cultivation, photographed by the author during a survey at the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences in October 2017

(Image source: author)

There is chicken mushroom on the plate, you can eat without meat

Speaking of chicken mushroom, I wonder if you in front of the screen will have a question: which part of the chicken is this? In fact, as a kind of fungus, it is a rare delicacy for people in the south, especially those living in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.

Termitomyces aurantiacus is actually a type of mushroom belonging to the subphylum Basidiomycotina, the order Agaricales, the family Tricholomataceae, and the genus Termitornyces.

The "Guizhou Book" of the Qing Dynasty said: "The chicken mushroom grows in shallow grass in July in autumn. When it first stands up, it is like a hat, and then it becomes like a cover. As time goes by, it becomes like chicken feathers, so it is called mushroom." These few words vividly describe the growth characteristics of the chicken mushroom and the origin of its name.

The first blow of the Chinese fir tree is like a hat (left), then it gradually becomes like a canopy, and then it spreads out like chicken feathers (right)

(Photo source: veer photo gallery)

Most of the delicious mushrooms in nature have one thing in common, that is, their growth depends on forming a symbiotic relationship with plant roots , such as truffles and matsutake. However, the chicken mushroom has taken a completely different path of survival, choosing to coexist with termites in the animal kingdom .

Research has found that the delicious taste of chicken mushrooms is mainly due to the fact that they are rich in more than ten kinds of amino acids, among which glutamic acid has the highest content. As we all know, glutamic acid has the effect of adding flavor to food. In addition, chicken mushrooms have a higher protein content than other mushrooms, so there is a saying that "it tastes like chicken".

Symbiotic nest of termites and Alternaria albuminata in Nanhua County

(Photo source: Nanhua County People's Government official website)

Since the complex symbiotic relationship between the Chinese fir and termites is still unclear, there is no clear report on its artificial cultivation at home and abroad. In the past two years, vendors have often used "black-skinned Chinese fir" to impersonate Chinese fir to deceive customers.

Although it is called "black-skinned chicken mushroom", it actually has nothing to do with chicken mushroom. Its scientific name is Oudemansiella raphanipes. Because of its crispy texture and similar appearance to chicken mushroom, it is often used to impersonate chicken mushroom and sold. This mushroom has long been cultivated artificially in China, and its price is only one-fourth of that of chicken mushroom. Therefore, if you want to eat chicken mushroom in the future, you must be more careful and watch it carefully.

The artificially cultivated Oodia ovata looks quite similar to the chicken mushroom

(Photo source: Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

The first fresh food of spring - Morel

Unlike the aforementioned mushrooms such as the chicken mushroom and matsutake, which grow in summer and autumn, the best growth period for the cold-loving Morchella is from March to May. In recent years, after artificial cultivation, the Morchella in the greenhouse can even produce mushrooms as early as mid-January, which can be called the first fresh mushroom in the spring . Because the stem is as smooth as fat, the cap is wrinkled and mesh-like, which looks like a sheep's tripe, plus the crispy and tender taste similar to the old Beijing fried tripe and its rich nutrition, the Morchella got the vivid name.

A. Wild yellow morel B. Artificially cultivated black morel

(Image source: author)

From the appearance, although it also has a stipe and a cap, the morel is different from the common mushrooms of the Apiaceae order in the subphylum Basidiomycetes. In terms of classification, it belongs to the subphylum Ascomycotina, the order Pezizales, the family Morohellaceae, and the genus Morchella.

In addition, although Gyromitra is not closely related to Morchella, the appearance of its fruiting body is quite similar. However, many Gyromitra mushrooms are poisonous , so you need to be careful to identify them when picking them in the wild. After all, food is delicious, but life is priceless, so we need to cherish it.

The poisonous ochre mushroom is often mistaken for a morel and eaten

(Photo source: Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

As mentioned earlier, morels are a type of large fungi that prefer a cool environment. Their most suitable growth temperature is 15-22°C, so they are mainly distributed in the temperate and frigid zones of the Northern Hemisphere.

According to the morphology and color of the fruiting bodies and the molecular systematics research in recent years, the existing Morchella species can be roughly divided into three categories: the yellow Morchella branch (27 species, mainly distributed in East Asia), the black Morchella branch (32 species, widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere) and the red Morchella branch (only 3 species, limited to Guatemala, Mexico, New Guinea and other subtropical regions). The species richness of the Morchella genus in my country is very high, with more than 30 species distributed. At present, the black Morchella branch is the main one that can be artificially cultivated at home and abroad.

The new favorite in hot pot - Hydrangea

Sparassis crispa, as the name suggests, is named for its resemblance to a hydrangea. It belongs to the genus Sparassis, family Sparassidaceae, order Aphyllophorales, subdivision Basidiomycotina, and is a wood-rotting fungus widely distributed in East Asia and North America.

In my country, wild resources of Hydrangea are mainly distributed in provinces such as the Northeast and Southwest. At present, it is cultivated artificially in China, South Korea, Japan and other places. As another new favorite in the edible fungus industry in recent years, in my opinion, this mushroom can be regarded as an indispensable delicacy in Chongqing hot pot.

Wild Hydrangea

(Image source: Reference [6])

Hydrangea is rich in various amino acids and vitamins, and has a high crude protein content (12.9g/100g, comparable to Ganoderma lucidum). Therefore, it not only tastes delicious, but also has rich nutritional value.

In addition, research has found that the content of β-glucan in hydrangea mushrooms is very high, reaching more than 40% of the weight of the dry product, which is unmatched among existing edible mushrooms. Next time you eat hot pot, quickly order a portion of fresh hydrangea mushrooms!

Schematic diagram of the β-glucan structure in Hydrangea

(Image source: Reference [7])

Conclusion

Due to limited space, the mushrooms introduced in this article are high-end, but they are already dishes that we can eat on our daily tables. This is mainly due to the unremitting efforts of mycologists and the industry, which have made those delicacies that were once only available in "other people's homes" accessible to ordinary people. More and more novel and delicious mushrooms are witnessing the happiness of every day in a well-off life with us.

To learn more interesting facts about mushrooms, please stay tuned for the next episode.

References:

[1] Dai Yucheng et al. List of Edible Fungi in China. Journal of Mycology, 2010, 29 (1)

[2] Ren Dejun et al. Overview of Truffle Research in China. Mycological Research, 2005, 3 (4)

[3] Tian Wen (Qing Dynasty). Guizhou Books. Guizhou: Guizhou People's Publishing House, 2018

[4] Chen Shi et al. Research progress on fungus-cultivated termites and Alternaria albuminata. Journal of Environmental Entomology, 2021, 43 (3)

[5] He Xinsheng et al. Species and names of Morchella in China. Edible Fungi, 2021, 43 (1)

[6] Ryohei Miyashita. Rare edible mushroom Hydrangea. Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms, 2019, 27 (4)

[7] Tong Caihong et al. Research progress on rare edible mushroom Hydrangea oleracea. Fungal Research, 2014, 12 (3)

(Note: Latin text should be italicized.)