Grown Indoors The shiitakes are grown indoors, in environmentally-controlled rooms, protected from pests and chemicals. By carefully monitoring the growing conditions, we are able to grow our shiitakes year-round. Most importantly, they are grown organically. We pick our mushrooms throughout the day, 7 days a week, so they are picked at the peak of freshness and flavor.
Organically-Grown You do not have to worry about residues of toxic chemicals because our shiitakes are grown organically. We use no pesticides, fungicides, preservatives, growth stimulants, or animal by-products.
Our organic mushrooms are certified by the Texas Department of Agriculture, which follows USDA standards. That means you do not have to worry about the problems that are associated with imported shiitakes: sulphites and other chemicals, which are not permitted in the US, with heavy metal residues and poor hygiene.
China has some of the worst pesticide and heavy metal pollution in the world. Mushrooms are approximately 90% water, so each pound of imported Chinese mushrooms contains approximately 14 ounces of Chinese water.
Master Chefs The strain of shiitakes we grow has a meaty cap with a ring of white spots that are highly valued in Japan. They have the appearance and flavor of wild mushrooms with none of the risks. When you slice them, their flesh is white.
In 1994, Chef Robert Del Grande was the guest on Julia Child's Master Chefs program. He prepared Sea Scallops with Wild Mushrooms using our shiitakes. Even after being sauteed and cooked in a tomatillo sauce, the flesh of the mushrooms was still white and firm. Watch the episode and see for yourself how our shiitakes retain their color and texture.
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