Pink oyster mushroom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pink oyster mushroom |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pleurotus
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| Species: |
djamor
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| Pleurotus djamor | |
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gills on hymenium |
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cap is offset |
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hymenium is decurrent |
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stipe is bare |
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spore print is pink |
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ecology is saprotrophic |
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edibility: choice |
The pink oyster mushroom (scientific name: Pleurotus djamor) is a super cool type of fungus that belongs to the Pleurotaceae family. It's also known as the pink oyster mushroom because of its pretty pink color and how its cap looks a bit like an oyster shell!
This mushroom was first described a long time ago by a botanist named Georg Eberhard Rumphius. Later, in 1959, it was officially placed in the Pleurotus group by Karel Bernard Boedijn.
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What Makes Pink Oyster Mushrooms Special?
Pink oyster mushrooms have a unique taste and texture. Many people say they taste a bit like meat or even fish. Like most mushrooms, they have a rich, savory flavor called umami. Their texture is both meaty and a little bit chewy. If you fry them until they're crispy, they can even taste like bacon or ham! But watch out, if you try them raw, they might taste a bit sour.
As their name suggests, these mushrooms are a lovely pink color. Their caps are usually curly and measure about 2 to 5 centimeters across. The caps are also quite thin. You might notice that they have a very short stem, or sometimes no stem at all!
It's pretty rare to find pink oyster mushrooms in regular supermarkets. This is because they don't last very long after being picked, usually only about a day! They are also only harvested from spring to fall, so you can only find them during those seasons.
Cooking with Pink Oyster Mushrooms
Pink oyster mushrooms are best when they are cooked. You can prepare them in many ways, like sautéing (frying quickly), boiling, roasting, or deep-frying. They are great for stir-fries with other vegetables, or you can add them to pasta dishes. Some people even sprinkle them on top of pizza!
You can also mix them into grain bowls, cook them with eggs, or boil them in soups, chowders, or stews. They are also delicious when cooked into a creamy risotto. If you sauté them and mix them with a cream-based white sauce, they add a lot of flavor. Because they have a meaty texture, these mushrooms need to be cooked well to taste their best and become easy to chew.
Pink oyster mushrooms taste great with many different ingredients. Try pairing them with herbs like coriander, parsley, mint, or basil. They also go well with garlic, ginger, onion, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Other good partners include bell peppers, red cabbage, broccolini, baby corn, leeks, quinoa, noodles, rice, and potatoes.
Pink Oyster Mushrooms Around the World
Pink oyster mushrooms are very common in communities in central Mexico. They are especially well-known in a town called Tlayacapan, in Morelos. In fact, almost everyone there (98.8% of people surveyed) can identify this mushroom!
In Tlayacapan, these mushrooms grow from May to November. Families often collect them and then sell them at local markets. Locals have many different names for this mushroom, including "seta," "cazahuate," "orejón," "hongo de pino," "blanco," and "oreja de cazahuate."
See also
In Spanish: Seta rosa para niños
- List of Pleurotus species
