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Fungi belong to a kingdom entirely their own — separate from plants, animals and bacteria. Fungi are essential decomposers in our ecosystem and a staple of many human and animal diets. In recent years, mushrooms have become popular in the world of supplements, art and fashion, and gourmet cuisine.

While we aren’t known for being trendy, we’ve been celebrating mushrooms at our markets for a long time. The farmers at Hazel Dell Mushrooms and MycoCosm Mushrooms keep our customers’ baskets stocked. And portobello purists, beware! There is so much more to explore when it comes to cooking and eating mushrooms.

Hazel Dell Mushrooms, in Fort Collins, is an organic mushroom farm that has been in operation since 1995. Their farm, run by Jared Scherger and Lucinda Womack, produces high-quality mushrooms that have found their way into restaurants, many farm CSAs, and our markets. Because their mushrooms are grown in sheds with temperature controls, we are lucky enough to have access to their exotic mix year-round.

Also ensuring that there is fungus among us at markets: MycoCosm Mushrooms, founded by Justin Killing, a longtime student of permaculture design and mycology, and based in Broomfield. Everything at Killing’s booth, from vibrant pink oysters to gorgeous lion’s mane, is quick to sell out at markets.

MycoCosm strives to support the blooming of a thriving, sustainable, food system for our community in Boulder and in our neighboring communities. And we are happy to do our part in achieving this goal by sauteing their mushrooms in copious amounts of butter and adding them to every dish.

Mushrooms are a delicious and somewhat mysterious ingredient that bring a wide range of flavor and texture to dishes. The extensive variety within the fungal kingdom (we will be focusing on nonpoisonous mushrooms) is hard to keep track of  and even harder to know how to cook.

So we looked to the experts at Hazel Dell Mushrooms for descriptions and advice about how to prepare a few different mushrooms that you can find online or at our markets.

A distinct savory and slightly smoky flavor. They adapt well in many dishes. The whole mushroom is edible, caps and stems. Great in soups, sautés, stir fry, pizza, risotto, burgers and kabobs.

Tangy when raw and mild when cooked. Slice or use pedals whole. Good for soups, stews, stir fry and egg dishes. Oyster mushrooms have a nice meaty texture that adds to this mushroom’s appeal.

Also known as Bearded Hedgehog, Monkeyhead and PomPom mushrooms. These have a seafood taste and texture similar to scallop, crab or lobster. Simply slice and sauté.

Meatier version of the regular oyster mushroom and considered by many to be the tastiest of the oyster mushrooms. The large, thick stem is as tasty as the cap. These can be tossed on the barbecue, roasted in the oven or chopped and added to soups, stews, stir fry, Stroganoff and pizza.

Crimini are the same mushroom as a portabella. Typically referred to as crimini when the mushroom is still young and before the gills are fully developed, they are a more flavorful version of the common white button mushroom. Toss in vinaigrette and grill, slice and sauté or use in any common mushroom recipe.

These meatless-yet-meaty tacos are packed full of fungi and flavor.

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