Eat It and Like It – Mushrooms

It’s probably fair to say that most people love mushrooms.  Some people won’t touch them. Some people I know won’t even taste them. Silly, of course, because there is so much diversity and variety in mushrooms, in the state of Georgia alone there are over 30 different kinds.

The best way to get to know them is like anything else you would buy on the regular really. Like seafood, produce or beef. Get to know your supplier. Ask questions, understand what you are eating and hopefully liking.

As far as our episode on Mushrooms goes? It was never meant to educate you on varieties. That would take hours. Instead, it was to point you in the right direction. Let you know that there are talented people out there doing great things with the mushroom.  Here they are in the order they appeared:

Swampy Appleseed Mushrooms – Swampy (AKA Ancil Jacques) is a South Georgia boy with a passion for mushrooms. What started as a curiosity when there was nothing else to do in Dixie Union, has become a full blown business.  He cultivates a lot what he sells, but he still-especially in the summer-spends 40-50 hours a week in the woods digging up some natural beauties.  Learn all about who he is and what he does by clicking here.

Red Fish Hilton Head Island – Red Fish is a very popular restaurant with a wine shop attached to it on the Southern end of Hilton Head Island. Two of their Sous Chefs, Joshua Goldfarb and Robert Colson are licensed foragers who spend a ton of their free time digging up mushrooms in the woods of South Carolina. They sell a majority to chefs across the island, but sometimes they keep them for themselves and put them on the menu at Red Fish.  You never know when they might turn up there.

Hog’s Head Kitchen – This is the one spot we featured that has a unique dish using mushrooms that we love. Hog’s Head has been in Bluffton for about 6 years. In that time, they have become one of the most popular spots in the area. Their mushroom dish is an appetizer, but I’m told a lot of people enjoy it for lush. John Pashak, Chef and Owner at Hog’s Head refers to it as a warm mushroom salad. Pecorino Romano Grits, topped with truffled mushrooms and arugula.  It’s a wonderful dish and one of their most popular. If you don’t know about Hog’s Head, you should. Everything on the menu is wonderful. Huge portions and a great atmosphere as well.

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