Chestnut (Pholiota adiposa) - Harrison's current favorite mushroom, the Chestnut mushroom can be found in North America and Europe at the base of living and dead hardwood trees. They have a beautiful deep brown cap that lightens in color as they open with little tufts of mycelium at the margins giving them a unique speckled look.

Delightfully nutty and earthy, Chestnut mushrooms have a pleasantly crunchy stem reminiscent of al dente asparagus. They hold their structure well to cooking making them perfect for long braises or roasting. Smaller mushrooms also work well for quick sautés.

Chestnuts are among the highest protein content mushrooms and are rich in minerals such as selenium, potassium, copper. They are also high in folate, biotin, and phosphorus.

Flavor: Robust, earthy, and nutty flavor that is slightly sweet. Woodsy and umami. Think, button mushroom's rich uncle.

Texture: Meaty caps with crunchy stems that hold up well to cooking.

Cooking: Dice to medium size leaving stems whole, for larger specimens, slice stems into chunks. Toss in butter or oil, garlic, aromatics like thyme or chives, salt and pepper, and roast in oven until nicely browned.

Throw into soups or braises to soak up whatever they're in and they will provide a deep umami and earthy flavor boost.

Sauté in brown butter until golden with garlic and seasoned salt for a perfect quick side, and/or add a tablespoon of flour and butter when sauté is finished to make a roux, add cream and a splash of stock to make a chestnut mushroom gravy.

Key Nutrients: High in complete plant protein, B vitamins, trace minerals, folate, biotin, phosphorus.

Bioactive Compounds: Polysaccharides, methyl gallate, ACE inhibitory peptides, lectins.