Yeoju-si

FRAGRANT
Shitake Mushrooms

Shitake mushrooms, grown deep. in the forest and nurtured by the cool breeze and the morning dew, are delicious and fragrant.

Shitake mushrooms grown in the spring, summer and fall near oaks or chestnut trees, or on the stumps of broad-leaved trees. The shitake, along with the pine and Sarcodon aspratus mushrooms, are the top three edible mushrooms in Korea.

Since mushrooms do not have chloroplasts, they cannot assimilate carbon dioxide to make the nutrients they need. Rather, they live as parasites off other organisms to spawn. Whether mushrooms grow on living or dead organisms will determine if they are an epiphyte or a saprophyte, respectively. Shitake mushrooms are epiphytes.

The rate at which shitake mushrooms spawn falls drastically when they are grown in highly polluted areas or are exposed to acid rain. Shitake mushrooms require clean, unpolluted, and alkaline environment to grow. Shitakes are full of fiber, minerals and vitamin B, and aid in the body’s metabolism. Shitake mushrooms can be used as a seasoning all on their own and can withstand high cooking temperatures.

Good shitake mushrooms are those that are firm, fragrant, retain their shape and have caps that are shaped like bamboo hats.
Geumsa-myeon and Sanbuk-myeon are renown for their mushrooms; ten years ago, a Mountain Region Total Farming and Development Association was founded for the harvesting of shitake mushrooms. The people of Yeoju are working hard to produce high quality shitake mushrooms and to offer consumers a wider selection.

Purchasing Shitake Mushrooms