It took me a long time to like mushrooms, but once I found their virtues, I was hooked. I would now classify them as one of my favorite foods. I also grew up with a dad that took me to things like “Fungus Fest,” so I guess it is not a shocker that I got all excited when my “Back to the Roots” grow-your-own mushroom box came in the mail (thank you OpenSky). I would love to grow things like herbs, however, I live in a NYC apartment with no outdoor space and little light… so… mushrooms it is.
It comes in a box with a fully seeded (spored?) bag of mushrooms. You cut slits in the bag and then soak it for 24 hours. Then you put it in a box, in a window with a little light (but not direct), and then spritz it with water (a spray bottle comes with the kit) in the morning and at night.
After about 5 days… we started seeing a glimpse of little mushrooms poking out.
And then a day later, there were more.
And within 10 days of starting the pack, we had a mushroom forest on our hands!
We actually wound up leaving them a few days too long and they got a little dried out, but after harvesting them (you just pluck them right off), we soaked them in water and they were plump and delicious in about an hour.
We used them in a veggie and chicken stirfry and they were delicious.
Next time I hope to use them in a dish all their own to highlight them (their flavor got a little lost in the stir fry).
So I turned the kit around to the other side and already we have a new little crop. They expect 3-4 growths out of each package… which is super awesome.
