Mushrooms are not a vegetable, but a fungus. They have no roots or leaves, and they reproduce by releasing thousands of tiny spores. With 38,000 varieties of mushrooms on the planet, we have a wide selection to choose from. But unless you are an expert mushroom hunter, you’d be wise to make your selection in the grocery store and not in the woods or your back yard. Many wild mushroom varieties are poisonous or even fatal.

Several mushroom varieties that at one time were available only to white tablecloth restaurants can now be found in high-end grocery produce departments. The popular portobello and shiitake varieties are now standard items on the produce rack. Other types like the cinnamon cap, hen of the wood and fresh porcinis are also becoming increasingly popular and easier to find.

When selecting mushrooms in the store look for full, firm and heavy caps. With white varieties, any sign of browning means age. White mushrooms should be bright white, with tightly closed caps. Open caps indication that the mushroom has been around a little longer than intended. They are still okay for cooking (if you plan on cooking them the same day), but should not be used fresh in salads. With brown varieties like the portobello, the caps will be open and the veils will show, but any sign of shriveling means that they are old. If they are light as a feather, they are dehydrated and will taste rancid. The ultimate test is smell. If mushrooms smell like the fish counter, then anything you cook with them will taste like the fish counter.