The Brush-Off

I mentioned that the other day, Sandy and I had pizza.  When she came over, she brought a carton of mushrooms so we could festoon our frozen pizza (Publix brand, self rising...very good) with peppers, onions and mushrooms and extra cheese.  Plus the pepperoni that was already there.

Sandy watched me as I scraped off bits of dirt from the mushrooms before slicing them onto the pizza.

"They're grown in a sterile medium" I said in answer to the question on her face.  I hope I'm right.

I recall the time decades ago in Miami Beach when Texas Bill was at our house for dinner.  Bill often worked as a cook/chef and we'd often cook together.  He was aghast, one time, watching me wash mushrooms, insisting that they should just be brushed off and not washed.  I was equally aghast at the thought of eating dirt.

Since then, I phased through washing them, then letting them dry, to my now blase attitude of getting most of the dirt off and just going ahead with the recipe.

The problem is that mushrooms absorb water, diluting their flavor and texture, as well as that of the dish they are being added to.  A not insignificant problem.

I've been surfing the 'net looking for confirmation that the growth medium is sterile.  I can't imagine all these advocates for eating actual dirty dirt, but I can't seem to find it.

There are plenty of sites telling me where to buy a mushroom brush, though.  Maybe I should make that investment.  Messy Gourmet points out that there are general purpose kitchen tools, that do many things, none well, and then there are specialized tools that do one and only one thing well:  melon ballers, cherry pitters, mushroom brushes.  M.G. adds that the real question is not whether you need a mushroom brush or lemon zester, but how much drawer space you have in your kitchen.  My drawers are jam-packed, but maybe I should get rid of a pizza wheel or garlic press to make room for one of these babies.

[Image through Amazon]

Comments

[groundhog.judy]

I know what you mean by all those gadgets in the kitchen drawer. I love them and surprisingly use most of them. If I find I haven't used something for a year then I get rid of it only to buy something else. I am additicted.

[windshield replacement everett wa]

I know what you mean by all those cool gadgets in the cooking area cabinet. I really like them and amazingly use most of them. If I discover I haven't used something for a season then I get rid of it only to buy something else. I am additicted.