Being afraid to fail.

"The most common question I get is "They are so pretty, what do I do with them?" Most people's experience with mushrooms includes canned mushrooms, or portabellas. Portabellas make great stuffed mushrooms and are good sautéed with onions on steak, but that's the limit of many people's experiences with mushrooms. Fresh gourmet mushrooms open a whole new world. The biggest mistake people is feeling that they need to be great cooks or chefs to use these mushrooms. They are very user friendly."

All mushrooms are high in protein. They contain vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber. Multiple studies have been done to show that mushrooms help with neurological function and may even help fight cancer. It's difficult to eat enough mushrooms to reach the quantities included in the studies, but the studies are new and we may find that lesser quantities still provide these benefits.

The easiest way to cook any mushroom is to break (or cut) it into bite size pieces, sauté the pieces in olive oil until most of the water is drawn out of the mushrooms and they start to brown. I like mine a little crispy, kind of like I like my bacon, but you can do more or less brown. Add salt, fresh garlic or garlic powder, and finish with just a bit of butter. Simple and perfect!

The best way to keep mushrooms is in a simple brown paper bag. They need to be refrigerated and they need some air flow. It's better for them to dry out than to be too wet. In fact, I dehydrate mushrooms on a regular basis for use in soups and stews. I make mushroom jerky and dried mushroom concentrate soup and seasoning mixes from mushrooms that have started to dry out. Watch for too much moisture. Pink oyster mushrooms have a 4-7 day shelf life, with most losing quality sooner rather than later. Some, like Shiitake, and Pioppino last for up to two weeks. It all depends on your conditions and the variety of mushroom.