General Information
Wood Ear mushrooms are brown to dark brown and can be anywhere from two to 8 inches in size. The gill-less mushrooms are somewhat cup-shaped, with a thick, smooth, wavy cap and almost no stem. The color of the skin often takes on the color of the tree that it grows on. With age, the mushroom darkens and the skin can turn black. The texture of the Wood Ear mushroom is crisp and crunchy. Not big on flavor, the Wood Ear mushroom tends to take on the flavors of other ingredients in the dish.
History
Wood Ear mushrooms are said to have been cultivated around 600AD, meaning they were the first recorded cultivated mushroom. They are native to China, and also grow in the Pacific Islands and in humid areas around the world. Most major Asian countries cultivate Wood Ear mushrooms today. They grow in the wild on rotting and decaying wood. Wood Ear mushrooms can be found at most Asian markets.
