Yi County Shiitake Mushrooms

Yi County Shiitake Mushrooms

　　A premium mountain vegetable. Yi County shiitake mushrooms belong to the "Huizhou Mushrooms" category, also known as "Xiangxin" (fragrant mushrooms), and are classified under the Basidiomycetes. Initially, their caps are flattened and hemispherical, with edges that curl inward before gradually flattening out. The caps are light brown, tawny, or dark brown, often accompanied by white or light brown scales. The gills are white, thick, and dense. The stems are nearly cylindrical or slightly flattened, solid inside, white on the upper part and brown on the lower part, often curved, with scales growing below the annulus. Huizhou Mushrooms originate from Huizhou and stand out as a unique variety due to their distinctive bright color, rich flavor, thick and tender flesh, fragrant aroma, and high nutritional and medicinal value. They were once ranked first among China’s four famous mushrooms (Huizhou Mushrooms, Ganzhou Mushrooms, Tingzhou Mushrooms, and Beijiang Mushrooms). Yi County shiitake mushrooms are the finest among Huizhou Mushrooms, prized for their thick flesh, delicious taste, and rich nutrition, making them a beloved food and a delicacy at banquets. Based on quality and appearance, Yi County shiitake mushrooms can be divided into three types: flower mushrooms, thick mushrooms (winter mushrooms), and flat mushrooms—all top-grade Huizhou Mushrooms. Especially notable are the flower mushrooms, which develop cracks stimulated by the large temperature differences between day and night in the mountains, exposing their white flesh. In 1983, they were awarded a “High Quality” certificate by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. In 1993, they won a gold medal at the “China High-Quality Agricultural Products and Scientific & Technological Achievements Equipment Exhibition” held in Bangkok, Thailand. Yi County shiitake mushrooms are premium ingredients in Huizhou cuisine and can be used to prepare a variety of delicious traditional Huizhou dishes, such as braised shiitake mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms with stone chicken, shiitake mushrooms with vegetable hearts, and “Stir-Fried Double Winter” made primarily with winter mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots. Adding mushroom stems to five-spice tea eggs or fennel fermented black beans also adds a unique flavor. Shiitake mushrooms are also a nutritious health food with notable therapeutic benefits. Wu Rui of the Yuan Dynasty wrote in his book *Daily Use Materia Medica* that shiitake mushrooms have the effects of “benefiting qi, relieving hunger, treating wind conditions, and breaking up blood stasis.” Ming Dynasty physicians from Xin’an, Wang Ji and Xu Chunfu, believed that “regular consumption of shiitake mushrooms can prolong life, promote fitness, improve intelligence and mood, strengthen bones and muscles, and enhance complexion.” Folk remedies often use shiitake mushrooms to assist in treating childhood smallpox and measles, as well as for detoxification and lowering blood pressure. Shiitake mushrooms also help reduce serum cholesterol and have anti-cancer properties, among other benefits, and are increasingly valued by people. (Huangshan)