Designer Mushrooms

San Francisco is no doubt a major player in the universe of the culinary arts scene. She’s proven herself worthy over and over of the type of acclaim previously reserved for larger, older cities, such as New York and Paris; yet she maintains her own identity.

I am amazed at just how sophisticated San Francisco has become in the last few years. The metamorphosis of our epicurean community makes me proud. It seems everywhere you turn there is a new up and coming, culturally significant  representation of cuisine to explore.

Almost any ingredient you desire is available to you, and for the most part, readily. Gone are the days when exotic and unusual ingredients were available only in better restaurants and to “in-the-know foodies,” willing to travel oftentimes at length in an effort to acquire them. It seems everywhere you turn there is a broad selection of items once thought of as unusual luxuries, slowly making their way into the fibers of our everyday lives. It’s no wonder San Francisco has made a name for itself as being an International Food and Wine hot spot.

One such ingredient or item is the mushroom, which has an amazing array of variety within its respective Fungi family. Mushrooms used to be limited in availability from a couple to a few different kinds, within the supermarket or produce vendor. If you wanted something “special,” you were limited to dried mushrooms that required reconstituting them in water in order for them to resemble something of their original state. Now, you have the option of choosing from many different kinds of mushrooms, fresh or even “live,” and can easily step outside your Fungi comfort level should you desire to and explore!.

Far West Fungi (www.farwestfungi.com) is one such retailer that encourages this. They are located within the Ferry Building in San Francisco. Their shop is filled with cultivated and wild mushrooms, as well as a variety of truffles, salts, oils, and various educational and instructional books for purchase. They often have upwards of 40 different kinds of locally cultivated and imported mushrooms to choose from. The Garrone Family operates this modest storefront that represents their farm in Moss Landing, and continues to remain active in bringing mushrooms to various farmers’ markets as they have been for over 25 years!

All of the pictures represented here are shots taken from within the Ferry Building.