By Brendan Martin Coyne.
Along with cool summer breezes and picturesque sunsets, there also comes the rainy, wet, damp season that lasts a few weeks into early summer. This type of weather is an incubator for one of our favorite micro-ecosystems, fostering the growth of wild mushrooms. Recently, foraging as well as a deep interest in mycology (the study of mushrooms and mycelium) has made a comeback, driven by the health benefits that can be achieved through a mushroom-rich diet. However, identifying mushrooms can be tricky and should be left to the professionals. So instead, check out McGuire’s Mushrooms!
McGuire’s Mushrooms, owned by Kevin McGuire and Kaylee Doyle, is a family-operated full-service mushroom farm, serving craft gourmet and medicinal mushrooms to chefs and restaurants, individuals, and local farmers’ markets. One of the aspects they pride themselves on is the belief that mushrooms are the future and that educating consumers about the several different species (Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga) and their various health benefits is incredibly important.
Moreover, if you’re an avid gardener like me, McGuire’s also offers mushroom grow kits, so you can cultivate different types of mushrooms in your own home. You will likely get around three rounds of mushroom spawns. Then you can bury the block in your garden to support your vegetables with the power of mycelium for your garden ecosystem.
McGuire’s three varietals that are fresh and currently for sale are Lion’s Mane (mild and creamy, compared to crab or lobster), Italian Oysters (mild, meaty, and earthy), and Black King Trumpets (sweet, complex, and umami).
Look for McGuire’s this summer at the Hingham, Marshfield, Braintree, and Weymouth Farmers’ Markets. If you are strapped for time, you can also find the mushrooms at Holly Hill Farm in Cohasset, as well as several other local South Shore restaurants: Liv Creative (Marshfield); Food Court (Plymouth); Alma Nove (Hingham Shipyard); Scarlet Oak Tavern (Hingham); Trident Galley & Raw Bar (Hingham); and The Chef’s Table (Marshfield).
McGuire’s Mushrooms
Hingham, MA
www.McguiresMushrooms.com
(781) 664-4248 or (781) 985-0319