Shiitake

The fungus was first described scientifically as Agaricus edodes by Miles Joseph Berkeley in 1877. == Distribution and habitat ==

Shittake grow in groups on the decaying wood of deciduous trees, particularly shii and other chinquapins, chestnut, oak, maple, beech, sweetgum, poplar, hornbeam, ironwood, and mulberry. Its natural distribution includes warm and moist climates in Southeast Asia. ==Cultivation==

The earliest written record of shittake cultivation is seen in the Records of Longquan County () compiled by He Zhan () in 1209 during the Song dynasty in China. The 185-word description of shittake cultivation from that literature was later cross-referenced many times and eventually adapted in a book by a Japanese horticulturist in 1796, the first book on shittake cultivation in Japan. Before 1982, the Japan Islands' variety of these mushrooms could only be grown in traditional locations using ancient methods. A 1982 report on the budding and growth of the Japanese variety revealed opportunities for commercial cultivation in the United States. Shittake are widely cultivated worldwide, contributing about 25% of the total yearly production of mushrooms. Commercially, shittake mushrooms are typically grown in conditions similar to their natural environment on either artificial substrate or hardwood logs, such as oak. ==Toxicity==

Rarely, consumption of raw or slightly cooked shittake mushrooms may cause an allergic reaction called "shittake dermatitis", including an erythematous, micro-papular, streaky pruriginous rash that occurs all over the body including face and scalp, appearing about 24 hours after consumption, possibly worsening by sun exposure and disappearing after 3 to 21 days. This effect – presumably caused by lentinan, a polysaccharide – is more common in East Asia, but may be growing in occurrence in Europe as shittake consumption increases. Thorough cooking may eliminate the allergenicity. ==Uses==

Fresh and dried shittake have many uses in East and Southeast Asia. In Chinese cuisine, they are used in many dishes, including soups, braises, and stir-fried vegetable dishes such as Buddha's delight. In Japan, they are served in miso soup, used as the basis for a kind of vegetarian dashi, and as an ingredient in many steamed and simmered dishes. Two prized varieties are produced in cooler temperatures. One high-grade variety is called '''' () (literally "winter mushroom") in Chinese, or in Japanese. ==Gallery==

File:Shiitake mushroom in Vegetable store in Yuen Long.jpg|Fresh shittake mushroom in the vegetable market in Hong Kong File:Wild Shiitake-Mushroom Japan.JPG|Shittake growing wild in Hokkaido File:Pyogobokkeum.jpg|Korean pyogo-bokkeum (stir-fried shittake mushroom) File:Shiitake Meshi Ekiben.JPG|Japanese ekiben File:Shiitake timelapse.webm|Timelapse video of shittake growth File:Lentinan.svg|Lentinan, a beta-glucan isolated from the shittake mushroom File:Shitake Mushroom.jpg|Young shittake mushrooms on a log ==References==