This variety of mushroom only resemble the chestnut by their shape and colour, as they are very often referred to as brown mushrooms. With their rich colour, nuttier flavour and meatier texture these varieties were originally from Japan.  Chestnut mushrooms contain protein, fibre & b vitamins and with their high water content they are low in calories too. The chinese believe that mushrooms are a aphrodisiac, so they are perfect in a dish for Valentines! Even the egyptians believed that mushroom where the plant of immortality and they were reserved only for royal consumption. So treat your loved one like royalty and serve them mushrooms.

Try not to over cook these tasty mushrooms, simply wash them and trim back the stem if needs be but don’t disguard the stem it full of flavour.  These chestnut mushrooms are great in stews, stir fries, casseroles, pasta and risotto  or simply roasted.

Why not try our herbed mushrooms: Simply wash trim and halve 250g chestnut mushrooms, melt 50g of butter and 1 tblsp oil in a pan and fry your mushrooms for 8 to 10 minutes. Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic and 1 packet of finely chopped rosemary leaves, season and cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes until all the juices have gone, simply divine!

Mushroom picking in the early misty morning while out walking the dogs is fantastic. Picking them so fresh and then bringing them home for breakfast is a real treat. So much so that my dog Oliver thought he was missing out, as I gently collected each mushroom, so it wasn’t long before he started eatting them, before I could get to pick them. I actually grow my own now and you can buy mushroom kits from most garden centres, they are a brilliant idea and kids love watching them grow, just watch your pets!