Matsutake

Matsutake (Japanese: 松茸, pine mushroom, Tricholoma matsutake = syn. T. nauseosum) is the common name for a highly sought after mycorrhizal mushroom known to grow in Japan and a handful of other places around the world. It has been an important element of Japanese cuisine for at least 1,000 years^{[citation needed]}. The tradition of mushroom giving persists today in Japan's corporate world, and a gift of matsutake is considered special and is cherished by those who receive it.

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Distribution and habitat

Matsutake grow under trees and are usually concealed under fallen leaves and/or the duff layer. It forms a symbiotic relationship with the roots of a limited number of tree species. In Japan it is most commonly associated with Japanese Red Pine. However in the Pacific Northwest it is found in coniferous forests made up of one or more of the following: Douglas Fir, Noble Fir, Shasta Fir, Sugar Pine, Ponderosa Pine and Lodge Pole Pine. Further south, it is also associated with hardwoods, namely Tanoak and Madrone forests. The Pacific Northwest and other similar temperate regions along the Pacific Rim also hold great habitat producing these and other quality wild mushrooms.

In 1999, N. Bergius and E. Danell reported that Swedish (Tricholoma nauseosum) and Japanese matsutake (T. matsutake) are the same species.^[1] The report aroused the import from Northern Europe to Japan because of the comparable flavor and taste.

Commercial use

Matsutake are hard to harvest and therefore the price is very high. Domestic productions of Matsutake in Japan have been sharply reduced over the last fifty years due to a pine nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, and it has influenced the price a great deal. The annual harvest of Matsutake in Japan is now less than 1000 tons, and it is largely made up by imports from China, Korea, the American Pacific Northwest (Northern California - British Columbia) and Northern Europe (Sweden and Finland).^[2] The price for Matsutake in the Japanese market is highly dependent on quality, availability and origin. The Japanese Matsutake at the beginning of the season, which is the highest grade, can go up to $2000 per kilogram. In contrast, the average value for imported Matsutake is about $90 per kilogram.

Cooking

  The main recipes for matsutake are matsutake soup, matsutake rice, grilled matsutake, etc. Their magnificently spicy aroma, similar to a blend of pine and cinnamon, enhances wild mushroom dishes and makes great recipes. The aroma lasts even after it is cooked. Be warned, the flavor is as intense as the aroma and can be a little overwhelming.

See also

• Truffles: another highly sought-after fungus
• List of delicacies: A list of other sought-after comestibles, in an international format.

References

1. ^ Eric Danell, The Swedish matsutake and the Japanese matsutake are the same species!, The Edible Mycorrhizal Mushroom Research Group, Department of Forest Mycology and Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
2. ^ (Japanese) 輸入マツタケに異変　中国産激減、フィンランド参戦, J-CAST, 2007/9/26.