The etiquette rules on how to serve and eat champignon mushrooms. Tips to be the ideal host or the perfect guest.
What champignon mushroom etiquette is
Champignon etiquette is the set of rules to properly serve and eat champignon mushrooms. Such rules help avoid behaviors that disrespect your hosts or guests or make you look unpolite.
If you are hosting, follow the etiquette to appropriately serve champignon mushrooms to your guests.
As a guest, respect the etiquette rules to properly eat champignon mushrooms at the dining table and avoid offending your hosts.
What you should know about champignon mushrooms
The champignon mushroom is an Agaricus Bisporus mushroom in its immature and white state. Agaricus Bisporus is the most common edible mushroom in the world.
Champignon mushrooms are white in color with a cap between 2 and 6 centimeters (1 and 2.5 inches) in diameter. They are similar to white button mushrooms but slightly smaller. They are delicate in flavor and smooth and slightly spongy in texture.
Etiquette rules to serve and eat champignon mushrooms
1) How to store champignon mushrooms
It is best to eat fresh champignon mushrooms within a few days of the purchase.
Store champignon mushrooms in the fridge. Mushrooms can absorb the smell of other foods, and thus spoil their taste. It is best to keep them in a sealed container. In the fridge, champignon mushrooms will last between 3 and 7 days.
It is possible to freeze champignon mushrooms. You can freeze them raw or cooked. In the freezer, they usually last up to 10 months. However, the texture, color, and taste of frozen champignon mushrooms can deteriorate sensibly after a couple of months.
After cooking champignon mushrooms, store them in the fridge. They can last between 2 and 5 days.
2) How to clean champignon mushrooms
You do not need to separate the stem from the cap or peel them before or after washing.
To clean champignon mushrooms, wash them in cold running water. Gently remove any dirt. Then, soak them in water for about 10 to 20 minutes. Finally, rinse them and place them on a towel or on kitchen paper to dry.
3) How to cook champignon mushrooms
Champignon mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked.
Prepare champignon mushrooms in slices, in chunks, or whole. You can cook champignon mushrooms in various methods. Boil, grill, sautée, fry, or roast in the oven. However, they are most commonly used for salads. Due to their texture and flavor, they are the best-suited mushrooms for pizza.
Mushrooms are among the most disliked foods. Thus, before cooking and serving champignon mushrooms to your guests, it is considerate to ask whether some guests avoid eating them.
4) How to serve & present champignon mushrooms
Champignon mushrooms are a rather common and cheap ingredient. Thus, they are most appropriate for informal meals. Champignon mushrooms are typical in spring and fall. It is not common to serve them in warm weather or to use them in winter recipes.
You can serve champignon mushrooms as a side dish or complement. Serve them whole, in chunks, or in slices, warm or at room temperature. Present them in a serving shallow bowl or dish, and with a serving spoon.
5) Food and wine to pair champignon mushrooms with
Champignon mushrooms go well with olive oil, butter, garlic, shallots, onions, rosemary, and thyme. They are great in salads.
You can match champignon mushrooms with eggs or meats, such as pork, chicken, or poultry. It is not common to pair champignon mushrooms with fish or seafood.
The best vegetables to combine champignon mushrooms with are potatoes, asparagus, leeks, beans, and spinach. Avoid combining champignon mushrooms with more prized mushrooms, such as porcini, chanterelle, or shiitake. Due to their delicate taste, champignon mushrooms do not combine well with cheese and dairy.
Champignon mushrooms pair best with medium-bodied white wine. Such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer, an unoaked Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc. You can pair them with light-bodied red wine too. Such as Chianti or Beaujolais.
6) How to eat champignon mushrooms
Eat champignon mushrooms with a fork and knife. When they are served in chunks or slices, avoid using the knife if possible.
Every part of the mushroom is edible. In general, it is not polite to discard champignon mushrooms. If you dislike them, try to make an effort and eat some of them. Discarding all the mushrooms risks embarrassing your host.
Champignon mushroom etiquette: the worst mistakes
Avoid the worst champignon mushroom etiquette mistakes.
- 9/10. Serving spoiled champignon mushrooms.
- 7/10. Combining champignon mushrooms with prized mushrooms.
- 4/10. Pairing champignon mushrooms with too-strong flavors.
Additional information for properly serving champignon mushrooms
How many calories per serving?
Counting calories is important to stay healthy and plan a menu correctly.
Champignon mushrooms are mostly made of water. They contain about 20 calories per 100 grams (3.5 oz). One small champignon mushroom weighs about 6 grams and contains between 1 and 2 calories.
How to buy the best champignon mushrooms
A crucial factor in champignon mushroom etiquette is serving your guests the best product possible.
Season and availability
Champignon mushrooms are commonly cultivated in the Northern Hemisphere during the rainy seasons. Thus, the best seasons are usually spring and autumn.
Choose the best
Good champignon mushrooms must be firm and look fresh. Discard mushrooms that look wet and feel slimy or sticky.
Alternatives to champignon mushrooms
As a substitute for champignon mushrooms, try other mushrooms such as cremini or white button.
Resources
- Edible Mushrooms: Improving Human Health and Promoting Quality Life: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov