Fabulous fungi

So, you're in the supermarket fancying a nice mushroom sauce with your steak for supper. You're probably looking at button, brown and maybe portabella. Until fairly recently, exotic and gourmet mushrooms were not available here, and for a good reason.

Buttons are fairly easy to grow, but the exotic ones aren't when not on their home turf.

They need a carefully controlled environment, and are surprisingly delicate. But Cheryl Castelein's partner is a fridge engineer and together they founded Funki Fungi, "purveyors of exotic and gourmet mushrooms".

Not only have they fine-tuned how to grow shitake, eryngi and multi-coloured oyster mushrooms, but together with a Catholic welfare organisation and the National Development Agency they have provided the means for growing mushrooms in the townships, where people can support themselves and their families by growing mushrooms to supply Funki Fungi.

Castelein is known to many Capetonians as The Mushroom Lady, and you can meet her every Saturday at the Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill in Salt River. She'll also be trading at the indoor market in Tokai.

Besides the pink, gold and silver oysters, shitake and eryngi cultivated by Funki Fungi, Castelein also sells imported varieties like shemejji and enoki, hand-picked seasonal wild mushrooms such as porcini, and a range of mushroom products like her porcini butter (use it to fry your eggs, you'll never look back), mushroom pate, seasonings and stock powders.

Castelein also has fresh truffle and pungent truffle oil. She's recently added mixed mushroom kebabs to her repertoire, which you can eat there or take home to braai.

If you think a mushroom is just a mushroom, maybe you should give one of those kebabs a try. It's a good way to sample the different varieties; they all have distinct flavours and textures, and they have health benefits.

Shitakes have been shown to reduce cancerous tumours. Packed with minerals and amino acids they are natural immune system boosters, as are shimejji and enoki. Eryngi are good for gastro-intestinal problems as well as kidney or liver dysfunction, while oysters contain the highest plant protein of all the mushrooms as well as the anti-cholesterol drug lovastatin.

Naturally low in sodium, mushrooms are a good source of fibre, and many provide vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, cobalamins and ascorbic acid, and minerals such as selenium, potassium and phosphorus. Best of all, they are yummy.

If you're still a mushroom novice, visit the From The Earth Expo at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, where Castelein will display her wares.

Presented by Agri-Expo, its goals are to promote the image of agriculture, emphasise the bio-diversity in agriculture, introduce the youth to career opportunities in agriculture, and give smaller producers the opportunity to showcase their products.

"We are celebrating Mother Earth for her contribution to the ongoing existence of man and beast," says Mariana Rabie, marketing manager at Agri-Expo.

"The diversity and excitement of the agricultural sector will be showcased in a surprising way that will appeal to farmers, manufacturers, food and fashion lovers, families, those who embrace wellness and the visitor who wants to experience agriculture in all its facets."

In the Earth Stock section, breeders will introduce the city folk to poultry, sheep, cattle, goats, ostriches, alpacas, emus and horses. In the Land Bank Arena, people will be able attend youth shows, where pupils will show their animals.

"Youth shows are a national sport and for the past two years, the Western Cape has walked away with the most gold medals at the national championships," says Rabie.

"Every day there will also be an animal parade in this arena, fashion shows, dog-jumping shows and milking demonstrations. Sheep and goats will also be sheared, the wool and mohair washed."

Earth Expo will include products from all the different agricultural sectors, such as vegetables, fruit, Karoo meat, biltong, fish, chickens and eggs, honey, jams and marmalades, olives, handcrafted cheese, mushrooms, herbs and orchids, organic wines and berry liqueur.

The Earth Snail Trail will have a market atmosphere of slow food. There will also be Earth art stands like ceramics and glass.

At Earth Info, young people will be introduced to career opportunities in agriculture, advice will be offered to emerging farmers and visitors will be given information about the important role agriculture plays.

• This article was originally published on page 7 of The Cape Argus on October 17, 2009