Edible Mushroom Liquid Culture Syringe 10cc, with sterile needle and alcohol swab.
Conifer coral (Hercium abietes) is an edible mushroom that grows in a white pom pom on the wood of dead conifers. It is native to North America.
Liquid cultures are a great way to maintain relatively sterile technique without expensive lab equipment. Decreased contamination means increased success in growing mushrooms!
Liquid cultures can be stored in a refrigerator to preserve the viability for months (even years). We recommend using them as soon as possible to benefit from their peak vitality.
Syringes do not come with instructions. Please research growing techniques before purchasing. Resources can be found on our Learn to Grow page. Note: You can do this exact process without a glove box with great success! We recommend flame sterilizing the needle in between each transfer.
For peak viability we recommend using your mushroom products within weeks, and storing in a cool location until use. Refrigeration between 2-4C is ideal for the longest shelf-life. Even when refrigerated, the fungal mycelium continues to grow, and eventually mushrooms burst out one way or another.
After harvesting you should store the mushrooms in a paper bag, which allows them to breathe. Leave them in the main part of the refrigerator to get good airflow, not the produce drawer. They should be used immediately as they can become bitter if kept for more than a few days in the refrigerator.
When picked young and cooked, Bear’s Head mushrooms are tender and meaty with a mild, nutty taste and a sweet and fragrant seafood-like undertone, similar to lobster or crab. Bear’s Head mushrooms are favored for their nutty taste and tender texture.
Bear’s Head mushrooms must be cooked before consumption and are best suited for baking, sautéing, and frying. They are best broken up or cut into chunks and pan-fried in oil and butter until browned. They can also be broken into nuggets, baked, and then dipped into sauces, mixed into pasta, sprinkled into soups, or used as a meat substitute in crab cakes, fish tacos, and clam chowder. Bear’s Head mushrooms pair well with potatoes, corn, cabbage, shallots, garlic, onion, leeks, meats such as chicken, beef, or pork, sriracha, saffron, truffle butter, and apples.
Bear’s Head mushrooms contain vitamin D, fiber, iron, antioxidants, and protein. Dried and powdered Bear’s Head mushroom was used by tribes in North America to stop bleeding wounds and cuts. In Asia, many mushrooms of the Hericium species are used to extract mycelium, which is an element incorporated into a sports drink called Houtou.
