Can mycelium replace plastic packaging? The promise and limits of fungi-based materials
The polystyrene block that keeps a new appliance from rattling in its box is easy to overlook until you need to dispose of it. Mycelium packaging is designed to do a similar job using a fungal network grown through plant material.
Shiitake in shojin ryori: the role of mushrooms in Japanese temple cooking
Imagine a temple kitchen where meat, fish, garlic and onion are absent, yet a pot of broth still tastes deeply savoury. This is one of the pleasures of shojin ryori, the plant-based cooking tradition practised in Japanese Buddhist temples. Shiitake has an important place in it, bringing a rounded flavour to stocks, simmered vegetables and rice.
Agar vs liquid culture in mushroom cultivation
If you are learning about mushroom cultivation, two terms you will come across early on are agar and liquid culture. Both are used to grow and manage mycelium, but they work in very different ways.
