Used medicinally for centuries, Reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum) are finding a renewed popularity among the gardening, fungi, and natural health set, and if it lives up to the hype, it's little wonder why!What began as a random, cryptic text from my brother, the hobbyist-forager, bringing a local, family-owned, fungi-cultivating company (Fungi Perfecti) to my attention, ended with me ordering, and growing several of my own patches. After some trials, and a few errors on my end of things, I had my first harvest! The search was on! I needed to find something to do with my newly acquired Antler Reishi, or Rokkaku-Reishi Mushrooms, and since they're incredibly difficult to grind into a powder without the help of industrial equipment (just ask my poor food processor!) I decided a hot beverage would be the best way to put them to use. Without further ado...
Reishi "Tea"
4 cups Water
2 heaping Tablespoons of Antler Reishi Mushroom. You want to keep the ratio as 4-5 cups of water to 3-5 grams of mushroom.
Here's what you do:
In an uncoated, or enamel pot, combine 4 cups of water with mushroom chunks and heat to just below boiling. Reduce heat and cover, making sure to keep your liquid below a simmer. Steep for 2-4 hours.
Now that you've got your Reishi Tea prepared you can either continue with the recipe, or strain, bottle, and refrigerate the liquid until you are ready to use it.
Mushroom FoMo (faux-mocha) Latte
Here's what you need:
6 pods Cardamom
1/4 tsp ground Allspice
1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground Ginger
4 tsp powdered Chicory
4 Tbsp powdered Carob
4 Tbsp pure, organic Maple Syrup
2 cups full-fat, organic, canned Coconut Milk
Here's what you do:
If you've stored your Reishi Tea, warm it up in an uncoated or enamel pot, if you're continuing without pause from the previous steps add clove, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and steep on very low heat for 20 minutes. Strain, and in your 4 cups of liquid stir in 4 Tbsp of powdered Carob, and 4 tsp of powdered Chicory until dissolved, and 4 Tbsp pure, organic Maple Syrup (or Honey), adding 2 cups of room temperature full-fat, organic, canned Coconut Milk at the end. Serve, sprinkle with nutmeg, and enjoy!What I've learned:
If you're growing your own Antler Reishi Mushrooms try to break them or cut them up closer to harvesting them. I thought I'd dry them out, and they'd just grind right up, instead they hardened to a wood-like state, and scratched the hell out of my food processor, which means extra careful cleaning after each use from now on, since food particles hiding in deep grooves in cookware is a great place for foodborne illnesses to get their start in life! Those of you with counter top grain mills may have better luck in this area than I did. When making the Mushroom FoMo Latte, I pop the cardamom pods before throwing them in the pot to steep. I don't go so far as to dig out all the little seeds, I just give them a good crack, and toss them in. If you want to get fancy, and top your beverage off with a dollop of whipped coconut cream, check out this post at Tasty Yummies for instructions, and a handy little index for which brands whip up the best.
