Trim off the earthy end of the stalk, and wipe the cap with a damp cloth (avoid washing when possible, as soaking in water tends to destroy the flavor). If the skin be tough, remove by peeling. The stems and the skin upon the caps of the common mushroom, Agaricus campestris, are tough and require longer cooking than does the flesh of the cap. On this account the peeled caps are often used in one dish and the trimmings, chopped fine, are added as a flavor to some other dish. If not needed for immediate use the trimmings may be dried in the wanning oven and stored in a tight-closed bottle or bag, for future use.

Many think that the peculiar mushroom flavor is heightened or brought out more fully by first of all sautéing the mushrooms, prepared for cooking, in a little hot butter. Some ways of cooking mushrooms are better adapted to one variety than to another. Occasionally, to prevent discoloring, mushrooms are sprinkled with lemon juice after being peeled or broken into pieces; this, however, detracts from the mushroom flavor.

How To Keep Mushrooms Temporarily

Nina Marshall in "The Mushroom Book" is authority for the following: "To keep mushrooms temporarily, cleanse, remove the parts to be rejected, rinse in cold water the parts to be used, dry with a cloth, then put in boiling water and keep boiling for five or ten minutes. Drain and wipe dry." Thus prepared, the water in which the mushrooms are cooked should be retained for use in sauce or soup.