Winter mushroom

Winter mushroom is a common name often used for enoki, a cultivated mushroom sold in compact clusters with long, slender stems and small caps. Cultivated specimens are typically pale, with a delicate, crisp texture when briefly cooked and a mild, slightly savoury flavour. Wild forms can look substantially different from the familiar cultivated product.

The clustered mushrooms are commonly separated at the base, trimmed, and added to soups, hot pots, stir-fries, or other cooked dishes. They are also sold in packaged bunches, fresh or preserved. Because the name can be used for different mushrooms, this description applies to the familiar cultivated enoki form, not every mushroom called a winter mushroom.