Summer Oyster
The summer oyster is a lighter, more delicate, smaller cousin of the P. ostreatus that is cultivated and sold commercially in grocery stores, but it is just as tasty. Oysters are among the finest mushrooms of the gourmet trade, and can be prepared in many ways from battering and frying to sauteeing, to use in stews or garnishes for meats. They can be dried and dehydrated and reconstituted months later. The above fruiting is on top of a downed log. Ordinarily they grow laterally in shelving fashion, with little or no stalk, but when on top of a log or stump they can have a central stalk. They assume whatever shape maximizes the opportunity for spore dispersal. summer oysters can reach up to about four inches across. They lack the tan or brownish colors of P. ostreatus. They may be pure white, off-white, light grey or silvery as above and the cap when fresh is smooth and has a greasy feel. The gills are close and run down the stipe, fanning out radially from the stalk attachment. They are always a treat to find and fruit often in abundance from summer into fall.