Jamaica Gleaner

Exotic mushrooms from Manchester.

- Latara Boodie/Gleaner Writer latara.boodie@gleanerjm.com

MUSHROOMS ARE the most versatile natural non-meat source of protein. This food group has the ability to transform its taste, compositio­n and texture to rise to meet the various flavours that can be added to it. The Jamaica Exotic Mushrooms located in Spaldings, Manchester, is the largest mushroom producer on the island which takes a scientific and organic approach to mushroom farming.

“None of our mushrooms are generated from spores. With heavy research and analysis, we train the ones with the best flavours and clone them to produce multiple mushrooms,” said CEO of Jamaica Exotic Mushrooms Pauline Smith. Jamaica Exotic Mushrooms grow on a special substrate of bamboo, lemongrass, bamboo charcoal, and bamboo vinegar. TRIAL AND ERROR

“This was a lot of trial and error. Whatever you grow your mushrooms on, it will have the taste of the substrate,” explained the mushroom expert.

Mushrooms at Jamaica Exotic Mushrooms go through a process. Their initiation begins in an agar plate, where they were cloned from ideal parent mushrooms. “They are then transferre­d to small pellets in a glass bottle and then finally placed in grow bags filled with nutrients,” said Smith. The mushrooms on this farm use light and oxygen to grow. “They are like people. They need light, oxygen, water and nutrients. We do not grow out mushrooms in the dark,” she said.

Learning about edible mushrooms and including them in your regular meal plan is a good way to deal with lifestyle diseases that are on is the rise across Jamaica. High blood sugar, high blood pressure, and obesity are just some of the conditions that can be cured with diet. Oyster mushrooms are super foods that should be added to every daily menu. It only takes a few minutes to learn how to grow mushrooms when you use prepared grow bags. There are so many ways to prepare mushrooms.

They can be sautéed, pickled and baked just to name a few. Try this quick and easy recipe courtesy of Jamaica Exotic Mushrooms. For more informatio­n call (876) 420-8908 or visit their website jamaicaexo­ticmushroo­ms.com

‘None of our mushrooms are generated from spores. With heavy research and analysis, we train the ones with the best flavours and clone them to produce multiple mushrooms’

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 ?? PHOTOGRAPH­ER PHOTOS BY KENYON HEMANS/ ?? Main photo: Smith explains how easy it is to grow your own mushrooms with the use of her grow bags.
PHOTOGRAPH­ER PHOTOS BY KENYON HEMANS/ Main photo: Smith explains how easy it is to grow your own mushrooms with the use of her grow bags.
 ??  ?? CEO of Jamaica Exotic Mushrooms Pauline Smith demonstrat­es the preparatio­n of sautéed mushrooms.
CEO of Jamaica Exotic Mushrooms Pauline Smith demonstrat­es the preparatio­n of sautéed mushrooms.

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