The Ugly Fungling

Blue Oysters look essentially as you’d expect them to, right from the beginning. They start to sprout with deep blue, tiny caps; a miniature version of what they become. They do lighten up with maturity, though.

King Blue Oysters, on the other hand, are a completely different story. When they first start growing, they could easily be confused for some sort of grotesque brain-eating fungus. At the very least, they’re not the eye-catching beauties you’d expect from a mushroom with a regal name.

As they grow, however, they lengthen and curl, cap and stalk forming the crowning glory they are known for. Beauty unfurled, it’s easy to see why these mushrooms were dubbed King Blues.

Befitting something blue, these mushrooms grow well in colder temperatures. Both mushrooms have a sweet and savory taste, pairing well with many dishes. King Blues do differ in the fact that the whole thing is usable, stalk and all, instead of just the caps. They also have a more dense, meaty texture and are loved by chefs due to these qualities.

Considering that they are so closely related, it’s no surprise how similar the two are. Even so, they’re both interesting and beautiful mushrooms on their own, bringing their own uniqueness into the gourmet mushroom world. Either variety would be a great addition to a kitchen or grow area.