# Shitake Mushrooms? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051 "2006-10-02T23:40:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brendon\_small](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brendon_small/32/17101_2.png) [@brendon\_small](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brendon_small)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/1 "2006-10-02T23:40:20Z")
What do I do with these things? I bought them at Kroger the other day and I have not a clue what to do with them. Actually, I don’t even know if I spelled the title right… Suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/2 "2006-10-02T23:56:38Z")
Dried or fresh? If fresh, clean them like any othger mushroom. If dried, soak them in warm water for half an hour, then rinse them. If you want to get fancy, soak them in a mix of warm water and sherry. Mince and throw into a soup stock or sauce for noodles. You can also stir them into am omelette, though I’d go light on them until you know you like the taste. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/3 "2006-10-02T23:58:59Z")
Slice and dice them, and put them in fried rice! They’re great in hot and sour soup, too! ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/4 "2006-10-03T00:16:25Z")
If dried, after reconstituting with hot water remove any stalks as they get a bit too chewy to enjoy eating. ---
**Author:** ![brendon\_small](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brendon_small/32/17101_2.png) [@brendon\_small](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brendon_small)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/5 "2006-10-03T00:18:22Z")
They are fresh…I think the fried rice idea sounds great! Thanks guys (or gals)! Brendon ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/6 "2006-10-03T00:28:37Z")
While on the subject, how do Japanese speakers pronounce Shitaki? Shit-ake or shi-tak-i or shit-a-ki or something else? ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/7 "2006-10-03T01:21:55Z")
[QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] While on the subject, how do Japanese speakers pronounce Shitaki? Shit-ake or shi-tak-i or shit-a-ki or something else? [/QUOTE] Shi-i-ta-ke ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/8 "2006-10-03T01:27:18Z")
[QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] While on the subject, how do Japanese speakers pronounce Shitaki? Shit-ake or shi-tak-i or shit-a-ki or something else? [/QUOTE] That would be she _taw_ keh In romanji the last syllable is _ke_, not _ki_ which makes a difference. The first syllable is _shi_ or alternatly _shii_ which makes no difference, at least to my western ears. In any event, the first syllable has a long I sound, eliminating anything like ‘shit’ as in caca. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/9 "2006-10-03T02:22:09Z")
BTW, the more common spelling is **shiitake**. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/10 "2006-10-03T02:59:18Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] the more common spelling is **shiitake**. [/QUOTE] And am I correct in my belief that, as **cckerberos** indicates, it should be pronounced with 4 syllables? ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/11 "2006-10-03T04:30:56Z")
Shiii TA kae. (Sheeee) Not taw. TAAaaa. No “aww” sound in there. In Japanese, where a vowel is doubled it simply extends the sound, it doesn’t form a seperate syllable. Sort of like Good v gooood. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/12 "2006-10-03T05:26:14Z")
Why, just Eat Shiitake! It combines the light-hearted frivolity of fungus flying with the horror of drowning! (Sorry, couldn’t resist. Apologies in advance, especially for any confusion this may cause. :D) ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/13 "2006-10-03T09:38:08Z")
Remove the stems and only use the caps. Slice fairly thin and saute. Good stir fried with chicken, veggies, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/14 "2006-10-03T12:18:35Z")
[QUOTE=Leaper] Why, just Eat Shiitake! It combines the light-hearted frivolity of fungus flying with the horror of drowning [/QUOTE] Indeed it does, Ken. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![brendon\_small](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brendon_small/32/17101_2.png) [@brendon\_small](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brendon_small)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shitake-mushrooms/375051/15 "2006-10-03T14:23:19Z")
[QUOTE=Leaper] It combines the light-hearted frivolity of fungus flying with the horror of drowning! [QUOTE] Huh? Am I missing out on some wonderful joke here? uh-oh…I have to be! hmm… drowning, flying, fungus… still not a clue. Sorry… Brendon