A Garden in a Box
Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 4:00AM 
Who would have thought a garden could come in a box? I was waiting for an early afternoon coffee at a grocery store Starbuck’s when I spotted this box. I was intrigued because it read, “great for kids,” so after I got my espresso I went back to check it out.
The box claims you can grow oyster mushrooms on your kitchen counter. So I bought it and brought it home. Together, the boys and I followed simple directions where we cut open a bag, soaked it in water for 12 hours, misted it occasionally and, voila…a few days later baby mushrooms sprouted. The very next day, mushrooms were ready for harvest. It even grew a second round of the precious crop.
When you think about commercial mushroom farming, the box isn’t that different. Some kind of peat is impregnated with mushroom spores and with a little love and attention they grow.
Our next decision was how to cook these delicate little mushrooms. We chose a simple way illustrated in the recipe below. It makes a great side dish for any grilled meat, topping for burger or pizza, filling for an omelet, or a nice warm accompaniment for a fresh garden salad.
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Sautéed Mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
2 cups oyster mushrooms, whole
Dash of white wine
Dash of soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a sauté pan with the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms. Stir once, add the wine and soy sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. Finish with the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 4 small servings
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