Mushroom madness at Libertine

While you are reading this researchers are busily working to find out if mushrooms hold the key to alleviating diseases such as alzheimers and cancer.

Just to be on the safe side, I'm adding three mushrooms a day to my diet and keeping my fingers crossed.



This and a few other interesting facts were shared by Greg Seymour, President of the Mushroom Grower’s Association at a lunch to celebrate 50 years of mushroom growing in Australia.

The lunch at Libertine, located at The Barracks, was opportunity for Head Chef Paul Roets to strut his stuff with six mushroom courses.

Libertine lucky seven mushroom dumplings with soy ginger dipping sauce

Crimini and escargot moneybags served with cep aioli

Field mushroom pate with baby caper and herb salad and toasted baguette

Chef’s famous hot and sour jungle curry with Portobello and Swiss Brown mushrooms

Red braised Rannoch Farm chicken with house made porcini mushroom noodles and nam nuoc tuong

Cape Grim grain fed sirloin, slow roasted and sliced over wok fired champignons in chinkiang vinegar

Chocolate brownie cake with meringue mushrooms all made by Dello Mano

Hazelnut meringue mushrooms with pashmak and forest berry anglaise

My favourite was the mushroom pate which had a delicious char-grilled flavour.  It was hard to resist but Lizzie Loel steeled my resolve by mentioning one of the reasons it tasted sooo good was all the butter in it. Ah well, life wasn't mean't to be perfect.

Another interesting mushroom fact that Greg mentioned is that the distinctive flavour of mushrooms is polarising.  You either love it or hate it - few people sit in between.  Unfortunately I'm the only mushroom lover in my house so I'm careful to include mushroom in sizes that can be picked out and removed by the fussy.  

Find out more about mushrooms and health here