Button mushrooms generally look like little cartoon umbrellas, with an umbrella-like cap attached to a stem that can be short and thick or thin and slightly curvy. There are three different types of button mushrooms – white mushrooms, crimini mushrooms and Portabello mushrooms. The white mushroom is the most common type and is the cream colored mushroom that often adorns salads. The crimini mushroom, which looks just like the button but is more mocha colored, has a more distinctive flavor. The Portabello mushroom whose large size and meaty flavor make it a popular vegetarian entrée, is actually an overgrown crimini mushroom. .

Button mushrooms have grown wild since prehistoric times. In ancient times, mushrooms were thought to have special powers. The Egyptians thought that they granted immortality, and since only the pharaohs were felt to be worthy of this gift, the common people were not even allowed to touch mushrooms, let alone eat them. In ancient Rome, people oftentimes referred to mushrooms as cibus diorum – food for the gods. The folklore of many cultures, including Russia, China and Mexico held that eating mushrooms could give someone superhuman strength.

Although mushrooms have been enjoyed by people around the world for millennia, it was not until the 17th century that they began to be cultivated. The first attempts at cultivation began near Paris, a city that still has hundreds of miles of underground caves and tunnels where mushrooms are grown. Cultivation of button mushrooms began in the United States in the late 19th century. The United States is one of the leading commercial producers of button mushrooms, with Thailand and Malaysia a close second.

Shiitake mushrooms have been served for many years, adding texture and flavor to stir frys, soups, sauces and many Asian dishes. In China, Korea and Japan, shiitakes are aggressively cultivated and are widely consumed. Fresh shiitakes grow on wood and are about two to four inches long. Cooking shiitakes intensifies their flavor, and can be added to sautéed, fried and grilled dishes.