Nameko
Nameko, Cinnamon Cap
(Pholiota nameko and other species)
Nameko is common in the cool temperate highlands of China, Taiwan, and throughout the islands of northern Japan, where it has become one of the four most popular cultivated mushrooms. This small, slender mushroom grows in clusters and looks very much like a ceramic model with its shiny orangey cap. It cooks quickly to a sweet, gentle flavour that suggests a chanterelle. However, it costs less than shiitake or matsutake. It also develops a slurpy and slithery quality that the Japanese find appealing. It does not sauté well, turning instead to a tough sticky mess; but it is a popular item in miso shiru, nabemono, and some aemono dishes. Cinnamon cap is firm and tawny, also growing in clusters, but it is not as vivid as the nameko. When cooked, it becomes a glossy dark amber, having a flavour that is toasty and juicy, with the stems being slightly crunchy but not tough or fibrous.
