644240 Wed Aug 12 18:39:29 -0700 2009 8 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4941666 At the Asian market, I found some packets of mushrooms (each with their own anime characature). These are amazing. They're not local, but my goodness are they yummy. The white beech seems to be my husband's favourite, and mine the maitaki. If you go to the website, the cartoons are animated). proper site: http://www.hokto-kinoko.com/products.html animated mushrooms: http://www.hokto-kinoko.co.jp/class/02.html (in Japanese) Wed Aug 12 18:39:29 -0700 2009 224238 Caralien 1 4941855 When you write that Hokto mushrooms aren't local, do you mean in your state or country? The packages that I've bought were all the product of their San Marcos, CA farm. After reading this LAT article http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/food/la-fo-calcook1-2008oct01,0,5043018.story last year, I've been looking for their maitakes and they appeared on the shelves a few months ago. The price has been fluctuating between the equivalent of $7 to $9 a pound, which is usually cheaper than wild gathered hen-of-the-woods. The flavor and texture isn't as good and I go with wild mushrooms when the price goes down to around $10/lb. Wed Aug 12 19:48:00 -0700 2009 4941666 105166 PorkButt 2 4942577 Hokto is now produced in CA, but I live in NJ and have been working on eating food produced within 50 miles . At the Asian Market in Plainsboro, the 3.5 oz packages are 3/$4.50, which is $6.80/lb. I do like the wild mushrooms from Griggstown, but for delicate mushrooms, these really are great! I will check the farmer's market the next time I go to see if they have the hen of the woods (maitaki) variety. The article is good too--I didn't know that PA produced so many mushrooms (the border is within 20 miles). Thanks! Thu Aug 13 06:20:48 -0700 2009 4941855 224238 Caralien 3 4945139 Got it, I thought you were referring to mushrooms imported from Japan, definitely not local even to CA Thu Aug 13 19:06:05 -0700 2009 4942577 105166 PorkButt 2 4943807 PB: I've located a closer distributor: Phillips Mushrooms in Kennett, PA (location of the Mushroom Festival Sept 12-13) It's 80 miles away, that is a lot closer than 2,750 miles and they do carry the Beech Mushrooms as well as Hen of the Woods! http://www.phillipsmushroomfarms.com/pmprod.html Thu Aug 13 11:42:00 -0700 2009 4941855 224238 Caralien 3 4944530 "It's 80 miles away, that is a lot closer than 2,750 miles " Not too sure if I get the concept. Isn't the idea trying to buy produce GROWN within a rather short distance? If OTOH the purpose is BUYING from a VENDOR located within a short distance, then the entire world is up for grabs if I live in a major city? Thu Aug 13 14:59:05 -0700 2009 4943807 28703 RicRios 4 4944650 Locally sourced. Hence this posting I started: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/587343 Thu Aug 13 15:44:41 -0700 2009 4944530 224238 Caralien 5 4944799 If my next door neighbor sells truffles from Albania, does that count as locally sourced? Thu Aug 13 16:40:12 -0700 2009 4944650 28703 RicRios 6 4944829 rtroll, no it doesn't, unless you're in Albania Thu Aug 13 16:50:28 -0700 2009 4944799 224238 Caralien