Mushroom Monks

This year we give thanks for the availability of locally-grown oyster mushrooms we’ve all been fortunate enough to experience throughout 2010. And of course it’s God – or at least a group of monks – we have to thank.

Up the Cooper River past the sprawling old plantations on Highway 41 and the tiny town of Huger sits Mepkin Abbey. The monastery was established in 1949 on a gorgeous piece of land ensconced with live oaks dripping with Spanish moss and decorated with gardens that are open to the public.

The 30 monks that live and work here rise at 3am each morning for Vigils and meditation and squeeze about five hours of work into their daily schedules. Part of the Trappist monk tradition is to work with their hands on their own land to provide a livelihood for themselves. Mushroom farming is their gig now, after years of selling eggs from their chickens.

Piggly Wiggly donated the five trailers that the monks need to operate their growing business. Inside the trailers, huge bags of growing material (corn husks and hay) are hung from the ceiling and spores are injected into the bags. The atmosphere must be carefully controlled and its low light and constant misting makes the trailers look vaguely like a sci-fi movie set with colored fungi popping out of what look like rows of punching bags.

These gourmet mushrooms are prized by locavore chefs for their texture, versatility and flavor. You might find them on menus at Husk, McCrady’s, High Cotton, Cypress and Anson- quite the all-star peninsula culinary league.

Oyster mushrooms get their name from the clustering growth pattern and shape which likens them to the Lowcountry’s celebrated winter bivalve. But you aren’t risking getting sick eating these mushrooms- quite the opposite actually. They are considered to be medicinal because they contain statins which help reduce cholesterol, so eat up.

The oyster mushrooms are sold fresh to select Piggly Wigglys and to Newton Farms and are available wholesale to businesses.

So what’s it to you? How about giving one of the most interesting and hyper-local gifts you could imagine this holiday season? Dehydrated mushrooms are sold in the Abbey’s gift shop and online. Or perhaps you’ll think about surprising your FFFs (favorite foodie friends) with the monks’ mushroom powder to add some culinary magic to their pantries.

Glory, glory, hallelujah.

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Story and Photos by: Dee Dee Arthur