Why not wash mushrooms?

Washed mushrooms lose a lot of their aroma

Especially in Bavaria and Austria, people also refer to mushrooms as "mushrooms". In fact, the mushrooms soak up water like a sponge, which is why you should never put them in a water bath. Mushrooms that have been soaked in water take on a rubbery to gelatinous consistency, do not become so nice and crispy when roasted and also lose a lot of their aroma. The same applies, of course, if you clean the mushrooms under running water. The latter should only be done if the mushrooms are actually very dirty and cannot be cleaned otherwise. However, this is usually not the case with cultivated mushrooms.

How to properly clean mushrooms

But if you can't wash mushrooms, how do you get them? really clean? Instead of using water, simply clean the sensitive mushrooms with a soft brush and a kitchen towel:

• First remove coarse dirt with a soft round brush.
• A normal brush is suitable for this, but you can also use a special mushroom brush.
• Rinse the brush with clean water before use and let it dry well.
• The fine cleaning is then carried out with a paper kitchen towel.
• Thoroughly rub each individual mushroom with the dry cloth.
• To do this, hold the mushrooms in one hand with your thumb and forefinger.
• But do not press too hard, otherwise there will be pressure points.