Emma Wilson
The clam mushroom, scientifically known as Fomes fasciatus, is a type of polypore mushroom that typically grows on living and dead broad-leaf hardwood trees, such as oak, maple, and hickory. It is characterized by its semicircular clam-shaped body, ranging from 7 to 18 cm in width, with a flat to convex pore surface on the bottom. The top of the fruiting body displays concentric zones of gray, brown, or black, and the flesh can be up to 4 cm thick with a golden-brown color. While Fomes fasciatus is commonly found in Eastern Texas, it has also been documented in Australia, Southern Asia, and Indonesia. The Alba Clamshell™ and Brown Clamshell™ are cultivated varieties known for their mild shellfish flavor and attractive appearance, making them popular in culinary applications.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Fomes fasciatus |
| Common name | Southern clam shell |
| Type | Bracket mushroom, polypore mushroom |
| Shape | Clam-shaped, hoof-shaped |
| Size | 7-18 cm wide |
| Surface | Flat to convex pore surface |
| Color | Gray, brown, or black |
| Flesh thickness | Up to 4 cm thick |
| Flesh color | Golden brown |
| Pores | Circular, 4-5 per mm |
| Pore color | White when young, turning brown with age |
| Texture | Crunchy |
| Flavor | Mild shellfish flavor |
| Distribution | Tropical zones, subtropical to southern hemisphere |
| Habitat | Hardwood trees such as oak, maple, and hickory |
| Related species | Fomes fomentarius |
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Fomes fasciatus
F. fasciatus is often found on hardwood trees, such as oaks, in tropical zones. In Eastern Texas, for example, F. fasciatus has been observed in several locations, including Lick Creek Park, Wolf Pen Creek Park, and the Sam Houston National Forest. The fungus fruits year-round, but it is most commonly found from spring to fall.
Recent phylogenetic research has helped to distinguish the genetic differences between F. fasciatus and F. fomentarius, despite their morphological similarities. The research found that the two species share less than 88% maximum identity for the ITS region. Additionally, F. fasciatus has been studied as a potential cheap biosorbent of heavy metals due to its common occurrence and lack of current economic use.
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Brown Clamshell™
The Brown Clamshell™ mushroom, also known as Hon-Shimeji or Buna-Shimeji, is a versatile mushroom with a mild shellfish flavour. Its quarter-sized caps and 2- to 3-inch white stems retain a crunchy texture even after sautéing, making it a pleasant addition to seafood soups, bisques, stews, sauces, or stir-fries. The Brown Clamshell™ has a good shelf life, and its marbled appearance makes it attractive for produce and restaurant presentations. It is certified organic by QAI.
Similar to the Alba Clamshell™, which is an albino strain of the Brown Clamshell, the Brown Clamshell™ can be paired with a wider variety of dishes, including red wine sauces and Asian-influenced stir-fries. It is recommended to briefly blanch the Brown Clamshell™ in salted water to soften its flavour profile before sautéing it over high heat to bring out the most flavour. The Brown Clamshell™ pairs well with grilled veal, almond, cashew, garlic chives, and thyme, and it goes well with red wine.
The Brown Clamshell™ mushroom is grown in the United States and is commonly found on hardwood trees such as hackberry, hickory, maple, and oak. It contributes to the loss of commercially viable wood. The Brown Clamshell™ is ecologically similar to Fomes fomentarius, another type of fungus that grows on hardwood trees and produces large, woody, clam-shaped conks. However, the Brown Clamshell™ is more commonly found in tropical zones, while Fomes fomentarius is found in more temperate regions.
The Brown Clamshell™ mushroom has a unique appearance, with a semicircular clam shape and a width of 7-18 cm. The top of the mushroom has concentric zones of grey, brown, or black, and the flesh can be up to 4 cm thick at the base with a golden-brown colour. The pores on the underside are circular and white when young, turning brown and then dark brown with age.
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Alba Clamshell™
The Alba Clamshell™ is a mushroom that is an albino strain of the Brown Clamshell. It is also known as Hon-Shimeji or Buna-Shimeji. The Alba Clamshell™ has quarter-sized caps with 2- to 3-inch white stems that retain a crunchy texture even after sautéing. This mushroom is distinguished by its mild shellfish flavour, with an almond aroma. It is excellent when paired with fish and other shellfish, and its recommended pairings include olive oil, garlic, tomato, red bell pepper, citrus juices, and thyme, and it goes well with Sauvignon Blanc.
The Alba Clamshell™ is a versatile mushroom that can be used in a variety of dishes, including seafood soups, bisques, stews, sauces, or stir-fries. It has a good shelf life, and its creamy white caps are attractive in produce and restaurant presentations. Mycopia Mushrooms recommends blanching the Alba Clamshell™ in salted water for two minutes to soften its flavour profile. This process is followed by draining and cooling before proceeding with the chosen recipe.
The Alba Clamshell™ is certified organic by QAI and is grown in the United States. While it is similar to the Brown Clamshell™, the Alba Clamshell™ is considered more versatile due to its ability to pair well with red wine sauces and Asian-influenced stir-fries.
The Alba Clamshell™ should not be confused with the Southern Clam Shell mushroom (Fomes fasciatus), which is a different variety found in Eastern Texas and other subtropical to southern hemisphere regions. The Fomes fasciatus grows on living and dead broad-leaf hardwood trees and has a semicircular clam shape, with a flat to convex pore surface on the bottom.
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Clam-shaped conks
The Fomes fasciatus, commonly known as the Southern Clam Shell mushroom, is a polypore mushroom that typically grows on living and dead broad-leaf hardwood trees, such as oak, maple, and hickory. It is characterised by its semicircular clam-shaped fruiting body, which can grow to a width of 7-18 cm. The top of the fruiting body exhibits concentric zones of grey, brown, or black, while the pore surface on the bottom is flat to convex with circular pores that are white when young and turn brown with age. The flesh of the mushroom can be up to 4 cm thick at the base and has a golden-brown colour.
The Southern Clam Shell mushroom is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions across the world, including North America, Australia, Southern Asia, and Indonesia. In North America, it is commonly found on host trees such as hackberry, hickory, maple, and oak. This mushroom is ecologically similar to Fomes fomentarius, another wood-decay fungus, but the two species differ in their temperature preferences and the shape of their fruiting bodies.
The Southern Clam Shell mushroom is not just interesting from an ecological perspective but also has economic significance. It is known to contribute to the loss of commercially viable wood, impacting the timber industry. However, it also has culinary uses and is used in dishes such as seafood soups, bisques, stews, sauces, and stir-fries.
Additionally, there is the Alba Clamshell™ mushroom, which is an albino strain of the Brown Clamshell. It has a crunchy texture and a mild shellfish flavour. Chefs often blanch the Alba Clamshell™ in salted water to soften its flavour before adding it to various recipes.
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Clam flavour
The clam flavour in mushrooms comes from their preparation and natural seafood qualities. Oyster mushrooms are commonly used as a clam substitute. To impart an ocean taste, dried oyster mushrooms are reconstituted in a mixture of nori or laver sheets, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sea salt dissolved in tepid water. This process enhances the mushroom's natural seafood qualities, resulting in a flavour and texture that closely resemble clams.
In addition to oyster mushrooms, certain types of clamshell mushrooms also possess a mild shellfish flavour. The Alba Clamshell, an albino strain of the Brown Clamshell, has quarter-size caps with 2 to 3-inch white stems that retain a crunchy texture even after sautéing. Similarly, the Brown Clamshell is known for its mild shellfish flavour and crunchy texture. Both varieties are versatile and can be added to seafood soups, bisques, stews, sauces, or stir-fries.
To enhance the flavour of these clamshell mushrooms, chefs often recommend a hot sauté or a brief blanching process. Blanching in salted water for two minutes softens the flavour profile, making it less astringent. The Alba Clamshell, in particular, pairs well with fish, shellfish, olive oil, garlic, tomato, red bell pepper, citrus juices, and thyme. It is also a good match for Sauvignon Blanc.
While the above methods focus on imparting and enhancing a clam flavour in mushrooms, it is worth noting that there exists a variety of mushroom called the Southern Clam Shell (Fomes fasciatus). This mushroom gets its name from its semicircular clam-shaped body, which can grow up to 18 cm wide. The Southern Clam Shell is a type of bracket or polypore mushroom commonly found in Eastern Texas and other subtropical to southern hemisphere regions, including Australia, southern Asia, and Indonesia. It grows on living and dead broad-leaf hardwood trees, contributing to the loss of commercially viable wood.
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Frequently asked questions
Clam mushrooms, also known as Fomes fasciatus, are a type of fungus that grows on living and dead broad-leaf hardwood trees, such as hackberry, hickory, maple, and oak. They are characterised by their semicircular clam shape and can be identified by the concentric zones of gray, brown or black on the top of their fruiting bodies.
Clam mushrooms are commonly found in the Eastern regions of Texas, in parks such as Lick Creek Park and Sam Houston National Forest. They have also been documented in Australia, Southern Asia, and Indonesia.
Clam mushrooms are known for their mild shellfish flavour. They are often used in seafood soups, bisques, stews, sauces, or stir-fries.
The brown clam mushroom, also known as Hon-Shimeji or Buna-Shimeji, has a marbled appearance and is more versatile in terms of pairing with different sauces. The alba clam mushroom, on the other hand, is an albino strain of the brown clam mushroom with creamy white caps. It has a crunchier texture and a stronger aroma, making it excellent when paired with fish and shellfish.
