Wine cap
Stropharia rugosoannulata · Fungus
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The wine cap (Stropharia rugosoannulata), also called king stropharia, garden giant or burgundy mushroom, is a large, robust agaric whose smooth, domed cap ripens from deep wine-red and burgundy to a fading reddish-brown, carried on a stout white stalk fitted with a thick, wrinkled, star-shaped ring. Meaty and mild, it is widely cultivated on wood chips and is prized for a savoury flavour often likened to potato, asparagus and red wine.
Picking a good onedrag
Domed, dry, wine-redSlimy, black-gilled, sour
Shop firmEveryday bestThe all-rounder: sauteed, roasted, or grilled whole like a steak.
Cap surfaceFlattening, colour faded to tan
GillsPurple-grey, dry and even
Stem and fleshFirm, cut base browning at the rim
SmellMild and mushroomy, a potato note
Keeping ittap a temperature
A domestic fridge holds it about 5× longer than the counter.
95%, no free water
Humidity
Paper bag, not sealed
Airflow