Pioppini mushrooms are small to medium in size with convex to flattened caps connecting to thin, elongated stems. The firm, soft, and silky caps average 3-10 centimeters in diameter and range in color from dark brown to light brown-grey growing darker towards the center. Underneath the cap, there are small, grey-brown gills containing dark spores and the gills connect to the fibrous cream-colored stem that has a texture similar to asparagus.

Pioppini mushrooms are best suited for cooked applications such as sautéing, pan-roasting, braising, stewing, or roasting. Before cooking, the mushrooms should be sliced from the hard base. It is not recommended to wash the variety as the water will change the texture of the mushroom. The caps of the mushroom are soft, but the stems are tough and may require boiling prior to stir-frying or sautéing to soften the texture. When cooked, Pioppini mushrooms can be added to salads, soups, stews, baked potatoes, marinated meat dishes, stir-fries, tempura, hot pot, gravies, and white sauces. They can also be cooked in quiches, omelets, and casseroles. In Italy, this mushroom is often used in “pasta con funghi,” and also works beautifully in risotto. Pioppini mushrooms pair well with potatoes, arugula, radicchio, spinach, carrots, prosciutto, red meats, game, oregano, marjoram, mint, parsley, tarragon, chives, fennel, garlic, goat’s cheese, parmesan, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, rice, millet, quinoa, and polenta. They will keep up to 3-5 days when stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator and can also be dried and stored for up to six months.

Pioppini mushrooms are rich in copper, fiber, and vitamin B5, and also contain potassium, biotin, folate, iron, selenium, and vitamins B2 and B3. Additionally, they have anti-fungal and antibiotic properties.