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Please pass the fungus
It can come in many forms--stuffed, fried, sautéed or raw. To many, the thought of eating it does not sound too appealing, but for the students in Ken Conway's class eating varieties of fungus was just another day in lab. Conway, a professor in entomology and plant pathology at Oklahoma State University said, the class is based on busting fungus myths and this class assignment gives students the chance to find something they like to eat, that just happens to be a fungus. Students in the class, Fungi Myths and More, recently took a day to celebrate fungi as a food. The 15 students enrolled in the class were encouraged and received bonus points if they brought a fungus dish and were given the opportunity to experiment in class by eating the different foods brought by classmates. The different fungi dishes included mushrooms that were fried, stuffed, sautéed, Portobello mushrooms and Enoki, which is used for salads and often found at salad bars. Cheeses including Roguefort, bluecheese, Gorgonzola and Brie topped off the menu. "Fungi are added to many foods to give it flavor," Conway said. "By taking this course, students learn the different uses for fungi and it gives students the chance to talk about the crazy ways fungi are used. This course is unusual and it attracts students because of that factor." Patience Eguare, a biological sciences senior from Nigera, said the food tastes better than it looks and she would try eating fungus again. "This class assignment is fun and the fact that we are learning through a hands-on experience disguises the fact that I am learning something," Eguare said. "I really enjoy learning in this relaxed environment." Date: 12/7/07
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