I'm using up left-over chicken which I simmered whole a few days ago for a
curry. A simple chicken and mushroom pie, tonight. I will probably serve it
with a simple green salad. Having eaten hot spicy dishes all week, I think
this will make a change.

But this stray thought occurred to me whilst I was wiping the mushrooms: I
know you are not supposed to wash them and that you are supposed to simply
brush off the dirt - but unless you do this meticulously, there is always a
bit of brown manure stuff adhering to them. I'm not one to worry about these
things, but I must admit, I don't know what is in this 'manure'...

Regards, MG

morning glory wrote:

> I'm using up left-over chicken which I simmered whole a few days ago for a
> curry. A simple chicken and mushroom pie, tonight. I will probably serve it
> with a simple green salad. Having eaten hot spicy dishes all week, I think
> this will make a change.
> 
> But this stray thought occurred to me whilst I was wiping the mushrooms: I
> know you are not supposed to wash them and that you are supposed to simply
> brush off the dirt - but unless you do this meticulously, there is always a
> bit of brown manure stuff adhering to them. I'm not one to worry about 
> these
> things, but I must admit, I don't know what is in this 'manure'...

They are usually grown in mushroom compost. Manure would be too acidic 
for them.

Dave

The message 
from Dave  contains these words:

> morning glory wrote:

> > I'm using up left-over chicken which I simmered whole a few days ago for a
> > curry. A simple chicken and mushroom pie, tonight. I will probably
> > serve it
> > with a simple green salad. Having eaten hot spicy dishes all week, I think
> > this will make a change.
> > 
> > But this stray thought occurred to me whilst I was wiping the mushrooms: I
> > know you are not supposed to wash them and that you are supposed to simply
> > brush off the dirt - but unless you do this meticulously, there is
> > always a
> > bit of brown manure stuff adhering to them. I'm not one to worry about 
> > these
> > things, but I must admit, I don't know what is in this 'manure'...

> They are usually grown in mushroom compost. Manure would be too acidic 
> for them.

   "Mushroom compost", is made with manure , straw, and chalk.(see below) 

    According to son who worked in one,  mushroom farming uses a lot of
sprayed chemical controls, so I either wash mushrooms if they are still
closed or peel them if they're not.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/wine/main.jhtml?xml=/wine/2006/06/10/edsavvy10.xml

    Janet.