Raw Oyster and Maitake mushroom

  First, I apologize for answering because I don't know if raw mushrooms are safe to eat, but I wanted to say that it's great to have you back and to see Prancer's adorable picture again. She is such a cutie!!!

Wow you found FRESH Maitake???

Maitake is mostly a medicinal mushroom -- it's used to help treat cancer -- it actually helps "protect" cells from cancer.  Most of the time it's dried and encapsulated.  I've never *found* it fresh TO use. 

I would cook *any* mushroom for a dog -- it *is* a fungus so I always cook for the dogs. 

And YEAH -- ***HI YA!!!!!!!***  Miss you!!

 no idea here either - just wanted to say hi & nice to 'see' you again!

I knew I could count on you guys !!!

 I ended up cooking them (more like "steeping" them) for the veggie mush (I used the water also).   I've been feeding minute amounts of raw shiitake for months so I left that raw.   I have a note to call Dr Rimar to ask her about raw vs cooked and if the water was safe to add. 

The fresh Maitake was a product of the USA and was actually a "hunk" of mushroom weighing 3.5 oz.  I was pretty shocked to find it myself -and  it wasn't ridiculoously expensive either !   

 I made 7 weeks worth of veggie mush (2 tablespoons a day, frozen into ice cube trays - a trick I learned from you guys !!!) with 3.5 oz Shittake (raw) and 3.5 oz oyster and 3.5 oz maitake "steeped".     If I have to toss all that I may just cry LOL - so much work (mostly in kitchen clean up !!!).

 I know I'm not here much but I have a new job and am putting in 60 - 70 hrs a week on average.    I'm just happy to be employed so I'll try and grin and bear it :)

 I miss you guys.   I've been lurking and have been laughing and crying with "my old gang" as often as possible,

Stay well !!! you guys are always in my heart

 JoAnn

 (ps - Prancer is SUCH a good girl !  I'm amazed at how mature she's become ... my little girl is growning up !  but she still enjoys a good game of "little lamb" and ZOOMIES !!!!)

The maitake won't be a problem -- when I gave it to Muffin when he had cancer the answer was always to give him "as much as I could afford".

A Maitake Mushroom is about as big as a basketball -- that's why it's sold in "hunks".

quick follow up - Dr Rimar suggested I blanch them first.   My steeping was right on target !  sometimes you just get lucky :)

 When you gave the Maitake to Muffin was it cooked or raw ?  I'd prefer to leave it raw if I can.

shogun4836

Thanks for sharing the info. Very Useful. Now I'm interested in the properties of Maitake mushroom.

.It's used a lot for cancer patients.  It's a polysaccharide (which is something that kind of augments chemo) so even if you tell a 'regular' doctor or vet you are taking it to augment chemo they are FINE with it simply because it IS a polysaccharide.

Essentially it protects healthy cells against the invasion of cancer.