Mushrooms are a year-round staple at most farmers markets. If you find yourself growing tired of winter greens and root crops this time of year, trying a new mushroom variety might be the perfect way to switch up your local shopping! Vendors like The Forest Farmacy and Stump Farms at Asheville City Market and Black Trumpet Farm at River Arts District and North Asheville markets offer a unique collection of mushrooms each week for market shoppers to discover, including lion’s mane, oyster, chestnut, pioppino, and chaga varieties! 
 
Despite the strange appearance of lion’s mane mushrooms, they have a velvety, tender texture and a mildly sweet flavor that closely mimics that of shellfish. This vegan barbeque lion’s mane taco recipe is an easy and shareable way to start cooking with this mushroom. Start by trimming off any hard wood roots from eight ounces of lion’s mane. Next, pull the mushroom into small pieces with your hands. In a large skillet, heat about half a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat, then toss in the shredded mushrooms, one teaspoon each of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, then half a teaspoon each of cumin and oregano. Stir to coat the mushrooms evenly, and cook the mushrooms for about three or four minutes on each side to evenly brown. After the mushrooms are golden brown, reduce heat to medium-low, then add half a cup of barbeque sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens and is absorbed by the mushrooms. Heat the tortillas and assemble the tacos with the barbeque lion’s mane and your choice of taco toppings. We recommend avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced radishes, and pickled red onions! 
 
There are plenty of oyster mushroom varieties at farmers markets to try, including blue, golden and pink oysters! Although the flavor of oyster mushrooms can vary depending on what kind you decide on, they generally have an earthy, mildly sweet flavor. Oyster mushrooms taste great in just about every dish you want to add them to, but this Vietnamese salad is a simple way to use them in your cooking this week. In a large bowl, add five chopped scallions, one small julienned carrot, a large handful of chopped cilantro, and a large handful of sprouts. Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil and half a teaspoon of sesame oil in a skillet over high heat, then add six ounces of any oyster mushroom variety. Cook for a few minutes until they are soft but not soggy. Add half a teaspoon of soy sauce at the end to caramelize a little and remove from heat, setting aside to cool. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil and cook three-and-a-half ounces of rice noodles according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and wash under cold water. Add the mushrooms and noodles to the vegetable mixture and mix together. To make your dressing, in a bowl whisk together two and half tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon of brown rice vinegar, a quarter teaspoon of sesame oil, two finely sliced red chillies, a grated one-inch piece of ginger, a teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds, and a pinch of salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Serve by itself, or garnish with sesame seeds or fried onions!
 
At winter markets now you’ll also find carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, cabbage, kale, salad greens, winter squash, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Markets are also stocked with a variety of meats, cheese, rice, pasta, pastries, drinks, and prepared foods. Find more details about farms and markets throughout the region, including winter hours, in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide.