Fungus.

Fungus.

An Eltham settler had the curiosity to write to the Chinese Consul in Wellington for information about preparing fungus for culinary purposes. In reply, Mr Yung-Liang Hwang wrote that "according to the usual way we prepare fungus for table, we have it thoroughly washed and dry it for a few minutes, and then fry it with meat, such as beet or pork. It is first fried with lard for a few minutes and the meat (finely cut) is put in and mixed with the fungus and allowsd to stay until they are thoroughly cooked. This is all I know about cooking of fungus. Tie New Zealand fungus is not as good as ours. Yours is harder and thicker and has less flavour thau ours, but it is good for food, if one knows the art of cooking it there may be other ways of cooking it according to the English style, but I am Sony I do not know them myself." Thames Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 10398, 24 June 1911, Page 6