In the Netherlands, a whopping 300 million mushrooms per year are grown¹. Export wise, The Netherlands is ranked 3rd worldwide. And ranked 1st when it matters mushrooms being harvested with cutting machines. We were allowed to take a glimpse in the kitchen at Vedemij, a mushroom grower. They produce 150.000 (!) kilos mushrooms per week! Hannes van Hemert, manager at Vedemij, tells the remarkable story of the almost circular cultivation!

Cultivation from A to Z
Vedemij is one of the few mushroom growers in The Netherlands which has full control of the whole process from A to Z, to guarantee the best quality. For the mushrooms cultivation, they start at the horse riding school… Here Vedemij picks up the manure. Mushrooms are being cultivated in a mix of horse manure, straw, chicken manure and yeast. Together this forms a good compost mixture for the mushrooms to grow. The growers mix the compost with grain where the mushroom fungus is applied on. The compost is then ready to form “beds” of mushrooms in special chambers!

Regulated temperature
Growers can grow mushrooms throughout the year. This is because they grow the mushrooms indoors. Mushrooms need a special temperature, high humidity and an adequate oxygen content to grow. In the early days they grew the mushrooms in caves, but now there are special chambers where the mushroom “beds” are located. First the summer season is simulated, in order to let the fungus grow through the compost and a layer of loam. The loam contains specific bacteria which the fungus needs to form a mushroom. After 2 weeks the fungus has grown through the compost and the covering layer, you then see the beds turn white.

Survival mode
When a fungus has grown through the whole mushroom bed, the chamber will simulate the temperature of the autumn season. At a temperature of 15-16 °C, it will be too cold for the fungus. It will then be as it were in survival mode and will constrict as mushroom bud. By doing so, it will save itself, as by formation of the mushroom the fungus will be able to procreate. The mushroom will grow to a full-fledged mushroom in only 6 days. When it opens its hat, the spores fall out. These are a kind of little seeds, through which new fungus arises from which the mushroom can grow later on.  

Closed hat
However, Le Duc uses mushrooms which are harvested when the hat is still closed. By doing so, they keep their nice shape and can be well breaded easily. This is most likely the way you recognize the mushrooms, as you will also buy them like that in the shops! A large mushroom with open hat is almost the same as a Portobello.

Time to harvest
The harvesting of mushrooms is called a “flight”. Vedema harvests full grown mushrooms with a cutting machine, from the ‘bed’. The grower checks whether the mushrooms have been cut properly and if no earth traces came along. Per chamber there are 14 mushroom beds. One ‘flight’ per chamber delivers 15.000 kilo of mushrooms! Vedema harvests 10 chambers per week, so in total a whopping 150.000 kilo of mushrooms!

Second flight
When the mushrooms are harvested, Vedemij pours water on the beds in order to refresh everything. After 6 days again new mushrooms will be ready to be harvested! Yet another harvest will not be possible, because competitive fungus will have the chance to grow as well and these could block the mushrooms in their growth. Vedemij does not use pesticides. In the early stage the mushroom fungus has an advantage due to favourable circumstances, but after 2 flights it is time to refresh the beds.

Circular
After the 2^nd flight, Vedemij brings the compost from the beds to an arable farmer, to grow grain. Of this grain, bread can be baked, and the residue product straw, will go to the horse-riding school as food for horses. Later on, Vedemij picks up the horse manure again, and so the circle is closed. A very nice circular story!

In this video you can follow the cultivation of mushrooms from A to Z. It starts with picking up the manure and creating compost. The end results are the beautiful white mushrooms which are cut by machine! This video is a cooperation between Vedemij and Coenegrachts Substrate.

Product
Vedemij’s mushrooms arrive fresh at Le Duc. Erik Jamin, manager at Le Duc, tells about the production process of breaded mushrooms.

Processing
At entry the quality of mushrooms is being checked (on e.g. appearance and temperature). Thereafter it is time to process the mushrooms into breaded mushrooms and breaded garlic mushrooms! For this, the raw mushrooms are coated with 5 layers, which consist of a mixture of herbs, batter and bread-crumbs. The ratio of breaded mushrooms is 50/50. Half is mushroom, the other half is a golden brown and crispy crust.

From mushroom to breaded mushroom
In the factory, the machines make breaded mushrooms from mushrooms. On a huge assembly line all mushrooms are sprayed with water. Then they go to a so called pre duster, where they will get the first layer of flower and herbs. The herbs need to be as close as possible on the mushrooms, to make sure optimum taste is preserved. When deep-frying. Thereafter a layer of batter is poured on the mushrooms in a batter machine, like a kind of waterfall. This is a kind of porridge. To be sure there are no other things, the flower is being sifted. With blowers the thickness of this fluid layer is controlled. This layer is sticky as well, to make the bread-crumbs which are applied by Le Duc apply after this, stick well. Next the breaded mushrooms get another layer in the batter machine. This time the machine dips the mushrooms in a bath, in which a flower mixture is present. The blowers blow the mushrooms very well afterwards, in order to obtain the right amount of batter. The 5 layers are completed!

During the whole processing Le Duc employees take care of a correct process. The quality control keeps an eye on amongst others colour, size, temperature and ratio mushroom/ coating are in specification. In this way Le Duc takes care of the best breaded mushrooms you can serve!

Fresh frozen
Like all other snacks, Le Duc pre deep-fries the mushrooms for about 45 seconds. The breaded mushrooms are packed after pre deep-frying and frozen for 20 minutes. To serve, you only need to deep-fry the breaded (garlic) mushrooms to obtain the golden-brown crispy crust!!

Are you a caterer and are you looking for easy to make, but tasty and creative dishes? Choose these 3 small dishes!!

Toasted bun
A toasted bun with crispy battered onion rings.

Crispy sushi
Sushi with crispy natural onion rings, as veggie alternative for ebi tempura.

Wrap it up
Handy wrap with the bite of breaded mushrooms and fresh vegetables.

We are very glad that the restaurants open up slowly again! Which dish will you serve to your guests?

Mushroom & Chips
A contemporary vegetarian variance to the British classic Fish & Chips.

Cheese fondue
With cheese you always have a good choice. These garlic breaded mushrooms are delicious to dip in cheese!

When you have a drink
A playful combination of beer and matching beer battered onion rings.

Snack the vegetarian way? Le Duc shows it to be possible. Vegetarians and flexitarians eat their heart out with this!

Loaded burger
Finish your burger with this crispy topping of beer batter onion rings.

Club sandwich
Serve onion rings instead of potato chips with this easy to go club sandwich.

Loaded mushrooms
A tasty and surprising side dish to combine with French fries or a burger.

Le Duc’s products make dishes complete with their crispy bite.

English breakfast
Give the classical dish a twist with the breaded mushrooms.

Noodles
Battered onion rings as crispy topping of an easy wok dish.

Halloumi salad
Breaded garlic mushrooms are a crispy addition to a salad with this popular cheese.