Get To Know Cordyceps

   First recorded in 1694 by Wang Ang, revealed to Western eyes at a mycological convention in Paris in 1726, officially recognized as an herbal drug in 1964 and not seriously studied until the 1990s. A parasitic fungus that fatally infects certain insects, Cordyceps has only recently been taken out of the “snake oil” category of herbal remedies. A long-told story dating around 600 AD tells of Tibetan yak herders taking notice of their livestock grazing fields dotted with a certain fungus. The animals who ate the fungi seemed to have more energy and breeding potential. It can be assumed that after this observation, humans started consuming Cordyceps Sinensis in hopes of sharing the benefits. 

   In the past 30 years, the rise of Cordyceps has had positives and negatives. Cordyceps Sinensis is only found at very high elevations in the parts of China and the Tibetan Plateau between May and July, all specimens are hand-picked. The popularity of natural medicine combined with the unique harvesting process propelled the value of Cordyceps to astronomical prices. A price tag of $50,000 per dry pound of the exclusive fungus is not unheard of. These prices have encouraged local people to harvest as much as they could to capitalize on the demand. Unfortunately, there is not enough naturally occurring Cordyceps for all of the world. Some statistics reporting a 90% reduction in naturally available Cordyceps Sinensis since the fungus' rise to most expensive mushroom in the world. Fortunately, there are alternatives that are vegan and sustainable.

  Enter, Cordyceps Militaris! This species is easily cultivated on rice with only a few nutritional additives. While you can cook with Cordyceps, the most common preparation involves steeping the fruitbodies in hot water to make a neon-yellow tea.