With recognized nutritional and medicinal properties, shiitake is one of the key elements of traditional oriental medicine, dubbed the "elixir of life" in the Ming Dynasty.

- Contains lentinane: Strengthens the immune system, anti-cancer and anti-viral.
- Contains erythradenine: Fights obesity, regulates cholesterol and supports cardiovascular health.
- Contains ergotionine and minerals: Anti-oxidant.

- Low caloric content (on average 20kcal per 100g).
- Nutritional value comparable to milk and meat, and significantly higher than most vegetables.
- High content of protein, water, fiber, iron, potassium, vitamins A, B, C and D.

In nature, mushrooms grow spontaneously in the rainy season. At home, the idea is to simulate the arrival of autumn!

1st Stimulate frutification: soak the log in cold water. Fill a container with water and keep the log submerged for at least 24 hours.

2nd Remove the log from the water and place it vertically on a base or plate in an ventilated, warm and humid place, without direct sunlight. The optimum temperature is 25ºC, and the humidity is 60-70%, so the closer to these conditions, the greater the log productivity will be.

3rd After 1 to 3 weeks small white brown top buds begin to appear, their development being slower in winter. The mushrooms are ready to pick 3 to 5 days later, when the hat is fully open, with the edges slightly curved downwards. If the humidity is low, spray plenty of water over the logs during frutification.

4th To harvest, grab the mushroom by the foot near the base and rotate it until it is released from the log. The mushrooms can be consumed immediately or stored in the refrigerator, covered with food film, for up to 2 weeks. They can also be frozen or dehydrated, maintaining nutritional properties and taste after thawing/hydration.

5th Fruiting can be stimulated again 2 to 3 months after picking the mushrooms. Each log should not be stimulated more than 6 times a year so that the fungus is not weakened. Between fruitifications, spontaneous mushrooms may appear as a result of watering. These mushrooms are usually less but larger in size.

Spontaneous production: As an alternative to the above fruiting scheme, the log can simply be left outdoors, lying on the ground in a shady place and watered regularly to maintain moisture. Mushrooms will appear spontaneously, following the rhythm of Nature.