A Brief History of Mushrooms: From Famine Food to Culinary Fame
Mushrooms have been a part of the human story for thousands of years—sometimes as prized delicacies, other times as humble survival food. While today we know mushrooms as gourmet ingredients and medicinal marvels, their journey into our kitchens and cultures is a fascinating tale that spans continents, empires, and even ancient paint palettes.
Ancient Origins: From Roman Recipes to Fungal Frescoes
Mushrooms have been mentioned in historical records as early as 1 AD, with oyster mushrooms showing up in Roman cookbooks. The Romans appreciated mushrooms for their earthy flavor, and in high society, they were served to guests as a sign of refinement.
Even more impressively, the earliest known paint made with mushrooms dates back to 79 AD, discovered in the buried city of Herculaneum, Italy. This shows that mushrooms were not only food, but also part of early human art and expression.
Medieval Markets & Foraged Feasts
During medieval times in Europe, mushrooms were widely foraged, especially by peasants and herbalists. Local markets in France and Italy often featured prized wild mushrooms like porcini and morels, long before formal cultivation began. They were considered a flavorful bonus for those who knew where to find them—and who could tell the safe ones from the deadly.
France: The Birthplace of Mushroom Farming
Although wild mushrooms had long been eaten, France was the first known country to cultivate mushrooms deliberately, beginning in the 17th century. The French pioneered underground cultivation using caves and old quarries—methods that still influence modern indoor farming today.
Despite this innovation, it’s interesting to note that mushrooms remained on the cultural fringe in many places. For centuries, they were seen as mysterious, even dangerous—more likely to appear in folk tales than on dinner tables.
America’s Late Start
In the United States, mushrooms didn’t enter the mainstream diet until the mid-1800s. It’s likely Americans were first introduced to them by French immigrants, who brought their culinary traditions with them. But it wasn’t until much later—the 1920s, in fact—that the U.S. made a big leap forward by developing its own mushroom spawn technology. This allowed for controlled production and the growth of a domestic mushroom farming industry.
🥣 War Food and Survival Fuel
Historically, mushrooms weren’t always celebrated. In many cultures, they were considered emergency food—collected during times of war, famine, or poverty. Easy to forage, they became a fallback for protein when crops failed or supplies were low.
And that survival logic checks out: mushrooms contain 2 to 3 times more protein than most vegetables, making them incredibly valuable in crisis scenarios. They’re also abundant in the wild and adaptable to cultivation, making them one of nature’s most reliable food sources.
From Margins to Menus
It’s only in the last century that mushrooms have gone from foraged fallback to mainstream food and medicine. Today, we see them celebrated on gourmet menus, researched for brain and immune health, and used in everything from tinctures to powders to plant-based meat alternatives.
Yet their long history of cultural importance—from Roman feasts to medieval markets to survival food—makes them even more fascinating. Mushrooms have always been there when humanity needed them… even if we didn’t always appreciate them.
Final Thoughts
At MO' Mushrooms, we love not just growing fungi—but telling their story. Whether you're adding oyster mushrooms to your dinner or taking lion’s mane tincture for focus, you're participating in a legacy that goes back thousands of years.
So next time you sautéing oyster mushrooms or sipping some mushroom coffee, remember: you're not just eating food—you’re tasting history.
