The first thing people ask us when they see our oyster mushrooms is, “How do you cook them?” This guide is our answer. If you’re taking mushrooms home today and wondering what to do with them, this guide is for you.
Inside, you’ll learn a little more about oyster mushrooms and find recipes created for this event by local farm-to-table chef Aubrey McCoy, along with one of our own family favorites.
Introduction
Benjamin & Farris is a regenerative education and consulting company rooted in permaculture principles. We build organic edible gardens, host workshops on how to grow your own food and design your property with permaculture in mind.
About Us
Meet the Mushrooms
Blue Oyster
Pleurotus ostreatus
Blue oysters emerge in dense clusters with velvety, slate-blue caps that soften to silver-gray as they mature and as they cook. They're thick and meaty, hold their shape in a hot pan, and have a mild, savory flavor with a faint sweetness. They're our most versatile mushroom and a natural stand-in for meat in almost any dish. Blue oysters prefer cooler weather, so they're at their best from fall through spring.
Pink Oyster
Pleurotus djamor
Pink oysters are the showstoppers: ruffled, coral-pink clusters that look more like something from a reef than a forest. A tropical species, they thrive in Houston's heat and carry us through the summer. Pinks are firmer and more robust than blues, with a bold, woodsy flavor that some describe as almost smoky once crisped. Always cook them through. Their color mellows to a warm gold in the pan.
Jamaican Jerk Charred Blue Oyster Mushrooms in a Carrot Ginger Dill Soup
Oyster mushrooms take beautifully to a hot skillet, developing charred edges and tender centers as Jamaican jerk spices bring warmth to every bite, balanced by silky carrot, ginger, and dill soup. Download the recipe and bring some warming spice & comfort to your table.
Meet the Chef
Chef Aubrey McCoy
Founder & CEO, Travel Villa Kitchen and VK Capital Ventures Inc
Aubrey McCoy, known as Chef Maubs, is the founder of Travel Villa Kitchen and VK Capital Ventures Inc. in Houston. He leads farm-to-table private dining, culinary and coffee education, and community food programming. His kitchen runs on a simple rule: start with what local farms are growing, and build the plate around it.
FUN FACTS
He teaches workforce-readiness cooking classes at Texas Southern University, where he earned his Master of Science in Human Services and Socioeconomic Data Studies.
He is the author of NOURISH, a cookbook built around cooking well on what the season gives you.
He runs a monthly Black Coffee Club and a chef co-op that trains and places Houston chefs.
What We Do At Benjamin & Farris
Regenerative Gardening Consultation & Installation
We transform any space from patio planters to expansive foodscapes, we work alongside Decentralized Farming LLC and Harvey’s Landscaping LLC to turn your vision into a functional, organic space where you can enjoy a harvest year round. Our gardens bring fresh food closer to home while creating inviting places to spend time outdoors and connect with those you love.
Permaculture Classes & Education
Benjamin & Farris partners with organizations like Urban Harvest and local community gardens to bring practical, hands-on growing education directly to our communities. We create custom curricula, classes, and workshops tailored to each group’s needs and interests, helping people grow food, build healthy soil, connect with nature and one another.