Southwest China's Summer Delicacy: Available Only One Month a Year

Mushroom lovers rejoice! Yunnan matsutake prices have dropped significantly this year!

The price drop is due to the early rainy season and abundant rainfall, which have greatly increased this year's overall matsutake yield compared to the same period last year, leading to lower prices. Now everyone can enjoy matsutake freely!

"The finest ingredients often require the simplest cooking methods." This insightful line from the documentary *A Bite of China* propelled matsutake into the spotlight, making it widely known in China. This precious mountain delicacy shines when prepared to highlight its natural flavor—just a quick fry in butter fills the room with the aroma of fresh greenery.

When matsutake emerges from the soil each year, its rich pine scent mingled with a hint of earthy fragrance creates a luxurious, smooth texture akin to abalone after a simple wash and slice. Moreover, the core releases a sweet juice when chewed, reminiscent of tender bamboo shoot tips without any fibrous residue.

From an obscure wild mushroom to the "king of fungi," matsutake has staged a remarkable comeback in just decades, conquering the world and winning over the discerning palates of gourmands.

To bring this delicacy to you, Fengwu Jun has gone to great lengths! Sourced exclusively from the high-altitude forests of Shangri-La and handpicked as unopened premium-grade matsutake, we confidently assure you: it’s as reliable as flying to Yunnan yourself to buy it!

Selecting mushrooms is a professional task, so Fengwu Jun relies on experts for quality control. Since matsutake’s aroma and freshness fade rapidly, our harvest begins at 4 AM, wrapped in leaves, and loaded onto refrigerated trucks by 9 AM. With vacuum packaging and SF Express air delivery, we race against time to deliver this freshness straight to your table!

In Yunnan, where mushrooms abound,

Why does matsutake reign at the top of the hierarchy?

"When the rainy season arrives, all kinds of mushrooms emerge, filling the air with their scent." As described by Wang Zengqi, Yunnan during the rainy season is a paradise of adorable little fungi.

Among all mushrooms, matsutake stands out. Growing beneath pine trees, it carries a uniquely intense and rich pine resin fragrance.

Matsutake gets its name because its "bud resembles deer antlers." Its growth environment is as mystical as its name—it thrives only in undisturbed, sparse virgin forests, symbiotically with pine or oak trees aged 50 to 70 years, surviving on specific sugars absorbed from the tree roots.

Moreover, the exact symbiotic relationship between pine trees and matsutake remains unclear to this day, making it impossible to artificially replicate the root environment or produce the required sugars. In short, matsutake cannot be cultivated artificially.

Its stringent growth conditions already limit its production to very few regions. Even more precious is the fact that it takes nearly five to six years for a matsutake to grow from a spore into mycelium, form mycorrhizae, and finally break through the soil.

Yet, from emergence to maturity, it takes only seven days. The golden window for harvesting perfect matsutake is a mere three days—miss it, and the mushroom rapidly ages, decays, and vanishes after releasing billions of spores.

Matsutake makes its fleeting appearance only during Yunnan’s rainy season in July and August. Beyond these two months, finding fresh matsutake is nearly a dream.

Beyond its rarity, what makes matsutake truly treasured and beloved is its irreplicable, complex, and extraordinary flavor and aroma.

Enjoying authentic matsutake cuisine

is simpler than you might think!

Matsutake boasts a bold, distinctive fragrance, blending notes of pine, rose, lavender, and licorice. When lightly grilled, it releases a deep mineral aroma intensified by heat, leaving an unforgettable aftertaste.

How to eat matsutake mushrooms? Will buying half a kilogram at once be too much to finish?

Not at all! For this seasonal delicacy, Fengwu Jun has countless ways to enjoy it! Here are some simple, locally beloved recipes.

The most "basic" way to eat matsutake is raw. This method maximizes the mushroom's natural umami flavor.

Slice and arrange on ice, then pair with wasabi—matsutake's "perfect match"—and soy sauce to awaken the earthy aroma hidden beneath the soil.

Wash the matsutake, slice thickly, and pan-fry in heated butter. Once fragrant, sprinkle lightly with salt or a touch of black pepper if preferred, then enjoy.

Pan-fried matsutake has a tender, springy texture with delicate fibers. Its enchanting aroma fills the air, and just one bite casts an unforgettable spell—even the pickiest eaters will be won over!

Stewing is matsutake's blissful destiny. Whether in a clear broth or chicken soup, it enhances flavor and aroma, warming and delighting from mouth to stomach.

Matsutake grows with difficulty but is effortlessly enjoyed. Even simply washed and eaten without seasoning, it delivers the wild freshness of Shangri-La.

Savoring a delicious matsutake

Achieving this unique pleasure is a skilled task, but Fengwu Jun has ensured strict quality control.

Origin is the most critical factor in matsutake quality. Shangri-La, a "paradise on earth" for many, is also the mushroom's cherished "happy homeland."

Matsutake tests an ecosystem's health. In Yunnan, regions like Chuxiong, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La provide ideal conditions. Among these, Shangri-La's colder, thinner air slows growth, allowing richer accumulation of flavor compounds like matsutakeol and methyl cinnamate, enhancing nutrition and taste.

Our selected matsutake comes exclusively from Shangri-La’s high-altitude forests above 3,000 meters, nourished by snowmelt. Here, only one mushroom grows per 1,000 meters, making them exceptionally rare.

An unopened cap is the key standard for premium matsutake.

Unopened caps boast intense flavor and tender flesh. Once opened, both taste and value plummet.

This rarity stems from the challenge of harvesting—finding unopened caps relies on locals' expertise and luck. A missed mushroom may fully open by the next visit, leaving only regret!

From July to October, matsutake emerge. Locals call harvesting "picking mushrooms," living in the mountains and rising at 4-5 AM to trek for hours into the depths.

Matsutake hide under pine needles, revealed only to seasoned foragers who know past growth sites.

Metal tools must never touch matsutake, as they alter its aroma. Instead, a wooden stick gently lifts the base, preserving the mushroom and its mycelium.

After picking, wrap the matsutake in leaves immediately to retain moisture. The harvest site must then be covered to protect the mycelium for next year’s rainy season.

The Shangri-La matsutake mushrooms selected by Fengwu Jun are all handpicked by experienced locals, with each mushroom verified three times to ensure they are unopened premium specimens, guaranteeing a delightful culinary experience.

Among unopened matsutake mushrooms, the larger the size, the more precious and expensive they are.

Fengwu Jun offers four sizes of matsutake mushrooms: 3-5cm, 5-7cm, 7-9cm, and 9-11cm.

For first-time tasters, Fengwu Jun recommends trying the 3-5cm size. For everyday family enjoyment, the 5-7cm and 7-9cm sizes are ideal, while the 9-11cm size is perfect for gifting—connoisseurs will instantly recognize its excellence!

Our matsutake mushrooms are harvested daily at dawn in Shangri-La and then transported to Kunming for shipping to ensure faster logistics.

Just as crucial as the selection process is the freshness-preserving packaging. Each mushroom is carefully wrapped, placed in a foam box with ice packs to maintain temperature, ensuring freshness every step of the way!

The mushrooms undergo an initial selection during harvesting, a second screening in Kunming, and a final inspection during packaging. This triple selection process ensures you receive only high-quality Shangri-La matsutake.

The beauty of matsutake lies in its freshness—it’s a race against time. From harvest to delivery, the entire process takes no more than 10 hours. Shipped via SF Express air freight, this "captured" freshness is shared with you.

Matsutake mushrooms are precious seasonal delicacies with a higher price tag, but Fengwu Jun offers high value for the quality—each one is an unopened "treasure," protected by multiple layers of packaging and air freight to preserve freshness. During Yunnan’s mushroom season, missing out on matsutake would be a shame—after all, only by savoring this "fresh" flavor can you truly experience the beauty of the wild mountains!