HELOISE Mushrooms are underrated

Dear Readers: Do you love mushrooms, whether white button, portobello or shiitake, but find yourself in the dark when it comes to keeping them fresh? If so, here are a few basic dos and don'ts for cleaning and storing mushrooms:
UDo refrigerate them as soon as you get them home.
UDo store them in a paper bag or spread out on a cookie sheet lined with a paper towel in the refrigerator. If you keep fresh mushrooms dry, they should last five days or longer.
UDon't store mushrooms in an airtight plastic bag. They will spoil more quickly if condensation is allowed to build up.
UDon't clean them until you're ready to use them. And, when you do clean them, use a damp cloth, paper towel or soft brush, then rinse quickly with cold water and dry with paper towels.
UDon't soak fresh mushrooms. They are porous and will absorb water, which will affect their flavor and texture.
Hope these hints will help shed some light on the subject. Heloise
Speaking of mushrooms ... here's another hint:
Did you know that the taste and texture of a properly grilled portobello mushroom have been compared to eating a steak? Next time you're at the grocery store, pick up a portobello and give it a try. If you are grilling, heat the grill and prepare the mushroom by washing, rinsing and drying. Place the portobello, stem side down (stem is usually removed), on the grill and brush the top with olive oil, Italian dressing or butter. Grill for about four minutes, then flip, brush the other side and continue cooking for four to five more minutes or until tender. Bon appetit! Heloise
Dear Heloise: I work in the grocery business and have a common-sense piece of advice. When you do not have a child to put in the provided seat in the cart, put the piece of plastic up to cover the leg holes. I just had another nice bottle of wine shatter on the floor because a shopper apparently was unaware of the possibility. Besides the mess, lost profit and the time it takes an employee to clean, it is also dangerous to have the shards of glass flying everywhere. Michele, via e-mail
Dear Heloise: People always complain about crushing or chopping nuts. I found (at a garage sale for $1) a cute little coffee-bean grinder. It works perfectly for nuts! Unless I want them crushed, I only hit the button a couple of times. It also works for hard candy pieces to use on cookies.
Of course, you can also use it for coffee beans, but be sure to wash thoroughly between ingredients. Judith Kuck, Bloomington, Minn.
Dear Heloise: I save my outdated weekly calendar and engagement books to make cookbooks with the recipes I get from friends and the ones I cut and save from newspapers. Therefore, I can still enjoy the beautiful pictures in the books, and they are still useful! Lucile Filler, Sacramento, Calif.
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate