> None of the mushrooms so far have had the cracked caps you mention,
> which I've seen on dried Chinese shiitake. I don't know if this is due
> to climactic conditions, growing conditions or whether it is a
> different strain of mushroom.

Maybe they're a different strain, i wonder if what you've got & the logs
i've seen for sale here are all from Japanese shitake mushrooms. I think the
Japanese & Chinese shitakes are different.

> So far the mushrooms I've picked have
> been very mild, even at their bloated peak of maximum development (5-6
> inches diameter). I haven't tried drying any. Someone else I know has
> had a fantastic experience with one of the sawdust-block ready-to-go
> kits, lots of productivity and easy to take care of, but again, mild
> flavour.

WHAT ! 5-6 inches in diameter? that's massive. If they're mild in flavour
when fresh then maybe you should try drying some of them. Like most dried
veg. it should preserve & perhaps have a more concentrated flavour when
dried. It's a shame that they're that big & lack flavour. If you want
something Thai in flavour, you could make an infusion of lemon grass,
galangal or young ginger, light soy & a drop of sugar to flavour it i guess,
nothing too strong or spicy to make the most of the shitakes you have.

Thanks for all the info.

DC.