By Jillian Rivers.

There’s a new health trend brewing: using adaptogenic mushrooms in your daily cup of coffee. While this may seem odd, mushrooms are said to carry an enormous amount of health benefits—and we’re not talking about your regular old cremini mushrooms, however delicious those may be. Mushrooms such as chaga, reishi, and lion’s mane reputedly hold such qualities as supporting the immune system and improving brain function. Although mushrooms aren’t a “cure all,” they seem to offer supplemental support in improving general health and quality of life.

The lion’s mane mushrooms in this recipe are sourced locally from Hillside Mushrooms in Little Compton, Rhode Island, and blended with Speedwell coffee from Plymouth. Lion’s mane imparts a mildly woody and sweet flavor to coffee. Dehydrating the mushrooms to make a powder is the easiest way to brew with coffee beans. The options are virtually limitless, from making mushroom mocha lattes to cold brew.

Fresh cup of coffee (brewed with mushroom powder)  in a Levitate Local Pottery mug.

  • 1 teaspoon lion’s mane powder, see below
  • 2 tablespoons Speedwell house blend or a coffee of your choice
  • 1 cup of hot water
  • 1 teaspoon manuka honey (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon cacao powder or cocoa powder (optional)
  • Dairy or dairy alternatives such as oat milk, hazelnut milk or almond milk (to taste)

Brew coffee (with mushroom powder added) according to your preferred method—I use a French press. Add any of the options above to create a brew that suits your own fun-gi fancy!

How to Dry Mushrooms:

  • You will need a sheet tray with a wire rack or a drying screen, a dry cloth, and a coffee or spice grinder.
  • With dry cloth, wipe mushrooms free of all dirt and sediment.
  • Tear mushrooms gently into smaller pieces and place on rack, spacing them apart evenly. Make sure not to crowd them or they will not dry properly.
  • Set tray of mushrooms in a warm dry spot. A sunny windowsill works great to speed the drying process.
  • Check mushrooms periodically for about a week until all of their moisture content is gone and they are crisp and dry.
  • When mushrooms are fully dried, grind to a powder in spice grinder. You can add cacao powder for a bit of sweetness or for mushroom mocha lattes.

Jillian Rivers, a chef at Rye Tavern, is curious about mushrooms and always looking for unique, locally-sourced ways to get her caffeine jolt.

Ocean wave and colorful floral mugs, hand-painted and glazed in layers of brushwork, are available at: