Cremini

Average cost per ounce: 19 cents
Flavor: Delicate texture and pale brown color, with a distinctly earthy taste. They cost a little more than button mushrooms, but they're tastier.
Best uses: Will brown well when sauteed, due to their low moisture content. Saute in butter and herbs before tossing into soups for extra flavor.
Good to know: Cremini are baby portobellos. The stems can be diced and sauteed, then used as a filling for omelets.

Oyster

Average cost per ounce: 21 cents
Flavor: Delicate, briny flavor and lacelike texture. Usually pale ivory, but can also be yellow, pink, blue, or lavender.
Best uses: Saute briefly in olive oil or butter. Extremely tender and moist when cooked. They taste spectacular raw in salads.
Good to know: Deteriorate quickly: must be used immediately.

Portobello

Average cost per ounce: 30 cents.
Flavor: Rich and meaty.
Best uses: Marinate in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then saute or charcoal-grill. The huge caps are popular as hamburger substitutes. A great all-purpose mushroom.
Good to know: To avoid blackening a sauce, scrape out the gills first.

Enoki

Average cost per ounce: 40 cents
Flavor: More of a texture (crunchy) than a flavor. The arresting shape (long and fragile-looking) produces a showy garnish.
Best uses: In stir-fries, to which they should be added at the last minute. Use raw in sandwiches and salads.
Good to know: Trim stems 1/2 to 1 inch from the bottom before using the rest of the mushroom. Unlike all other mushrooms, these may be rinsed in a colander and dried in a salad spinner.

Shittake

Average cost per ounce: 62 cents
Flavor: Smoky, full-bodied taste, whether fresh or dried. Caps range from medium brown to almost black.
Best uses: In stir-fries; the flavor is strong enough to hold its own with sauteed ginger and garlic.
Good to know: Nearly impossible to overcook. The stems are too tough to eat, but you can use them to flavor stocks and sauces before discarding them.

Porcino

Average cost per ounce: 94 cents
Flavor: Porcini, or cepes, have a woodsy flavor. They're particularly valued in Italian and French cooking.
Best uses: In pasta sauces, lasagna, and risotto. Or skewer them, brush with olive oil, and grill.
Good to know: Available fresh mainly in late summer and fall, but often found dried in gourmet and Italian markets. A small quantity will add good flavor to a dish of sauteed mushrooms.

Morel

Average cost per ounce: $1.56
Flavor: Looks like an alien life form, but has a rich nutty flavor and a spongy structure that absorbs sauces.
Best uses: In omelets, added to beef gravy, or sauteed in butter and heaped on steaks. Given the cost, they're best for impressing guests or the boss.
Good to know: Clean morels carefully — they grow in the wild and often house tiny bugs. They should be shaken gently after brushing to dislodge dirt the brush can't reach.