{"product_id":"oyster-mushroom-black-pearl-king-ready-to-fruit-block","title":"Oyster Mushroom 'Black Pearl King' - 2.2KG Ready To Fruit Block","description":"\u003cstyle\u003e\n  *, *::before, *::after { box-sizing: border-box; }\n  .page-wrap {\n    max-width: 780px;\n    margin: 3rem auto;\n    background: #fff;\n    border-radius: 12px;\n    box-shadow: 0 2px 24px rgba(0,0,0,0.07);\n    padding: 3rem 3.5rem;\n  }\n  .page-meta {\n    font-size: 11px;\n    letter-spacing: 0.08em;\n    text-transform: uppercase;\n    color: #888;\n    margin-bottom: 2.5rem;\n    padding-bottom: 1rem;\n    border-bottom: 1px solid #e8e4dc;\n  }\n  .page-meta strong { color: #3B6D11; }\n  .pd-grid-2 {\n    display: grid;\n    grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;\n    gap: 12px;\n    margin-bottom: 2rem;\n  }\n  .pd-hydration-table,\n  .pd-flush-table,\n  .pd-variety-table {\n    width: 100%;\n    border-collapse: collapse;\n    font-size: 13px;\n  }\n  .pd-hydration-table th,\n  .pd-flush-table th,\n  .pd-variety-table th {\n    background: #f7f5f0;\n    padding: 9px 14px;\n    text-align: left;\n    font-size: 11.5px;\n    font-weight: 600;\n    color: #1a1a18;\n    border-bottom: 2px solid #e8e4dc;\n  }\n  .pd-hydration-table td,\n  .pd-flush-table td,\n  .pd-variety-table td {\n    padding: 9px 14px;\n    border-bottom: 1px solid #f0ece4;\n    color: #444;\n    font-size: 13px;\n    vertical-align: top;\n  }\n  .pd-hydration-table tr:last-child td,\n  .pd-flush-table tr:last-child td,\n  .pd-variety-table tr:last-child td { border-bottom: none; }\n  .pd-hydration-table tr:nth-child(even) td,\n  .pd-flush-table tr:nth-child(even) td,\n  .pd-variety-table tr:nth-child(even) td { background: #faf8f5; }\n  @media (max-width: 560px) {\n    .pd-grid-2 { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }\n    .page-wrap { padding: 2rem 1.5rem; }\n  }\n\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003c!-- 1. HOOK --\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 22px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.35; color: #1a1a18; margin: 0 0 1rem;\"\u003eThick, scallop-cut stems and caps so dark they read black on the plate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- 2. LEAD --\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 15px; color: #444; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0 0 2rem;\"\u003eBlack Pearl King (\u003cem\u003ePleurotus\u003c\/em\u003e spp.) is a Japanese hybrid — King Oyster (\u003cem\u003eP. eryngii\u003c\/em\u003e) crossed with Pearl Oyster (\u003cem\u003eP. ostreatus\u003c\/em\u003e). It takes the thick stem, dense flesh and bold savoury depth from its king parent, and the fast colonisation and easy side-fruiting from its pearl parent. You get King Oyster texture on the plate without King Oyster fussiness in the grow room.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a \u003cstrong\u003e2.2 KG ready-to-fruit block\u003c\/strong\u003e: fully colonised, sealed, and ready to pin as soon as you cut it open. Grown, sterilised and colonised right here on Tamborine Mountain on our own hardwood + soy hull Masters Mix — not imported, not repackaged, not resold. Cut an X, keep it cool and humid, and the block does the rest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr style=\"border: none; border-top: 1px solid #e8e4dc; margin: 2rem 0;\"\u003e\u003c!-- 3. FEATURE GRID --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display: block; font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin-bottom: 1.1rem;\"\u003e Why growers and chefs chase this one \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"pd-grid-2\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #f7f5f0; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1rem 1.1rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600; color: #1a1a18; margin: 0 0 5px;\"\u003eKing Oyster stems, oyster-easy growing\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 500; color: #27500a; background: #C0DD97; border-radius: 4px; padding: 2px 9px; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003eMeaty stems. None of the eryngii fuss.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.65; margin: 0;\"\u003eTrue King Oyster is notoriously demanding to fruit well. This hybrid inherits the thick, dense, caramelising stem — cut it into rounds and it sears like a scallop — while fruiting from a simple side cut the way every other oyster in our range does. That combination is the whole point of the cross.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #f7f5f0; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1rem 1.1rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600; color: #1a1a18; margin: 0 0 5px;\"\u003eCaps that read near-black\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 500; color: #27500a; background: #C0DD97; border-radius: 4px; padding: 2px 9px; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003eDarkest in the cold.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.65; margin: 0;\"\u003eDeep charcoal to almost black, with rippling cap margins that lighten as they mature. Colour is driven by cool temperatures and consistent light — fruit it at the low end of the range and you get the dramatic near-black clusters that sell themselves on a market table or a menu.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #f7f5f0; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1rem 1.1rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600; color: #1a1a18; margin: 0 0 5px;\"\u003eYou decide the shape it grows\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 500; color: #27500a; background: #C0DD97; border-radius: 4px; padding: 2px 9px; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003eMore air, wider caps. Less air, thicker stems.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.65; margin: 0;\"\u003eAirflow is a dial on this variety in a way it isn't on the others. Restrict fresh air and the stems elongate and thicken into a king-style column. Open it right up and the caps expand into a broad, layered oyster fan. Same block, two very different products — chosen before you start fruiting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #f7f5f0; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1rem 1.1rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; font-weight: 600; color: #1a1a18; margin: 0 0 5px;\"\u003eGrown and colonised on-farm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: inline-block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 500; color: #27500a; background: #C0DD97; border-radius: 4px; padding: 2px 9px; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003eNot repackaged. Grown here.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.65; margin: 0;\"\u003eEvery block is mixed, sterilised and colonised at Kai Kai Farm on our own hardwood + soy hull Masters Mix — the same substrate we fruit commercially. Verified contamination-free, consistent block to block, and packed to order rather than sitting in a warehouse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr style=\"border: none; border-top: 1px solid #e8e4dc; margin: 2rem 0;\"\u003e\u003c!-- 4. OUTCOMES --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display: block; font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin-bottom: 1.1rem;\"\u003e What you’ll notice \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #f7f5f0; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1.1rem 1.25rem; margin-bottom: 1rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0;\"\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; align-items: flex-start; padding: 5px 0; font-size: 14px; color: #333; line-height: 1.55;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: block; width: 7px; height: 7px; border-radius: 50%; background: #639922; margin-top: 5px; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Stems with real substance — thick enough to cut into rounds and sear, holding their shape in the pan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; align-items: flex-start; padding: 5px 0; font-size: 14px; color: #333; line-height: 1.55;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: block; width: 7px; height: 7px; border-radius: 50%; background: #639922; margin-top: 5px; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Charcoal to near-black caps with rippled edges — the most striking cluster in the range\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; align-items: flex-start; padding: 5px 0; font-size: 14px; color: #333; line-height: 1.55;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: block; width: 7px; height: 7px; border-radius: 50%; background: #639922; margin-top: 5px; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e A firm, resilient bite and bold, earthy flavour with a faint sweetness and a hint of smoke\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; align-items: flex-start; padding: 5px 0; font-size: 14px; color: #333; line-height: 1.55;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: block; width: 7px; height: 7px; border-radius: 50%; background: #639922; margin-top: 5px; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Noticeably better fridge life than a standard grey oyster — the dense flesh holds up\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; align-items: flex-start; padding: 5px 0; font-size: 14px; color: #333; line-height: 1.55;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: block; width: 7px; height: 7px; border-radius: 50%; background: #639922; margin-top: 5px; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Control you don’t get elsewhere — adjust airflow and steer the harvest toward stems or caps\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- 5. SCIENCE CALLOUT --\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border-left: 3px solid #639922; padding: 0.8rem 1rem; margin-bottom: 2rem; background: #f7f5f0; border-radius: 0 8px 8px 0;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0 0 0.65rem;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color: #1a1a18;\"\u003eWhy the hybrid behaves the way it does:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eP. ostreatus\u003c\/em\u003e is a vigorous wood decomposer — fast to colonise, forgiving, and happy to pin from an opening in the bag. \u003cem\u003eP. eryngii\u003c\/em\u003e is the opposite: a grassland species that in the wild feeds on plant roots rather than wood, which is why it demands so much more control in cultivation, but also why it builds that famously dense, low-moisture flesh. Black Pearl King is a cultivar selected to carry the eryngii fruit structure on the ostreatus growth habit. The Masters Mix underneath it does the rest — hardwood supplies the lignocellulosic backbone, soy hulls add readily available nitrogen and protein, and the extra nitrogen is what fuels thick stems rather than thin, watery ones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0 0 0.65rem;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color: #1a1a18;\"\u003eWhy airflow changes the shape:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mushrooms read CO₂ as a depth cue. When CO₂ builds up around the block, the fungus behaves as though it’s buried and pushes the stem upward to reach clear air — stems elongate and thicken, caps stay tight. When fresh air is plentiful and CO₂ falls, it reads the surface as reached and invests in cap expansion instead. Most varieties treat this as a fault to be avoided; on Black Pearl King it’s a deliberate lever. Decide which form you want \u003cem\u003ebefore\u003c\/em\u003e you start fruiting, then set your airflow to match and leave it there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;\"\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color: #1a1a18;\"\u003eWhy cool and bright makes it black:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cap pigmentation in this cultivar develops most intensely at the low end of the fruiting range and under a consistent daily light cycle. Fruit it warm or in a dim corner and the caps come out a washed-out grey-brown — still perfectly good eating, but without the drama that makes this variety worth growing. Cool, bright and indirect is the recipe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr style=\"border: none; border-top: 1px solid #e8e4dc; margin: 2rem 0;\"\u003e\u003c!-- 6. HOW TO FRUIT --\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; color: #1a1a18; margin: 0 0 0.4rem;\"\u003eHow to fruit your block\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #888; margin: 0 0 1.25rem;\"\u003eSite it cool → cut an X → pick your airflow → keep it humid → harvest pre-curl → rest → re-flush\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- Conditions at a glance --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin-bottom: 0.75rem;\"\u003eFruiting conditions at a glance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border: 1px solid #e8e4dc; border-radius: 10px; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"pd-hydration-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFruiting temperature\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e13–20°C — a cool-weather variety, best in autumn, winter and early spring. It will not pin reliably above 20°C\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor darkest caps\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e13–17°C with a consistent daily light cycle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHumidity\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e85–95% around the cut surface\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFresh air\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYour dial — plenty of air for wide open caps, restricted air for thick king-style stems\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLight\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBright but indirect, roughly 12 hours a day — never direct sun. Light drives cap colour\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTime to first pins\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5–8 days after cutting the block\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePin to harvest\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e~7–10 days\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirst-flush yield\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e450–550 g under optimal conditions\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTotal flushes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2–3 before the block is spent — fewer than a standard oyster, but heavier and denser per mushroom\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- Step by step --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin-bottom: 0.75rem;\"\u003eStep by step\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #f7f5f0; border-radius: 8px; padding: 0.85rem 1rem; font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 0.6rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #3b6d11; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e1.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color: #1a1a18;\"\u003eFind a cool, bright spot.\u003c\/strong\u003e 13–20°C with bright indirect light, out of direct sun and drying draughts. This is the one non-negotiable — above 20°C the block will sulk rather than pin. A cool spare room, garage, shaded verandah or cellar all work well through the cooler months.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 0.6rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #3b6d11; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e2.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color: #1a1a18;\"\u003eCut an X in the bag.\u003c\/strong\u003e With a clean, sharp knife, cut a 5–8 cm “X” through the plastic on one face of the block — or directly over any pins already forming. Mushrooms fruit from the cut. One or two cuts per block is plenty.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 0.6rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #3b6d11; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e3.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color: #1a1a18;\"\u003eChoose your form.\u003c\/strong\u003e For \u003cstrong\u003ethick king-style stems\u003c\/strong\u003e, keep airflow low — tent the block loosely with a bag and vent it only briefly each day. For \u003cstrong\u003ewide open caps\u003c\/strong\u003e, give it as much fresh air as you can while keeping the surface damp. Pick one and stick with it; switching halfway gives you neither.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 0.6rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #3b6d11; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e4.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color: #1a1a18;\"\u003eKeep it humid.\u003c\/strong\u003e Mist around the cut 2–3 times a day so the surface stays damp but never waterlogged. Target 85–95%. If cap edges start cracking or drying, humidity is losing — mist more often or tent more closely.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; margin-bottom: 0.6rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #3b6d11; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e5.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color: #1a1a18;\"\u003eHarvest pre-curl.\u003c\/strong\u003e Pins appear in 5–8 days and mature over ~7–10. Twist and pull the whole cluster from the base just before the cap edges flatten and turn up — that’s when colour is deepest, texture firmest and shelf life longest. A day early beats a day late. Don’t leave stumps behind.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #3b6d11; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e6.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"color: #1a1a18;\"\u003eRest and re-flush.\u003c\/strong\u003e Clean off every stem stub, let the cut face rest and re-colonise for a few days, then bring the humidity back up. A second flush usually follows within 1–2 weeks, and often a third after that. To boost later flushes, submerge the block in cold water for a few hours, drain, and continue.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- Flush expectations --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin-bottom: 0.75rem;\"\u003eWhat to expect from each flush\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border: 1px solid #e8e4dc; border-radius: 10px; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"pd-flush-table\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFlush\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eTiming\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat to expect\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1st\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePins in 5–8 days · harvest ~day 12–18\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e450–550 g — the biggest and darkest flush of the block\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2nd\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1–2 weeks after the first harvest\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTypically smaller — cold-soak the block first to maximise it\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3rd\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eA further 1–2 week rest\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLighter again, and usually the last worthwhile flush\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 11.5px; color: #aaa; margin: 0; padding: 0.6rem 1.25rem; border-top: 1px solid #f0ece4; font-style: italic;\"\u003eYields vary with temperature, humidity and airflow. The figures above are typical for a block fruited in good conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- Kitchen callout --\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #f0f7e8; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1.1rem 1.25rem; margin-bottom: 2rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 12px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin: 0 0 0.5rem;\"\u003e🍳 In the kitchen\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #444; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0;\"\u003eBold, earthy and faintly sweet with a whisper of smoke, and a firm, resilient bite that holds up where a standard oyster would collapse. Cut the stems into thick rounds and sear them hard in a dry pan before adding butter — they caramelise and eat like scallops. Tear the caps into big pieces for grain bowls, tacos and stir-fries where you want each piece to carry visual weight. It takes high heat, long roasting and grilling far better than any other oyster in our range, and the near-black caps hold their colour on the plate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr style=\"border: none; border-top: 1px solid #e8e4dc; margin: 2rem 0;\"\u003e\u003c!-- 7. STORAGE \u0026 HANDLING --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display: block; font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin-bottom: 1.1rem;\"\u003e Storage \u0026amp; handling \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border: 1px solid #e8e4dc; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong style=\"color: #1a1a18;\"\u003eIf you can’t fruit straight away, store the sealed block somewhere cool and dark below 18°C for up to 2 weeks.\u003c\/strong\u003e Handle it gently — the mycelium inside is alive and ready to go. Leave the bag sealed until you’re ready to start fruiting; once you cut the X, the clock starts and the block wants humidity and air.\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #EAF3DE; border-radius: 7px; padding: 0.65rem 0.9rem; margin-top: 10px; font-size: 13px; color: #27500a; line-height: 1.55;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e📦 Shipping in warm weather:\u003c\/strong\u003e We strongly recommend adding \u003ca style=\"color: #27500a; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"\/products\/express-post-addon\"\u003eExpress Post\u003c\/a\u003e during the warmer months to minimise heat stress in transit — add one per block to your cart.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- COMMERCIAL \/ BULK --\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border: 1px solid #e8e4dc; border-radius: 10px; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 2rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #f7f5f0; padding: 0.65rem 1.25rem; border-bottom: 1px solid #e8e4dc;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 11px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #888; margin: 0;\"\u003eOrdering for a farm or a kitchen?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 13px; color: #444; line-height: 1.75;\"\u003eBlack Pearl King is a strong margin variety for growers supplying restaurants — it commands a premium over standard oysters and travels better — and \u003cstrong\u003ebulk pricing is available from 10 blocks\u003c\/strong\u003e. Orders of 4 or more blocks of a single variety are made to order and can take up to 2 weeks (3 weeks for Pioppino and Reishi); we’ll confirm your dispatch date once the order is placed. Get in touch for commercial pricing and standing orders.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- PERFECT FOR --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display: block; font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin-bottom: 1.1rem;\"\u003e Perfect for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #f7f5f0; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1.1rem 1.25rem; margin-bottom: 2rem; font-size: 13px; color: #444; line-height: 1.9;\"\u003eRestaurants and chefs after a mushroom with real structure · market gardeners wanting a premium point of difference · small commercial farms diversifying beyond grey oysters · home growers with a cool space and a season or two under their belt · anyone who has tried King Oyster and wants the eating without the equipment.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- 8. WHAT'S INSIDE --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display: block; font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin-bottom: 1.1rem;\"\u003e What’s inside the block \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border: 1px solid #e8e4dc; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.9; margin-bottom: 2rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; align-items: flex-start;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: block; width: 7px; height: 7px; border-radius: 50%; background: #639922; margin-top: 7px; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eAustralian hardwood pellets (Tasmanian Oak sawdust)\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; align-items: flex-start;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: block; width: 7px; height: 7px; border-radius: 50%; background: #639922; margin-top: 7px; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eSoy hull pellets\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; align-items: flex-start;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: block; width: 7px; height: 7px; border-radius: 50%; background: #639922; margin-top: 7px; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eFiltered rain water\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: flex; gap: 10px; align-items: flex-start;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"display: block; width: 7px; height: 7px; border-radius: 50%; background: #639922; margin-top: 7px; flex-shrink: 0;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eBlack Pearl King organic certified grain spawn (\u003cem\u003ePleurotus\u003c\/em\u003e spp. hybrid)\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0.75rem 0 0; font-size: 12.5px; color: #888; line-height: 1.7;\"\u003e~2.2 KG block, sterilised and fully colonised with Black Pearl King mycelium before dispatch. No fillers, no additives — just substrate and mycelium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- EXPLORE THE RANGE --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display: block; font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin-bottom: 1.1rem;\"\u003e More ready-to-fruit blocks \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border: 1px solid #e8e4dc; border-radius: 10px; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 1rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ctable class=\"pd-variety-table\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eVariety\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCharacter\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003e\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePearl Oyster\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThe benchmark — fastest to pin, highest yielding, endlessly versatile\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003ca style=\"color: #3b6d11; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"\/products\/pearl-oyster-mushroom-pleurotus-ostreatus-block\"\u003eView\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlue Shimeji Oyster\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDeep blue-grey to charcoal fans — dark drama in a classic oyster form\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003ca style=\"color: #3b6d11; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"\/products\/oyster-mushroom-blue-shimeji-ready-to-fruit-block\"\u003eView\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSnow White Oyster\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePristine white clusters — elevates presentation on any plate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003ca style=\"color: #3b6d11; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"\/products\/oyster-mushroom-snow-white-ready-to-fruit-block\"\u003eView\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eItalian Oyster\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHeat-tolerant — the summer counterpart when Black Pearl King won’t fruit\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003ca style=\"color: #3b6d11; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"\/products\/oyster-mushroom-italian-ready-to-fruit-block\"\u003eView\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"padding: 0.85rem 1.25rem; border-top: 1px solid #e8e4dc; background: #f0f7e8;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #444; margin: 0;\"\u003eNew to growing? Black Pearl King rewards a bit of experience and a cool space. If this is your first block, start with the \u003ca style=\"color: #3b6d11; font-weight: 600; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"\/products\/pearl-oyster-mushroom-grow-kit\"\u003ePearl Oyster Mushroom Kit\u003c\/a\u003e — a more forgiving variety in a beginner-friendly boxed format.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003chr style=\"border: none; border-top: 1px solid #e8e4dc; margin: 2rem 0;\"\u003e\u003c!-- 9. BRAND STORY --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display: block; font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #3b6d11; margin-bottom: 1.1rem;\"\u003e The Kai Kai Farm story \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background: #f7f5f0; border-radius: 10px; padding: 1.25rem 1.4rem;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0 0 0.75rem;\"\u003eKai Kai Farm is a family operation on Tamborine Mountain in Queensland’s Scenic Rim. We grow gourmet mushrooms commercially — oysters, lion’s mane, pioppino, chestnut — and we sell blocks cut from the same production we fruit ourselves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0 0 0.75rem;\"\u003eWe’re growers, not resellers. Every block is mixed, sterilised and colonised here on the mountain, using methods refined over years of commercial gourmet and medicinal mushroom production. What arrives at your door is genuinely fresh — inoculated, colonised and packed to order, with verified contamination-free cultures and full transparency from substrate to shelf.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0;\"\u003eBlack Pearl King is one of the more interesting things we grow — a variety that rewards a grower who pays attention, and one our restaurant customers notice the moment it lands on the bench. Whether you’re fruiting a single block in a cool spare room or running a rack of them through a market garden, this is the block we grow ourselves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kai Kai Farm","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52864244908343,"sku":"BL-OY-BPK","price":24.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0791\/2040\/0695\/files\/BlackPearlKingOysterMushroomFruiting.jpg?v=1787127091","url":"https:\/\/kaikaifarm.au\/products\/oyster-mushroom-black-pearl-king-ready-to-fruit-block","provider":"Kai Kai Farm","version":"1.0","type":"link"}