Beef stew is rather...unattractive, no? It's got so many good things going for it, but looks aren't one of them. It's got a lot of heart, though (but let's be clear, there's no actual heart in this). It's like the nerdy kid who asked you to prom and will later on be the CEO of some Silicon Valley tech start-up.
Note: I completely made that up as no nerdy kids I knew asked me to prom and later on became the CEO of a tech start-up. I just like the idea of it. The beef is tender and the mushrooms add an earthiness that only mushrooms can. Carrots, onion, and potatoes round out the substance of this tomato-y, spicy stew.
