Mushrooms

Ahh Chanterelles! This is the first mushroom I collected in our woods that really got my wife’s attention. Generally she does not like mushrooms, in her opinion they are good for flavoring other foods but not good themselves. I found some on the south slope of the woods fairly near the top and brought them in and sauted them and she became a believer. The next evening, she insisted on going out again and we found a good sized mess. Ummm. Another thing about this mushroom, when someone asks me about my mushroom collecting, they always perk up when I mention chanterelles. I only wish they were more abundant.

Around here they are usually found next to downed hardwoods often almost buried in the leaves. The only hint they are there is a little splash of yellow when you are searching. But in nearly every case once you spotted them the vast majority of the mushroom was under the leaves. All we have found have been within a small area about 25ft in diameter on a south facing wooded hillside.

They sell for $19.95 a pound in the local market, we ate about $30 worth the other night ;).

If you pick this mushroom and want to eat it be sure and don’t confuse it with the Jack O Lantern Mushroom. They look much alike except the Jack O Lantern has true gills.

Links

• Mushroom Expert
• Tom Volk’s of the Month

Chanterelle cibarius