August has been unusual here, lots of rain and few days over 95 degrees so far ( crossed fingers ) this meant that I got a chance to teach my dear himself a bit about shroom pickin'.
The chanterelle family of mushrooms can be found almost all over the U.S. and many other countries as well. However, since I moved to Alabama, I have been delighted by a version new to me. The Red Chanterelle. Also known as the cinnabar.
Chanty's are so distinctive in the U.S. They are the only mushroom that has firm flesh that is "veined" instead of "gilled". Quite distinctive even though I can think of about 10 varieties off the top of my head that look really unrelated from the top side.
PLEASE!!!!! Do *N*O*T* take my word for this information, I am not a expert in mushrooms, I'm only familiar with a handful of wild varieties. Do your own research for your own area. If you find something like I've described, call your local extension service and get a proper expert to verify your findings. Any real mistake with wild mushrooms CAN be fatal, no second chances.
On chanty's, the veins run part way down the stalk and really look like swollen veins instead of gills or the puffy pincushion type bottom of the boletus. Most chanty's have a sweet smell, some what peppery and much less "fungusy" than most shrooms. The taste of a raw one is in every type that I have tried, been rather peppery...which is exactly why they are so grand for cooking with. The "button" (an unopened, unfurled baby shroom ) is much more so than the "flower" ( the opened "bloom" of the mushroom).
We as a family went out woods walkin' day before yesterday. My adored himself was really grumpy from being sick and he's such an active fellow that I figured a woodley walk might take the edge off.
We took several plastic grocery bags with us. One for KNOWN (by my daffy-nition) shrooms. One for known sub groups and one for totally unknowns for me to start looking up.
We found several "patches" ( the term used for any harvestable amount of shrooms growing in one area ) of the delicate red chanty's. Several more of the larger regular chanty and the "minor" chanty. In total we got about 5 pounds combined of edibles and about 15 pounds of research material ( KIDS ........... A R G )
Large flowers are a stunning side dish if you live in an area where they grow in lively amounts. I don't have that here in Alabama, the weather just doesn't permit length of time for growth they need with out a killing heat wave.
BUT!
You can take very plain, very common foods and really make them special with the strong glints of gold, yellow, black, bronze ( almost ) and red of the wonderful chanty. Of course you need to factor in the innate pepper that they will add to foods depending on cooking time. The longer cooked, the less individual flavor and peppery spice.
So far, here in Alabama, I've only found three kinds. The red, the normal and the minor, which is very much like the normal, only smaller and brighter.
The reds and the minors can be added whole to your cooking efforts for color AND flavor.
Do NOT pull them up from the ground, take a sharp knife and slice cleanly just below the ground surface and they will regenerate.
Large shrooms, use a small paint brush to gently sweep the veined underside to get out any forest products they have picked up. If they are really small and that kind of cleaning will shred them, use a colander and with cool water rinse whilst swishing constantly....hand pick out pine needles, bark bits and such.
Best to sauté first, rather hot before you add either other foods, or drain and add to other foods. I prefer butter to sauté with.
Reds:
Gold chanty's
ANY DISH.
Really.
One more mushroom that grows here ( more rare ) the cauliflower. Stunning in looks. Mild in flavor and lovely as a center for any formal dinner if steamed with the right seasonings.
Another, the oyster. Odd because when we see it we would easily say to ourselves.. "Tree sucker...no good." Delicate also called Angel wings ( not the same thing at all, but users mix them up alla time ) They run UP the sides of rotting trees. Oysters are more a soft beige and really smell like oysters and angel wings are snow white.
One more "chicken of the woods" This is a fungus that grown ONLY on dead wood, usually on old growth stumps to the southern side. If you see a bright orange fungus growing in such a way, that is large and smells like you just walked past KFC, by all means cut that puppy off and ask your extension service rep to verify it for you, they are absolutely delicious!
Remember, if you are saving a specimen for your extension rep to verify... there are two ways you have help them be totally sure of what you have. Put one sample in the fridge and set one dark paper so it can start drying and sporing out. The combination of both of those should guarantee that if it's edible ... they can verify it.
Do NOT take chances with wild mushrooms. EVER. If you aren't TOTALLY sure of what you have, save it and let an expert tell you what it is.
Take care, have fun and eat well!
This page last updated 07/29/2001