Chanterelle Mushrooms

Photo: Anonymous

About

Chanterelle mushrooms grow prolifically in the Pacific Northwest of the US and many parts of the world. In the northern hemisphere, their season tends to start around September and run through about December or later. Dried chanterelles are one of the harder dried mushrooms to work with because they are woody when they reconstitute. Commercially, chanterelles seem to be the most prolific wild mushroom. Their flavor is earthy and apricot-sweet and they are very versatile.

Information

Other names: Queen of the Forest, Chanterelles, Golden Chanterelles

Translations: Gailene sēnes, Voveraitėmis, Chanterelle Ciuperci, Gljive Chanterelle, Nấm Chanterelle, Kurkami, Paddestoelen, छांटरैल मशरूम, Chanterelle Cogumelos, Лисичками, Chanterelle Μανιτάρια, شانتيريل الفطر, 살구 버섯 버섯, Liškami, Цхантерелле Печурке, Kabute ng chanterelle mushrooms, 鸡油菌蘑菇, Chanterelle bolets, Lisička Gobe, Líška, Finferli, Chanterelle פטריות, Kantareller, Chanterelle Jamur, シャンテレールキノコ, Girolles, Pfifferlingen, Kantarel Svampe, Kantareller sopper, Chanterelle setas, Лисичками, Kantarelli Sienet, Гъби пачи крак

Physical Description

Chanterelles are a fleshy aromatic mushroom that can vary greatly in size and shape. In the Pacific Northwest, they are often the size of a fist, and can be as large as two hand spans--from little finger to little finger. Chanterelles weighing as much as two pounds are not uncommon. The texture of the mushroom is tender.The Chanterelle has a trumpet-shaped cap with a beautiful pastel orange color - often described as either apricot, or the color of orange sherbet. The Chanterelle's mushroom-y flavor is laced with a fruity scent, reminiscent to some of apricots.

Colors: beige to orangey brown

Tasting Notes

Flavors: sweet and earthy

Mouthfeel: Soft, Buttery

Food complements: Steak, Polenta, Cheese, Garlic, Olive oil

Wine complements: White wine, Red wine

Beverage complements: Beer, Hard cider

Substitutes: Morels, White mushrooms, Shitakes, Dried chanterelles

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: September, Cctober, November

Peak: September, October, November

Choosing: They should have a fragrant odor. The color should be golden or apricot. They should not be slimy or have dark, decaying parts. The gills should not be granular, or fragmenting off the fleshy portion of the mushrooms.

Buying: Chanterelles can be found in supermarkets and farmers markets in the late summer through the fall. Dried Chanterelles are available year round at most grocers and online.

Procuring: Chanterelles grow in the wild. Efforts to cultivate them are mostly unsuccessful. They will reappear in the same places year after year if carefully harvested so as not to disturb the ground in which the mycelium (the vegetative part of the mushroom) grows. There are yearly variations--some years more mushrooms, some less. They fruit from September to February on the West Coast and almost all summer in the east, sometimes coming up in several flushes. We think of them as promiscuous in their plant relationships, because we have found their mycelial threads intertwined with the roots of hardwood trees, conifers, shrubs, and bushes. They enjoy deep, old leaf litter.

Preparation and Use

Cut them into large chunks or slices, so that the maximum amount of flavor can be appreciated. Chanterelles are meaty and chewy. One of the best ways to cook them is to slice and sauté them in butter. Cream,sherry, half and half and chicken broth are all good additions

Cleaning: Use a toothbrush or a nylon mushroom brush to whisk away any surface material. In order to clean small particles of sand or dirt caught between the rounded gills, you must brush them under a slowly running faucet. Do not soak them. In general, the less water the better. Drain them on paper towels. They keep well if allowed to remain in a waxed paper or brown paper bag in the refrigerator until they are cleaned.

Conserving and Storing

Mushroom store best in a paper bag and not cleaned until ready to use. Cleaned chanterelles may also be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. They should be loosely arranged in a bowl lined with cloth or paper towels and covered lightly with towels. Chanterelles can be cooked and frozen or dried, however they will lose some of their flavor and aroma.

Social/Political

High in vitamins A and D, Chinese folk remedies have for centuries attributed curative powers to the Chanterelle, using them particularly for vision and respiratory problems.