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Ever heard of the group of edible mushrooms referred to as 'Chanterelles'? Let's see what all the hype is about...
Chanterelle mushrooms are known far and wide among many chefs and fungi foragers as they are considered a choice edible, known for their sweet and nutty taste. They even smell great with many people comparing the taste and scent to apricots.
Recently in North Carolina we've been finding loads of chanterelle mushrooms and multiple different species. Across species, chanterelles are known for their "gill-like" fertile surfaces, meaning on the underside of the cap are structures that are similar to gills, except that they tend to be more blunt and rounded *see photo below*.
Additionally, all chanterelle species grow mycorrhizally, meaning from the soil; therefore, if you've found a mushroom growing on live wood or dead wood, it is NOT a chanterelle, so pay close attention to the substrate.
With that said it's important to address that some chanterelle species have been said to have toxic look-a-likes, so be sure to cross reference your findings in multiple field guides, take spore prints, and always have a 100% ID before harvesting, preparing, and consuming a wild edible mushroom.
It's only the end of June and we've found all these species of chanterelle mushrooms so far:
"Chanterelle" Cantharellus Cibarius
"Appalachian Chanterelle" Cantharellus Appalachiensis
"Smooth Chanterelle" Cantharellus Lateritius
"Cinnabar Chanterelle" Cantharellus Cinnabarinus
"Flame-Colored Chanterelle" Craterellus Ignicolor
Interested in learning more about where to forage for Chanterelles and even what recipes work well with Chanterelles? Keep a look out for our Chanterelle Video coming July 5th!