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As the summer heat builds, we’ve noticed that of all chanterelle species, Cinnabar Chanterelles have been the most persistent fruiting bodies for the season.
Chanterelles start to emerge in late spring/early summer, depending on species and environmental region. Like all mushrooms, Chanterelles love a good series of rain storms and these warmer months tend to produce much needed thunderstorms throughout season. When the heat comes to a peak toward the end of the summer the delicious Chanterelle mushrooms begin to fizzle out while Boletes and Amanitas stake their claim on the forest floor.
Typically, this late in the season it becomes cumbersome to forage sizable chanterelles. It takes a more keen eye as other foragers have had all season to scout, and many fruitings are devoured by insects and animals.
Luckily with ample rain recently here in NC, a variety of local Chanterelle species have had a resurgence! But -- through heat and even drought, its the Cinnabar Chanterelles (Cantharellus cinnibarinus) that prove most resilient, providing an unwavering fruiting of gorgeous specimens throughout the entire Chanterelle season.
Though they’re small in stature, these reddish-orange Chanterelles fruit in great numbers throughout the entirety of the season. Their sweet flavor will have you coming back for more - and luckily, they’ll be there!
Tips for foraging Cinnabar Chanterelles:
Keep your eyes peeled for this bright, almost neon reddish orange color!
Be sure to scout out hilly forested areas but especially mossy mounds, at the base of trees, and right along creek beds.
When harvesting, a knife isn't as necessary as for other Chanterelle species. For the Cinnabars, most times you can simply pinch off the stipe at the base because of the thinner flesh.
