Printer Friendly Page.

Chantrelle Mushrooms

Chantrelle mushrooms are trumpet shaped and have yellow to yellow-orange coloring. The stem is veinlike with folds and ridges, as opposes to the gills of typical mushrooms. The flesh is firm and fibrous. Chantrelles are widespread in north temperate zone woodlands. They can be found in Washington, Oregon, and northern California and are often found in clusters on the forest floor. Golden chantrelles are found in conifer and hardwood forests, while white chantrelles are confined to conifer forests. Both fruit commonly in late summer and fall depending on rainfall. Please, if you are not educated in foraging for wild mushrooms, consult an expert before picking or eating them since there are many varieties that are poisonous.

Chantrelle mushrooms are easy to cook with and offer a great alternative to common button mushrooms. They have a rich and wild buttery flavor with a meat-like texture to them. They can be easily sauted for a great gravy, sauce, or toppings for a pizza.

We made a gravy for mashed potatoes and salmon with brusell sprouts for these Chantrelles that we found in a field near our park in Santa Cruz, CA. Once again, I can't stress this point enough, please, if you are not educated in foraging for wild mushrooms, consult an expert before picking or eating them since there are many varieties that are poisonous.

I have five years experience foraging for wild mushrooms with helpful lessons from Prof. David Aurora (author of Mushrooms Demystified and All That the Rain Promises and More) and I only stick to what I know. If I ever have questions, I always ask an expert before eating or serving mushrooms to anybody. That is a promise.