You can find one of nature's most delicious delights in the woods and forests near you: it is a wild and edible mushroom. Many species of mushroom you find in grocery stores are expensive and are usually old too. Collecting mushrooms yourself is a fun way to spend time outdoors and to experience the thrill of collecting the food you eat yourself, plus your mushrooms will be very fresh!
Steps
Step 1. Find an experienced mushroom picker and ask them to take you on a hike to pick them together
The best way to learn how to spot mushrooms is to go with someone who is knowledgeable in the field and shows you how to recognize them. In many cities there is a mycological association you can join; sometimes they organize group collections. If the association has a forum, take advantage of it. You have a much better chance that an experienced collector will agree to teach you his knowledge if:
- You offer to drive or pay for gas.
- Promise that you will never go mushroom picking in the places he shows you and where he usually goes.
- Emphasize that you don't want to take mushrooms home with you, you just want to learn and observe.
Step 2. Check if chanterelles are growing in your area
For example, they grow in many parts of North America. Chanterelles are a 'summer' species, bright yellow in color and have the shape of a trumpet when ripe. These features make them easy to spot in the woods after you have found an area that favors growth.
The best seasons to look for these wild chanterelles are late summer and early fall, depending on how much rain has fallen in that area. Mushrooms need a lot of rain to grow. So, if the area you're looking for has had a rather humid summer, start looking for them in late August or early to mid-September. If you see small chanterelles just sprouting from the moss, wait a couple of weeks for them to mature, then come back to pick them up
Step 3. Learn to identify trees, such as hemlock and Douglas fir
Chanterelles tend to grow at the roots of these trees. If the ground is grassy or covered in a layer of leaves (as opposed to pine needles), you probably won't find chanterelles nearby.
Here is a sprig of Douglas fir
Step 4. Look carefully for the orange fragments coming out of the ground
Can you recognize the chanterelles in this photo? If you find one, there will probably be others nearby. Check the area surrounding the nearest tree. Check the soil from as many different angles as possible. Move carefully so you don't step on any of them.
Step 5. Cut the mushroom at the base
Although experienced mushroom pickers may argue about the merits of cutting mushrooms rather than extracting them, most people cut them. Put the collected mushrooms in a mesh cloth or jute bag, as it allows the spores to fall into the forest.
Step 6. Verify the identity of your chanterelle
The similar poisonous mushrooms that can create the most problems are the olive tree mushrooms of the genus Omphalotus. While an experienced observer can easily distinguish them from chanterelles, a lack of attention can bring a number of symptoms of general malaise to the digestive system. In some places, the species lethal of Cortinarius, which have real gills, may have an orange color similar to chanterelles. This can cause confusion for anyone trying to identify a mushroom based solely on photographs.
- Chanterelles have wrinkles or deep ridges under the hats, but they do not have flat gills. The species of the Omphalotus, on the other hand, have real gills. Look at the ridges in this photo. They are thick and not completely separated. They join and separate differently from the lamellae.
- Chanterelles grow on the ground. Omphalotus grow on decaying wood, which could be burned and almost completely decomposed.
- Omphalotus can achieve an olive coloration over time, but don't rely on that to spot them.
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Other species that resemble chanterelles are:
Pick Chanterelle Mushrooms Step 7
- The false chanterelle Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, which, like the mushrooms of the genus Omphalotus, has real gills. This fungus can cause digestive problems.
- Gomphus floccosus is a trumpet-shaped and lamellated mushroom, like the chanterelle, but has a scaly reddish-orange cap. Like Hygrophoropsis, it causes indigestion in some individuals.
Step 7. Enjoy the collection
Some say the only preparation chanterelles need is a brush to remove debris, while others rinse them. If you rinse the mushrooms, let them dry. For cooking chanterelles, many people get better results by browning them in a pan to release excess water. The flavor is mild, so don't put them in very rich and flavorful dishes.
Advice
Bring a guide with you and use the information provided to identify each potential chanterelle. Do not collect them based solely on photographs. If your guide gives you sparse photographs and descriptions, it's not a safe guide. At least you should be able to distinguish Omphalotus from chanterelles.
Warnings
- Learn about the laws governing mushroom picking. In some locations, you may get a hefty fine if you are stopped picking chanterelles without permission.
- Never eat a mushroom unless you are 100% convinced that it is edible. If you have even the slightest doubt, throw it away!
