Chanterelle Mushrooms
An ancient and sacred wild food...

It is difficult to reach back in my memory to find the moment I first learned about the delicious wild edible mushroom known as Chanterelle (Cantharellus). I am honestly surprised I don't recall it. I would imagine it had to have been my husband who introduced them to me, as he has done with many other unique wild herbs and mushrooms growing in the countryside and woodlands across the U.S.

I certainly have a basket full of memories picking the mushrooms though. There was the time we lived in the mountains of North Carolina, very rurally- at least 45 minutes from the nearest small city- and we ate them throughout the summer. The rich, thickly wooded mountain sides were abundant with the meaty, golden treasures. On those mountain sides we also picked feral apples at old homesteads, gathered gallons upon gallons of nettle leaves for drying, buckets full of invasive autumn olives, and many other wild foods. Those were special times to cherish. That was in the "back before the kids days", and we had a lot of adventures. 

There was also that hot, humid, Indiana summer where I couldn't get up and down the wooded hillsides nearly as fast as my husband, who was busy filling his basket with the protein and calorie-rich mushrooms. I was 9 months pregnant and hauling a 12 pound baby boy around in my belly. I could only slowly walk and mostly, wait by a tree here and there, drifting off in my mind at the immense green color of the full summer foliage in the Indiana hardwood forests. He did most of the picking while I would occasionally point and say, "Oh, there's one!"

I have gathered the mushrooms with my lady friends, solo, and even with babies and toddlers on my back in a carrier- but one way or another- it is always a summertime tradition to get to the woods and find some of these, my favorite of all wild mushrooms. (Can I really pick a favorite?)

Chanterelle mushrooms grow in North America and also in Europe and part of Asia. They are on record as having been eaten by Europeans as early as the 1500's, but I am sure they were utilized far before then. I doubt that suddenly in the 16th century our folk just discovered the gourmet wild mushrooms and tried eating them! They became very popular among the nobles later, but traditionally were a "peasant food". I have long envisioned my own foot steps along with my great grandmothers of old wandering well-worn footpaths to "the spot" where the Chanterelles grow. 

In Sweden and Germany, where some of my ancestors hailed from, the mushrooms are called Kantarells and Pfiefferling, respectively. In France of course they are called Girole. They also grow in Britain. In America, we find them in the woods- typically healthy forests with mixture of hardwoods. Oak, beech, maple... 

There are plenty of resources available for proper identification and you should seek them out before eating wild mushrooms. Over the years we have gained plenty of confidence with ID and it has simply become a part of our lifestyle to hunt and enjoy these delicious, nutrient- dense wild foods. With time, most people can also experience that level of comfort with a handful of wild edible gourmet mushrooms. 

"Nutrient-dense", you say? Indeed, Chanterelles are very high in vitamin D2, Vitamin C and potassium. They also contain protein and calories. They are excellent eaten in a variety of ways. I love their rich, sweet smell and their beautiful, peachy orange, buttery color. The nutrients are said to be fat soluble, so they lend themselves well to a butter or cream sauce. 

The special thing about Chanterelles is that you only find them during a specific time of year. here in Indiana, it is during the hottest and most humid time of year- mid to late July- through early to mid August. We find the largest and most beautiful specimens after a rain proceeded by a couple of nice hot, sunny days. 

Unlike some other wild gourmets, the bright orange color makes them much easier to find, but the experience is no less whimsical. Being that they are a mychorrizal fungus, I always feel a strong sense that these types of plants are connected strongly to the spirit world.

Be aware, there are many different types of orange mushrooms in the woods- please don't pick them and eat them until you know exactly what they are. Chanterelles are unique in that they lack true gills. I have known someone who mistook them for the very poisonous Jack-O-Lantern mushrooms and gave the entire party severe vomiting. I will post links below to help get you started with identifying. 

If you find these in abundance you can freeze or dry them. We have also preserved them in Vodka (like a true Swede) cooking with them later in winter and using the liquid for a cocktail. 

My three favorite ways to cook Chanterelles (and you must cook them to release full flavor), are in a creamed soup, a quiche, and with liver in a pate`.

Once you have properly identified your mushrooms and given them a soak or rinse in salt water to remove bits of dirt or bugs, pat them dry, chop sparingly, and sauté in butter on medium high heat for several ,minutes. You can then add them to a liver pate or a quiche. I like to add bacon, onions, and a bit of garlic, sautéed separately, to almost all of my Chanterelle dishes. To make the creamed soup, just proceed as you would with any sort of creamed soup. If you have a dash of white wine to add that is good too. The mushrooms are also delicious on their own with just a bit of sage and garlic. 

I hope that you are inspired to become aquatinted with this dear, old wild friend of mine, and that you may find some nourishment from them for your body and soul. 

~~V

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanterelle

https://wildfoods.ca/blog/chanterelles/