One of the good things about this very rainy spring and summer was the astounding variety of mushrooms sprouting in the woods. My favorite summer mushroom is the chanterelle – an orange-apricot colored fungus.
chanterelle mushrooms
We harvested several colanders full of these mushrooms over a period of about two weeks in July.
This very delicious quinoa, beef, and chanterelle dinner was only one of several meals I concocted from our mushroom foraging trips:
Unfortunately, there are a few look-alike orange-colored mushrooms that are sometimes confused with chanterelles. We heard about a family in our county eating Jack-o-Lantern mushrooms for dinner (having mistaken them for chanterelles) – with resulting stomach aches, diarrhea and vomiting. Luckily, they are not deadly.
I believe these little guys growing up a tree trunk were baby jack-o-lanterns.
orange mushrooms on tree trunk
If you want to learn about mushrooms, make sure you learn from someone who is very experienced. Taking a mushroom ID book into the woods is not sufficient!
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Peach or Apricot Colors.
The Beauty Along the Road 
Interesting!
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It’s wonderful that you know what varieties are safe to eat. I enjoy looking, but don’t trust myself for harvesting. 🙂
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There are only 3 kinds of mushrooms I totally trust myself with – the rest, I leave alone until someone who knows more than me helps me to positively ID additional ones!
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Sounds like a good plan. 🙂
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I had no idea chanterelles look like that. Beautiful!
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You don’t have them where you live?
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We do, I’ve just never seen any myself.
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Some years, there is a narrow window. This year, they were out for a two-week period in late July. Other years, I’ve found them into August… a lot depends on the amount of moisture, I think.
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Oh…well, we’ve had a very dry summer, not exactly prime mushroom weather.
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Do you find morel mushrooms? These orange ones are so vibrant. It looks like they maintain their color after cooked, too. I miss mushroom hunting, especially morels. I can taste them now. 🙂
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I love morels and was lucky to be gifted with some on several occasions. I’ve looked year after year and only found 1 (ONE!) on my property – and it was too old to be eaten. Chanterelles and chicken-of-the-wood are the ones I can find reliably and identify with certainty. I’d love to grow shiitakes but haven’t made the effort yet….
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Those mushrooms are so very beautiful. Gorgeous entry.
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Thank you, Cee.
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I would never believe we could eat the chanterelle mushrooms. It’s great that you know what’s safe and what’s not. I guess I’ll have to buy mine from the grocery store or a market! 🙂
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That’s a good and (usually) safe alternative 🙂
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Beautiful colour mushrooms. I would be very hesitant to pick my own mushrooms. 😳
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Thank you, Sylvia. Yes, I am hesitant (or better, avoidant) with most of the mushrooms I see but this one I know very well – the exact shade of yellow, the smell, the growing habitat. If I have any doubt, I leave it alone….
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Congratulations! I have selected this post to be featured on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge.
I sure hope you are having a great week.
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What a lovely surprise, Cee. Thank you.
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You are so very welcome.
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Wow, how beautiful they are with the wavy curly edging! I’ve never seen them around my area but we do get morels, though, yum! We’ve been delighted to find some growing on our property. One year the weather must have been perfect and we had many different kinds growing all over in our backyard of pine. Fairy mushrooms, puff balls, so many others that we had to get a book on them.
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Hi Barbara – yes, mushrooms are fascinating in all their forms and colors. I want to learn more about them.
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Beautiful post! Chanterelles are divine! I love to forage – just posted about porcini a few days ago!
https://pachamamasbeautifulfood.wordpress.com/2015/08/13/porcini-king-bolete-and-penne-in-champagne-chevre-cream-sauce-alongside-a-little-tale-of-wild-foraging/
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What a delightful experience, Margaret!
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I’ve heard it’s been a wonderful year for mushrooming in many places! I’m glad to see it happening for you too!
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Great harvest! Delicious!
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