Paperback(2nd Revised ed.)
-
PICK UP IN STORECheck Availability at Nearby Stores
Available within 2 business hours
Related collections and offers
Overview
Since 1993, Start Mushrooming has been the trusted guide for beginners. This second edition introduces seven of the most common, edible wild mushrooms in North America. It features more photographs and expert tips from award-winning author and naturalist Stan Tekiela that make mushroom identification even easier. Start Mushrooming includes the information you need to start foraging with confidence.
The focused look at seven wild, edible mushrooms includes a unique checklist-based approach to help you confirm each mushroom’s identity. Plus, details on toxic species and advice from an author with extensive foraging skills help you learn what to watch out for and avoid. As an added bonus, the book includes a generous helping of tasty recipes.
Wild mushrooms are beautiful, bountiful, and delicious. This is the easy way to start mushrooming.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781591938309 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Adventure Publications, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 04/30/2019 |
| Edition description: | 2nd Revised ed. |
| Pages: | 128 |
| Sales rank: | 635,821 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 8.00(h) x (d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHANTERELLE
A POPULAR MUSHROOM WORLDWIDE
Cantharellus spp.
Cantharellus cibarius
Cantharellaceae family
The chanterelle is a group of similar-looking fungi that are found worldwide. In addition to North America, they occur in Europe, Asia, Eurasia, Central America and Africa. They have many names, such as girolle, gallinacci or pfifferling, depending on where you live. Chanterelles are often light orange to yellow, funnel-shaped and meaty. As some of the most commonly sought wild mushrooms, they are truly an international delight!
The French first brought chanterelles into the culinary world back in the eighteenth century. The rich, firm body and delicate flavor made these mushrooms a favorite among discriminating chefs.
Today, Poland is the world’s largest exporter of wild mushrooms, including the chanterelle. Many thousands of pounds of chanterelles, along with other mushroom species, are pickled and packed in jars and sold around the world. Sometimes you can find chanterelles in dishes at finer restaurants, when in season. One of the reasons they are so prized is for their eye appeal at the table. So far, they have resisted being cultivated and grown for production.
Chanterelles grow in multiples of up to several dozen, usually in mixed forests, and typically in shaded areas with a fair amount of moss or leaf litter. In some parts of the country, such as the upper Midwest, they are associated with conifers. In the western and eastern United States, they are associated with oak and beech trees. In other parts of the country, they can be found in birch forests.
Summer and fall are the best seasons for chanterelles. They are highly dependent on abundant rainfall. Once you find a chanterelle, stop and look around because there are usually many more. Chanterelles rarely fruit one at a time.
Chanterelles are usually pale orange or egg-yolk yellow. Less commonly, they are white. They have a distinct funnel shape, often with a wavy, rolled edge on the cap.
Underneath the cap are gill-like ridges that may feel waxy and run partially down the stem. These are considered false gills because they can’t be cleanly separated from the cap or stem. The ridges fork (bifurcate), so look closely for them to divide. The stem tapers to the thinnest point at the surface of the ground.
Chanterelles are stout, full-bodied mushrooms, and they just feel good in your hands—not delicate at all. They have a very earthy aroma and smell delicious, often with a hint of apricot. The flavor is outstanding! Of course, they taste mainly like mushrooms, but they have a faint flavor of oak.
Some chanterelles stand 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) tall, with the very largest reaching 5–6 inches (13–15 cm). No matter the size, all are edible. They often grow in groups of over 20–30 mushrooms. Given the right conditions, you can gather many hundreds in one afternoon!
Chanterelles are fairly nutritious. They contain vitamin C and potassium, along with high levels of vitamin D. They hold up well during the cooking process, making them perfect and fun to use in recipes that call for lots of mushrooms. They are also excellent for pickling. They don’t fall apart during pickling and pack well into jars.
SPORE PRINT
There isn’t one specific spore print color for the chanterelles. Prints range from yellow to creamy white and light pink to dark salmon. Chanterelle spore prints are extremely difficult to obtain....
Table of Contents
Enjoying the Wild MushroomsGet Ready to Hunt!
- Before You Begin
- Mushroom Lingo
- Mushroom Hunting Strategies
- Plan Ahead for the Harvest
- Confronting the Enemy
How to Start Mushrooming
- Identifying the Safe Seven
- Using the Check-Off Guide
- Using the Seasonal Quick-Guide
Sample Guides
The Safe Seven
- Morel: The Jewel of the Mushroom World
- Shaggy Mane: The Edible Urban Mushroom
- Sulfur Shelf: The Chicken of the Woods
- Oyster: The Seafood of the Forest
- Giant Puffball: The Giant of Field and Forest
- Chanterelle: A Popular Mushroom Worldwide
- Hen-of-the-woods: A Woodland’s Wonder
Cooking with Wild Mushrooms
- Recipes: A Taste of the Wild
- Recipe Notes
Drying, Storing and Rehydrating Mushrooms
The World of Wild Mushrooms
Bibliography
Observation Notes
Index
About the Author