Chantrell Season!

[ArcticLight]

YuM!

Took my daughter and g/f up to the mountains and got a bucket full of Chantrell mushrooms.

Those not in the know, VERY flavorful mushroom found here local - not sure about hte rest of the country.

They sell them for $7-10 a pound but you can find them under almost any douglas fir tree with moss around it...


Get some!

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: Chantrell Season!

Switch this dinner was to die for - this mushroom tastes like peppery bacon.

Cook Mushrooms without butter or oil until all water dissapates...
Then add butter and sautee until brown.

Add mushrooms, 1/4 cup Beechers Smoked Flagship cheese, and one fresh tomato to sauce..

Throw in some Texas toast, and I'm stuffed wtih the best Sphaghetti I've ever eaten! (Or made!)

 

[Maggot]

Re: Chantrell Season!

 

[Foul Mike]

Re: Chantrell Season!

The chantrells usually come in the mountains here during Aug&Sept.
Usually the latter part of Aug.
They were a bit early this year and were plentiful.
I have a suggestion for you.
Get a small cheap paint brush [1-11/2 in. and when you cut them use the brush to get the needles and dirt as best you can.
I taped a small steak knife and the brush together and trim off the dirty end and whatever I can't brush or scrape off I peel out.
It saves a bunch of time when washing but does take some time in the field. Worth it to me, especially if you are camping and don't have an abundance of water.
I got the idea on Antique Roadshow where someone brought a real old one in to find out what it was. It was a lot nicer than mine but mine works and costs very little.
It got dry where we were so there weren't too many boletas or scaly urchin but the chantrelles were great.
Regards, FM

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: Chantrell Season!

Good idea!!!

 

[i_Adam_i18]

Re: Chantrell Season!

I need to get out and find some this year. Know any places in Mason county where we could meet up?

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: Chantrell Season!

Ya I'll be down in Shelton tomorrow, my daughter can usually fill a 5 gallon bucket in an hour or two.....

Not sure exactly where she's taking me tho, standbye...

You probably have these growing on your property though, moss and a doug fir tree is all they need!

 

[Foul Mike]

Re: Chantrell Season!

I hope you give my idea a try at least.
Looking at your photos it looks like you have the white chantrells and they look to be fairly large.
The ones we get here are kind of orange and usually smaller.
I have always wanted to go up in that region and hunt mushrooms as you have so much moisture.
What other kinds do you look for?
I would think there are a lot of good ones in a moist area like that but don't know how altitude effects what grows where.
I was taught by my Grandfather the good ones and bad ones for our area.
I also hunted with an old Italian Lady, I was 8 to 15 years old at the time so Old was probably 30, she showed me a lot.
All I ever learned were common regional names but can come up with the correct ones with a book.
The Italian Lady, Maria, God Bless her soul, taught me about mushrooms and fishing. She could drive a 48Chev sedan over the worst of roads so I am sure I learned a lot about driving on the mountain back roads from her also. She would cuss and swear when we encountered stuck Texans in their Jeeps and put down sticks and stones and get them out so we could go on to the good fishing spots.
She had a strong accent and would say,"They don'ta know howa to drive and they fucka up the roads and I don'ta lika to getathem out, but what do you do?"
What a great Lady. She would take the 2 wheel drive 48 Chev. and drive right through where the 4X4 were stuck and we were on our way.
I hope my copy of an idea works for you and you find less dirt and cleaner mushrooms in your bag at the end of the day.
One thing that my Grandfather and Maria taught me about mushrooms was, "You have got to be dead certain or you will be DEAD wrong."
Regards, FM

 

[Mo_Zam_Beek]

Re: Chantrell Season!

Do you all get Morel Mushrooms too?

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http...ved=0CE4Q9QEwAg

 

[Sportin Wood]

Re: Chantrell Season!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: maggot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

</div></div>

HAHAHAA

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: Chantrell Season!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Foul Mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I hope you give my idea a try at least.
Looking at your photos it looks like you have the white chantrells and they look to be fairly large.
The ones we get here are kind of orange and usually smaller.
</div></div>

We get both white and orange Chantrell's, but I think the orange have better flavor, every so slightly.

There is another type of mushroom that grows on old mossy maple trees that my daughter collects.

I'm not as fammiliar but her and her mom study mushrooms, 15 years old and knows more about bugs, snakes, and mushrooms than most post graduate students....

For me Chantrells are easy, free, and fun to get out with the daughter.

Otherwise the button mushrooms at safeway are good too

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: Chantrell Season!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mo_Zam_Beek</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do you all get Morel Mushrooms too?

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http...ved=0CE4Q9QEwAg </div></div>


Only after a forest fire, which we just had - so next year we should have a bunch of them - not for me tho....

Chantrells are nice because they come during deer season

Venison and mushrooms, yum!

 

[Foul Mike]

Re: Chantrell Season!

The morels in my area are at best few and far between.
Personally, I think they are like Mack trucks, Mac chain saws and teen age P----., all highly over rated.
I think one of the things that puts them at the top of the list is that they are hard to mistake.
Don't get me wrong; when I find them I am overjoyed and grab all that I can, however, I would rather have chantrells or scaly urchins.
Scaly urchins AKA Hawks wings are my favorite followed closely by hedgehogs.
If you want, I will put the Latin names on here so you know what I am talking about.
Local or common names sometimes don't let you know what is being referred to but you can take the proper names and go to a field guide or reference book and find out that you have been missing many good mushrooms.
Good hunting to all, Regards, FM

 

[Foul Mike]

Re: Chantrell Season!

Here are a few proper names for mushrooms you may have been passing up.
Scaly urchin Hydnum imbricatum a toothed fungi dark colored with scales on the cap that kind of look like shingles. Very strong mushroom taste. Don't use the water if they have been dried as it is bitter as hell.
Hedge hogs Dentinum repandum Smaller and has a slight peppery smell.
Pleurotus ostreatus Oyster mushroom, grows on trees during a lot of seasons.
There are usually a lot of them and in my area it is not uncommon to find several pounds at a time. Likes old stumps and downed trees that still have a little sap going through them.
Tough and chewy but taste good and really pickle well.
Take the small ones, if they are very large they aren't worth it.
There are a couple to look at, I hope you take the time to look them up and get good pictures.
Always remember the word of Maria, God Bless her, "Be dead certain or be DEAD wrong."
Good hunting to all, Regards, FM