Old Growth Gold
Few know the joy of the coastal mist falling on your face searching for something that satiates the body, mind, and soul. As fall begins and autumnal rain returns to the Oregon coast,the green vibrance of the forest returns and a golden treasure emerges from the soft, green moss that covers the forest floor. The Pacific Golden Chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus) is a treasure that some of us have delighted in eating, and even fewer have indulged in foraging for themselves.
Golden Chanterelle. Photo Courtesy of Simon Stephen
Typically, the middle of summer does not offer much in the way of edible mushroom picking. Mushrooms require a very strict set of criteria to “flush” or emerge from the ground. One of those requirements is ample moisture. And, as we all know, our summers are extremely dry with very little rain.
Generally, the first area to cool off is the coast. The mighty Pacific Ocean brings a cool breeze inland, flowing over the Coast Range. Many Oregonians know this, and it is the ace up their sleeve on especially hot days during the summer. As summer dwindles, this moisture on the coast becomes more apparent in the form of light rains, mist, and a lingering layer of fog. The thick coastal canopy captures this moisture and brings it to the forest floor. Early season chanterelle success depends heavily on your ability to locate this moisture.
These especially early season chanterelles are referred to as “rainbow chanterelles”. Generally they stay shorter, and are more dense. This is likely an adaptation to keep the mushroom low to the ground to make the most of the available moisture early in the season. These chanterelles grow wider instead of up; the result is a shorter and stockier mushroom compared to the typical golden chanterelle that most people know. Their color varies from the typical goldens too. Golden chanterelles sport a golden-orange color, while summers are a more pale version of their cousins.
True goldens make their appearance with the arrival of the coast’s fall rainy season. Once the rain begins to come on a semi-consistent basis, the goldens begin to pop. Cooler temperatures also allow the available moisture to hang around longer. This yields larger chanterelles with longer stems that often reach higher off of the saturated moss that covers the forest floor. This variety flushes in greater quantities than their cousins. They not only are more vibrant in color, but often more aromatic in their fruity scent.
Before we continue, let’s talk about mushrooms; what are they, exactly? Many people liken them to plants. This would make sense, as they generally are seen growing vertically out of soil like a plant would. Mushrooms are one of the many forms of fungi, and the reality is that fungi are more closely related to animals than plants. Mushrooms, specifically, are just a small stage in the life cycle of some fungi. They are a reproductive mechanism where fungi can spread spores. Spores are a vehicle by which fungi propagate themselves, and generally they require the structure of a mushroom to aid themselves in their dispersal. Mushrooms flush seasonally to disperse spores. The when and where differs by species, but what exists when mushrooms aren’t in season?
Fungi exist in the form of mycelium. This is a delicate organism that branches out and grows while exploring its environment. Mycelium itself is made of hyphae which refer to stringy filamentous fibers. Think of how mold spreads on a piece of bread or cheese, this is an example of mycelium exploring and spreading in its environment. Mold, however, does not need mushrooms to propagate its spores.
Mushrooms and mycelium can be thought of like apples and an apple tree. If the organism is the apple tree, or mycelium, then the fruit would be the apple, or the mushroom. In the same way that picking an apple will not kill the tree, picking a mushroom will not kill the mycelial body.
The Oregon Coast Range is what is known as a temperate rainforest. This is characterized by the region’s cooler temperatures and plentiful rainfall. This creates a dense canopy which protects the forest floor from sunlight drying things up. The understory is a mixed bag of ferns, mosses, lichens, and shrubs. The moss in particular creates an insulating layer which allows the bioactive layer below to retain an ideal moisture content.
Conifer Needles. Photo Courtesy of Simon Stephen
This layer is one of the many crucial pieces for not only mushroom growth, but also the health of the entire forest. This layer is referred to as the “duff” layer and it is composed of decaying plants, animals, and other organic material. This is where the mycelium that gives rise to delicious chanterelle mushrooms calls home.
As mycelium feeds on decaying matter in the duff layer, it creates a very unique relationship with trees. Chanterelles are part of a family of mushrooms that form a symbiotic relationship with trees at their roots, called a mycorrhizal relationship. “Myco” referring to mycelium and “Rhiza” referring to root, this is a relationship where mycelium grafts itself to plant roots and aids in the mutual exchange of precious nutrients. Take the mycelium of a chanterelle for example. This mycelial body will break down detritus in the duff layer into beneficial nutrients for trees. The mycelium will trade minerals, other nutrients, and water at the tree’s roots to aid in its growth. In turn, the tree will trade sugars and lipids created during photosynthesis to the mycelium which nourishes it.
The Pacific Northwest’s old growth rainforests have some of the richest duff layers of any forest in the world. When you take a walk through the forest, you are walking on thousands of years of broken down trees, needles, leaves, and other organic material. This rich duff layer, coupled with the rain our region gets, makes the Pacific Northwest one of the best places to forage choice edible mushrooms in the world.
Due to this mycorrhizal relationship mentioned above, Chanterelles cannot be grown commercially like other mushrooms you generally find in the grocery store. Old growth sections of forest that haven’t been logged in our relatively recent past produce higher quality patches of chanterelles. This is largely due to the mature mycelial bodies that have grown with these trees and forests for hundreds of years. These more mature forests generally have many massive old trees, a very established mossy duff layer, and have a very thick canopy to trap moisture. To farm chanterelles effectively, farmers would need several hundred year old forests to produce their crop. This is not practical, and this is why you only see them for sale seasonally at markets.
Recently logged areas do not have a mature canopy and are generally drier. The duff layer has been disrupted from logging, and the parent trees the mycelium once lived alongside are gone. The mycelial bodies present in these sections are younger, and do not have the strength and nutrients from mature trees to flush large amounts of mushrooms. There will be chanterelles in these portions of forest, but not in the same abundance as if you were to work an established old growth section.
Golden chanterelles are relatively easy to identify. I do recommend picking up a copy of “All the Rain Promises and More” by David Arora if you are a new picker. They have copies of it at Smith Family Bookstore this time of year. The book can speak to more of the particulars and jargon that I will describe here. Never ingest a mushroom if you aren’t 100% sure you know what you have. Golden Chanterelles are golden to yellow colored mushrooms that are always growing from the forest floor, never on downed logs or upright trees. They have false gills on their underside that appear as ridges instead of flaps like true gills. Their scent is sweet and fruity and is often compared to a fresh apricot. When they are split down their stem they are solid, and never hollow. When the stem is broken it should peel like string cheese.
Chanterelle season can begin as early as July and run through January. Chanterelles are tolerant of cool weather, but especially cold weather puts a halt to their flushing for the season. Once the colder winter weather really picks up, “Yellow Foot” or “Winter Chanterelles” (Craterellus tubaeformis) along with Hedgehog Mushrooms (Hydnum repandum) take over much of the same habitat that you’d find golden chanterelles.
When working old growth sections early in the season, moisture is one of the most important things to keep in mind. Creeks, draws, seeps, and depressions are all places to look. Cover in the form of downed logs, branches, and ferns also aid in retaining moisture when things are dry. As the rain picks up, especially after several days of heavy rain, look for places that stay dry. This would be hillsides, ridges, and bumps of elevation. Your success as a mushroom forager is largely dependent on your adaptability to changing conditions.
Golden Chanterelles are associated with coniferous, or needled, trees in our coastal mountains. This would be Douglas Fir, Sitka Spruce, and Western Hemlock. Working around the bases of large, mature trees is a good way to find them. Remember, they form relationships with a tree’s roots, so you can not be too far from the tree’s trunk. If you are in the right kind of habitat, the best way to learn is to walk until you find one. Every time you find a new patch pay attention to the habitat you find them in. Looking along logging roads is a great way to find these mushrooms, and you can visit a local ranger station for a map.
A good pair of hiking boots with ankle support is a must. Fall can be rainy so bringing a good rain coat, and a change of clothes is never a bad idea. A basket, preferably a wicker one with holes to allow the dispersal of spores is a great idea. Picking chanterelles into a plastic bag that doesn’t breathe is not ideal, and will leave you with soggy mushrooms. Having a reliable map, a digital map app like onX, and a compass are great ideas so you don’t get lost. Bringing a friend is an even better idea, and a whistle can be a great tool if you get separated.
Proper tools for the job. Photo courtesy of Simon Stephen
Whether you go alone or with someone else, don’t forget to look up! Many new foragers keep their eyes glued to the forest floor for mushrooms. This is great, but forgetting to look up and reestablish reference points is a recipe for getting lost! I subscribe to the belief that I can always move my vehicle further up the road instead of continually getting further from it. Slopes and creeks can be great ways to keep a mental note of where you are at in relation to the road.
Cooking chanterelles generally begins with a dry sauté. This involves throwing the mushrooms into a hot pan without any butter or oil. This forces the mushrooms to expel the water they are holding. Wild mushrooms have a much higher water content than store-bought varieties, meaning this step is crucial. If you sauté them directly in butter or oil, they will still expel water and will be soggy. When trying a new wild mushroom always make sure you are 100% sure on the ID. It is also wise to try a small bit of the mushroom first to make sure you aren’t allergic. Cook them thoroughly in their own juices and then add a little butter or oil for flavor. Adding a little bit of salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme is a great way to cook them. Recipes I like to make include: creamy chanterelle soup, chanterelle stroganoff, chanterelle with linguini in a white wine cream sauce, or just to have them as a side. If I have an excess of mushroom, I love to cook them in soy, ginger, ponzu, garlic, and other asian seasonings and dehydrate them after to create a teriyaki-like chanterelle jerky.
Foraging for your own food is a rewarding experience that few take the delight in experiencing. As things become too wet for many of our favorite summer hobbies, mushroom picking offers a peaceful pastime on a rainy day. The beauty of picking wild mushrooms is that it is a great way to spend the day outside in nature and return home for some culinary experimentation, and a delicious, healthy meal.