Chanterelle mushrooms, a wild mushroom that grows all over the world, is recognized for its tantalizing taste and hearty texture. Common in Asia, North America, Europe and the Himalayas, chanterelles tend to grow in clusters around the bases of trees. Chanterelles have a meaty texture, along with a mildly peppery taste and smell a little of apricots or peaches when freshly collected.
| Name | Chanterelle Mushroom |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cantharellus californicus or Cantharellus cibarius |
| Native | Forests of Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America. |
| Common/English Name | Golden chanterelle, girolle, egg mushroom, pfifferling, gallinacci |
| Name in Other Languages | France: Girole Britain: Chanterelle Germany: Pfifferling Sweden: Vanlig Kantarell Italy: finferli Russia: lisitjka Czech: kuratko |
| Growing Climate | On the ground, usually near some sort of hardwood (oaks, conifers, etc). |
| Soil | Damp, but not swampy or marshy ground. |
| Cap | Funnel-shaped cap, of diameter up to 10cm, has a wavy irregular margin. Color varies from light yellow to deep egg-yolk yellow, but sometimes a fine white bloom masks the background color. |
| Vein | Wrinkled veins on the underside of the cap distinguish the Golden Chanterelle from lookalikes such as Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, the False Chanterelle. The veins are very thick and decurrent, extending well down the stem; they are straight near to the stem but forked and more sinuous towards the edge of the cap. |
| Stem | The stem of Cantharellus cibarius is the same color as or somewhat paler than the cap; often no more than 2cm long and merging into the cap.
When growing in clumps, the stems of Chanterelles are often curved and occasionally joined together near the base. |
| Spores | Ellipsoidal, smooth, 7-11 x 4-6µm; inamyloid; hyaline (translucent and glass-like) in KOH. |
| Spore Print | Pale yellow to creamy white, sometimes with a slight pinkish tinge. |
| Flesh Color | White to pale yellow. |
| Weight | About two pounds |
| Flavor/Aroma | Fragrant like apricots |
| Taste | Mildly peppery |
| Major Nutrition | Iron, Fe 1.87 mg (23.38%) Copper, Cu 0.191 mg (21.22%) Vitamin D (D2 + D3) 2.9 µg (19.33%) Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2.206 mg (13.79%) Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)0.58 mg (11.60%) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.116 mg (8.92%) Manganese, Mn 0.154 mg (6.70%) Potassium, K 273 mg (5.81%) Total dietary Fiber 2.1 g (5.53%) Phosphorus, P 31 mg (4.43%) |
| Health Benefits |
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| Calories in 1cup (54gm) | 21 Kcal |