harvesting and eating chanterelle (c. cibarius) and smooth chanterelle (c. lateritius)

David Goodman wrote:Thank you for the scans.

It was definitely a chanterelle of some sort. Other than here, I checked multiple guides plus the Internet.

They were also delicious - and I lived. I ate four as a test.

The thing that was the dead giveaway on ID was the ridges. Once I recognized those I was set. Not easy to bruise or damage like the other gilled fungi that looked similar.

Today I went back to the empty lot behind my house where I found the first four and picked another 20 or so. It seems I have a chanterelle patch.

Bonus: I also discovered three big edible Lactarius indigo mushrooms back there. That's one that's impossible to screw up the ID on (unless you're colorblind!).

Great! They are really tastey....I feel like I should have covered the look alikes when I began this threadjust to be safe...I am not very confident in recommending someone eat a mushroom:)
I had to look up the indigo mushroom....Ihave found milk caps before but no edible ones...I love the color an easy one to spot and it sounds like it would grow here too....time for a woods walk.

I've concentrated only on chanterelles for the last 5 years, kinda silly but they're a serious commodity here. I have a good eye in the field, not too comfortable in pics, it's why I asked you to tear them, I learned a lot without spore prints because the false chants have different characteristics from hollow or breakable .

Rick Howd wrote:I've concentrated only on chanterelles for the last 5 years, kinda silly but they're a serious commodity here. I have a good eye in the field, not too comfortable in pics, it's why I asked you to tear them, I learned a lot without spore prints because the false chants have different characteristics from hollow or breakable .

I wish ours were so prolific....this summer was great because we had a lot of rain...normally we get just a few chances to find them and some summers none at all. I just wish it hadn't taken us so long to 'discover' them....we have been in this area for forty years...we find morels and a few others but nothing as tasty as the chanterelles.

Great summer for mushrooms...........these are all smooth chanterelles from a certain section of woods that always seems to have the smooth ones. Other areas here have both smooth and regular and I thought I found a false chanterelle once. More to pick tomorrow...some of these are a little rough and buggy already but as long as I can't see the critter or if it is at least the same color as the fungi I'm OK

First, thank you to all who contribute here - asking questions & answering them.  I've learned a lot.  This thread has been helpful to me.

I've always been interested in mushrooms, but I've never had much desire to eat them.  But yesterday I stumbled onto a patch and thought to myself "Chanterelles?"

Perhaps it's time my taste buds changed.  But before I take the plunge, I'd appreciate some collective wisdom on whether or not I have properly identified these mushrooms.   I have a friend is into mushrooms, and I've also reached out to him.

I believe these orange mushrooms are chanterelles because:
1) I found them in mid-June in the coastal southeast after 3 weeks of rain and overcast days.
2) They were growing individually (or at most, in a pair) near a wide ditch in an old-growth hardwood forest that is littered with dead tree limbs.  If they were growing in clumps, they could be the jack-o-lantern mushroom.
3) The gills are primitive - not individual blades! - that run into the stem.  Running your fingers over them do not damage them...they're "molded" into the mushroom.  The gills also appear to "fork" going into the cap.  Identifying primitive no-blade gills is the key characteristic.
4) The stems are solid.  If they were hollow they'd be the false chanterelle.
5) Color appears uniform. I've read the false chanterelle may darken near the center.  Overall, these mushrooms are golden yellow with white "interior" for the stems.
6) They smell sweet.  I don't know/remember what apricots smell like, but I believe I read that in my research last night.

I have not yet done a spore print.  More pictures available upon request.

Do you believe I have correctly identified these mushrooms as chanterelles?

Do you believe I have correctly identified these mushrooms as chanterelles?

Hi, Ben and welcome!
Sorry I missed your post and yes, they appear to be chanterelles. Time of year is right too
Please confirm through several sources though and ideally with someone in your location who is a forager and knows their fungi.
You've got a beautiful harvest there and well thought out checks for ID.  
The spore print is important as a more definitive ID.

Howdy,

It's Oct., 2021, we've had a good rain here after a long, hot, smokey summer. Friends calling me about mushroom season, and already finding chanterelle, oyster, and even a few lions mane. Will post some photos when I find some...Happy Hunting!