Finding Wild Mushrooms: Foraging in Lee County, Alabama

Today we hear from Brian Folt. Inspired by tips on this blog, he took a foray close to his home in Alabama and stumbled upon Cinnabar and Smooth Chanterelles. He describes the experience below while providing many descriptive tips for those of us beginning to forage.  


Brian Folt is a Ph.D. student at Auburn University, where he studies amphibian and reptile ecology. Recently he has also become interested in organic farming and sustainable eating. Here he shares his recent experiences foraging and cooking local edible mushrooms from Lee County, Alabama. All photographs in the post are Brian’s, and if you have questions or comments please leave them in the comments section at the end of the post.

Admittedly, I have little experience foraging for mushrooms. While attending college at Ohio University in the Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio, I was fortunate to stumble upon morels (Morchella sp.) on a few occasions. These experiences were sparse over the years, and usually only incidentally while out searching for vertebrate wildlife.

In recent years, I have since moved to Auburn, Alabama, and I have yet to make a concerted effort to forage for edible mushrooms in the area. Auburn sits at the southwestern terminus of the Piedmont physiographic province, just above the Coastal Plain. Word of the mouth around here suggests that morels are much less common here relative to other areas of Appalachia. However, my friend Chris Matechik recently found morels in the Auburn City limits, and my interest on the subject was slightly revived. We had discussed going out mushroom hunting together a number of times over beers, but neither of us had taken the initiative to coordinate the effort. (Such is the case with the vast majority of plans hatched from alcohol.)

Chris Matechick foraging around Auburn 

Then I caught wind that chanterelles are fruiting in abundance just a few miles away near Athens, Georgia. We have been enjoying a wet summer in the Auburn area as well, and, given Sean’s nice blog post, I figured conditions might be favorable for finding a formidable mushroom haul around these parts. So, I sent Matechek a message and tried to rally a tag-team mushroom hunting mission. Chris is a tremendous natural historian who also maintains interests in foraging for plants and mushrooms. Whenever I get out into the field with him, I always enjoy his wide base of knowledge, and I was hoping to lean on and learn from his mushroom identification skills.

With Sean’s tips in mind, Chris and I visited a tract of secondary forest characterized by mixed deciduous and evergreen tree species, located within spitting distance of our homes. Immediately upon arrival we hit pay dirt when Chris spotted an aggregation of Cinnabar Chanterelles (Cantharellus cinnabarinus) poking their caps up through the odd pine needle. He explained to me that this species can at least partially be identified by its red coloration and decurrent gills beneath the cap that transition smoothly onto the stem. As I understand it, these gills are characterized as ‘false gills’, because these tissues are derived from the same tissues as the cap (but perhaps others have more correct or thorough understanding of this and can comment below).  It also seems this red coloration may result from the presence of carotenoid compounds.

Cinnabar Chanterelles (Cantharellus cinnabarinus)

Shortly thereafter we continued through the forest, following a gently worn trail through a riparian zone until transitioning into a fairly open hillside pine forest. At this point, we were excited to note the odd Smooth Chanterelle (Cantharellus lateritius)! And as Chris told me, when you find one of these mushrooms, keep a keen eye out for more! At our site, these mushrooms were patchily distributed throughout the forest in small aggregations of 5–10 fruiting bodies, and over the course of twenty minutes we both collected a nice haul. Unlike the tastier Golden Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius), the Smooth Chanterelle lacks definitive gills and has a smooth surface under the caps. We selected the fresh, clean fruiting bodies and removed them by clipping at the stem base with a pocket knife. A small brush can be used to gently detach any dirt that may be on the ‘shroom. We avoided older, decaying individuals, in hopes that they would reproduce and continue the population at this site.

Chris and I returned to our respective homes, and, after an afternoon siesta, we reconvened at my place to cook up our catch. We sautéed the mushrooms in olive oil along with white onions and garlic, and further cooked them in vegetable stock and cream. We mixed this sauce into cooked spaghetti, adding lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and added a few tomato slices for more substance. The cream and vegetable stock were organic, and the tomatoes were organically grown from my garden. Our recipe was loosely adapted from here. I will say the lemon juice was a choice addition, offering a welcomed zing to the flavor, but the mushrooms themselves really shined throughout the meal, providing a veritable feast of flavor and texture to my tongue.

We enjoyed this fine meal with a bottle of Chris’ home-made muscadine wine, a beverage produced from three local wild graps: Vitis rotundifolia, Vitis munsonia, and Vitus volpes.

After using about half our catch in the above pasta dish, we dried the remaining mushrooms in a dehydrator and are saving them for a future meal.

In conclusion, this exercise was an extremely fun and fruitful use of my Saturday afternoon. I learned much about the natural history of the regional fungi fauna, particularly those delectable edibles, and I hope to expand on this base with more experiences in the future. In particular, I am told that Cinnabar Chanterelles fruit during late summer and fall, so I am optimistic to cross paths with this species again here shortly. Once again, thanks are also deserved to Sean Sterrett, whose recent post inspired me to initiate our search, and Olivia Sylvester for maintaining this fascinating blog.

Finding Wild Mushrooms: Tips from Experienced Foragers III

Out in the country with my dad almost 30 years ago (Alberta, Canada)

Our next mushroom forager is Gerald Sylvester, my dad. He is a retired teacher and has been a dedicated mushroom foraging for 7+ years. I have Gerry to thank for cultivating my interest in mushroom picking, an activity we did in the summer in Alberta and Ontario. Here Gerry shared some tips from his mushroom expeditions in Alberta as well as a family favorite recipe "Mushrooms on Toast"; please write any questions for Gerry in the comments section at the end of this post.

Want to learn more about foraging in other regions? Check out these posts from foragers in Washington and Georgia.

1. Can you describe the process of selecting the right mushroom foraging spot in Alberta?

The spot I use was found by accident, I was on a camping weekend with some friends and we went out to Fallen Timber Campground in the Waiporous region north west of Calgary (about 65 kilometers from my house). A family was there going through the campground with a basket picking mushrooms. I followed them and talked to the father. 

There are also foraging spots right in the city of Calgary. A tennis player I know mentioned that there are some morels growing only about two kilometer from my house. He has collected some, but on several foraging attempts, I had no luck finding any.

2. Many people tell me they are afraid to go picking because they don't know how to properly ID edible wild mushrooms. How did you learn to ID edibles?

There are a lot of poisonous mushrooms out there and you have to be very careful. The family I that was picking mushrooms with that day instructed me on 4 or 5 species, but I only remembered two. They were Boletes and Chanterelles. Of these two, I have been more certain with boletes because they are unique once you have become acquainted with them. On the other hand, you have to look carefully with chanterelles because there are false chanterelles that look exactly like the real ones, and the false ones should not be eaten.

King Bolete (Jason Hollinger, wikimedia commons)

3. What kind of permits are required to harvest wild mushrooms in Alberta?

As far as I know, there are no permits required.

4. Not many people forage for their own food, so I'm wondering what are your motivations are to do so?

I have been interested in harvesting wild mushrooms for many years, but have always played it safe and not taken any chances. Since I have had some successes, I am encouraged to continue because it is thrilling to know that one may be able to live from products found in the wild.

The reactions I get from family and friends about harvesting mushrooms vary. Some people would never try wild mushrooms, and don’t want to know anything about them. Others are just as excited as I am. Since my first trip when I learned to I.D. Chanterelles and Boletes, I have continued to forage with friends. As a result I have learned to identify several other species, learned from others. They are: Coral Mushrooms, Hen or Chicken of the Woods, Shaggy Mane, Oyster Mushrooms, along with King Boletes and Chanterelles.

Hen of the Woods (wikimedia commons)

5. What do some of the wild mushrooms you pick in Alberta taste like?

There is a similarity in taste for a lot of wild mushrooms, but then, chanterelles have a distinct aroma that is unique. The texture of a lot of mushrooms are quite similar. Most people fry up the mushrooms, so it is hard to distinguish differences. Boletes have a strong flavor, and may have some effects on you after eating. In a few instances it was the case for me.

My favorite mushroom recipe for wild and common mushrooms is "Mushrooms on Toast"

2 tbs olive oil in a frying pan

1 tbs of butter or margarine.

Fry up all the mushrooms cut into ½ inch halves or quarters depending on the size you have,

Add some more oil and

Add 2 tbs of flour

Start adding water to make a roux continually cooking the mushrooms

Add pepper, possibly cayenne, or half a tbs of a sambal

Onions can be fried along with the mushrooms

Hot peppers can be substituted for the cayenne

You will end up with a thick creamy mushroom sauce that you spoon over a couple pieces of toast. Enjoy!

Finding Wild Mushrooms: Tips from Experienced Foragers II

Today we have a mushroom foraging post from Sean Sterrett. Sean is an organic farmer, beer brewer, and a PhD Candidate doing research on Turtle Ecology at UGA.  He shares his experiences road cruising for Chanterelles in Georgia as well as a delicious Chanterelle Wine and Cream Sauce recipe; all photographs on the post are Sean's. If you have any questions for him, please write them in the comments section at the end of this post. 

1. Can you describe the process of selecting the right mushroom foraging spot?

I found out quickly that mushroom picking spots were all around me. And they're likely around you too if you're anywhere in the vicinity of a forest. Some of the most productive spots for picking are less than five minutes from my house. The only mushrooms I really spend time looking for (at least for now) are chanterelles (Cantharellus spp.) and morels (Morchella spp.). Both of these mushrooms are found in deciduous forests and often in association with oak, poplar and beech trees (although this is a short list)...so this is certainly where I focus my search.

Weather and seasonality seem to be just as important as location. You'll see the mushrooms pop up just after significant rain events. For example this summer has been incredibly wet in the southeastern U.S. and chanterelles can even be found on the side of the road in abundance. So, road cruising is effective for both snakes AND edible mushrooms. 

Just like other biota, mushrooms have certain times of year where they are present or "active". I live in Georgia, so the window for finding morels is much shorter compared to the Midwest or Pacific Northwest and limited to early spring.  However, chanterelles can be found for a majority of spring, summer and fall and usually limited by rain. 

A forest floor view of Chanterelles in Georgia

2. Many people tell me they are afraid to go picking because they don't know how to properly ID edible wild mushrooms. How did you learn to ID edibles?

I think everyone should have a healthy respect for mushrooms...I still do which has restricted what I'm willing to pick and eat. I've also heard some rough stories of eating the wrong mushrooms. I used a combination of internet forums and websites, natural history books and the help from friends and family to feel confident in identifying chanterelles and morels when I started picking. I try to depend on diagnostic characteristics to distinguish between targets and non-targets.  It seems like the most confusing mushroom for chanterelles is the Jack-O-Lantern (Omphalotus olearius). While this look-alike wouldn't kill you, the false morel (Gyromitra esculenta), which resembles my favorite mushroom, is potentially deadly and keeps me on my toes when picking and cleaning. I highly recommend the book, Mushrooms Demystified, by David Arora. It's still a new book for me but I've learned quite a bit and it's a book that experienced pickers trust. I'm hoping to expand my mushroom picking interests, but am moving fairly slow...I'm alright with that.  

Morel in Indiana, March 2013

3. What kind of permits are required to harvest wild mushrooms in Georgia?

As far as I know, there are no permits required for mushroom harvest in Georgia. I've been told about permits and limits in other parts of the U.S., but I've never lived somewhere where harvest for personal consumption was regulated.  

Because many mushrooms are associated with the root systems of trees (symbiotic mycorhizal), the edible mushroom are often considered the fruits or flowers of the actual fungus.  So, it's my impression and assumption that harvest is sustainable. I would like to have a conversation with a mycologist to confirm these assumptions. 

4. Not many people forage for their own food, so I'm wondering, what are your motivations are to do so? 

I'm interested in continuing to remember where food comes from. This sounds cliché, but it's fairly easy to buy food at a grocery store and not consider where it originated. I still do.  But, I try to explore how foods are made (processed or originate). All food comes from the ground in one way or another so keeping in mind the HOW, WHEN and WHERE is important to me. One way I keep this in mind is to use both local foods and try to learn the process of making certain foods. There are some exciting hobbies that can sprout from these curiosities. For example, I've been brewing beer the last few years and want to get into brewing ciders and wines, as well as cheese making. In addition to picking wild mushrooms, I'm also interested in learning how to cultivate mushrooms in my backyard. These hobbies are all much easier than most realize.  

Most folks react positively to mushroom foraging and are often envious...because wild mushrooms are both expensive and delicious. So, it's nice to share your pickings and chat about mushrooms whenever given the opportunity.

5. Can you describe some of the unique tastes of the wild mushrooms you pick?

Mushrooms add a significant amount of body and meatiness to any meal. Most people associate chanterelles with an apricot flavour. I've never smelled that but I do get a floral aroma and this is one way you can tell if the mushroom is fresh. Morel mushrooms are embedded into my flavor pallete and are a very memorable part of my childhood. But if asked to describe their flavor, I don't think I have a very descriptive answer. Savory is all that comes to mind. I prefer to enjoy morels lightly dusted in flour and pan-fried in a light mixture of mild olive oil and butter. They are a likely my favorite food that I've come across.  

Chanterelles (Cantharellus sp.)

Chanterelles are a fantastic addition to just about anything, but I have one classical sauce that is especially amazing on pasta or fish:

Chanterelle Wine and Cream Sauce

~3 handfuls of chanterelles (half roughly chopped, half finely chopped)

shallot

garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine of your choosing (something you would drink).

3/4 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

smoked paprika

chives

• Dry saute the chantrelles over medium heat to remove most of the water.
• Add chopped shallot and garlic along with olive oil and butter, and saute until shallot and garlic are translucent and mushrooms are cooked through (8-10 minutes).  Add paprika to your liking.
• Add white wine to deglaze pan and reduce alcohol content (couple minutes).
• Add heavy cream, bring to boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the mushroom flavor has been infused and sauce is thickened. 
• Finish with chives and salt and pepper to taste

Finding Wild Mushrooms: Tips from Experienced Foragers

Interested in mushroom picking? Not sure how to get started? You are in the right place. In the next series of blog posts, mushroom foragers from different areas of the world have kindly agreed to share their tips. Our first contributor, Abe Lloyd from the Pacific Northwest, provides four of his key harvesting rules and shares an intriguing shrimp mushroom recipe. If you have any questions for him, please write them in the comments section at the end of this post. 

I am an ethnobotanist and the director of Salal, the Cascadian Food Institute in NW Washington. We do plant related contracts for Native American tribes and affiliated non-government organizations as well as research and writing that promotes indigenous food. I also teach college courses in ethnobotany, wild foods, and natural history. I have been studying plants and collecting wild foods for over 20 years and completed a master’s degree in ethnobotany in 2011. Mushrooming is a more recent passion that I took up seriously in 2007. You can read about my foraging adventures and wild food experiments on my Wild Harvest blog.

1. Can you describe the process of selecting the right mushroom foraging spot?

The best way to learn how to identify and find mushrooms is to hunt for them with experts. Most areas have local mushroom societies with regular field trips and guest speakers. 

The first time I went Chanterelle picking I got a tip from my professor about a good spot and went out on my own. I spent an hour walking through the woods before I spotted one, and then I started asking myself why it was growing where it was, and where else the conditions might be similar. At the same time that I was tuning my site criteria, I was also developing a search image for what the Chanterelles looked like, and then it became a real treasure hunt because I started seeing them everywhere! I went home with a basket full of golden Chanterelles and I was hooked. After that, I just tried to find other forest patches with similar aged trees of the same species and I have always done pretty well. I often drive 30-60 minutes out of town and into forest-land for my mushroom picking adventures.

Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius) Victoria

2. Many people tell me they are afraid to go picking because they don't know how to properly ID edible wild mushrooms. How did you learn to ID edibles?

I mainly learned mushrooms by studying David Arora’s books “All that the Rain Promises” and “Mushrooms Demystified.” While this approach isn’t great for everyone, my experience identifying plants by using dichotomous keys, reading descriptive accounts, and studying photographs transferred easily to mushrooms. However, I held fast by a few simple rules including

a) Never eating a mushroom the first time I identified it.

b) Only eating a mushroom after I am absolutely confident of my identification

c) Limiting my first taste to a small piece that is cooked (but plain) and spitting it out if it tastes bad.

d) Never feeding a mushroom to anyone else until I have tried it myself several times.

I think the best way to learn mushrooms is from a knowledgeable teacher, starting slow and focusing on developing a high level of confidence with a few mushrooms before gradually expanding. While I won’t recommend the internet as a replacement to a good field guide, there are a few websites with features that allow you to submit photographs to a network of mushroom experts who will identify the photograph (provided it is clear enough).

3. Are there certain mushroom families/species you don't pick because ID'ing them is too tough? 

I still don’t eat Amanitas because that group contains some of the deadliest mushrooms and I don’t see enough variety to develop more confidence in my Amanita identification.

4. What kind of rules or permits exist for wild mushroom picking in your area? 

I have compiled a list of rules related to foraging mushrooms (and other edibles) in all the major land management jurisdictions throughout the Pacific Northwest on my blog. Usually mushroom societies have a hand out or webpage with mushroom picking rules.

5. Not many people forage for their own food, can you describe some of your motivations to do so?  

Primarily I forage because it is a great way to be outside. When you are harvesting mushrooms or berries your senses are alive and you experience nature in a deeper way than the casual walker. I’ve never seen a mushroom picker wearing headphones! Eating wild foods is also about the healthiest and most sustainable thing you can do (provided that you don’t have to drive too far to harvest them). Wild foods generally have twice the micronutrients of their cultivated analogues and they grow in polycultures of native plants that require little in the way of inputs and little to no soil disturbance. Our grain based industrial agricultural economy on the other hand is totally the opposite and can be linked with all the major environmental problems.

6. Can you describe some of the unique tastes of the wild mushrooms you pick? 

Like the name suggests, the Shrimp Russula (Russula xerampelina) has a shrimp or crab-like flavor and nice firm texture that works well in omelets. 

  Shrimp Mushroom (Russula xeramperlina) Chucanut Mt.