LOCALadk Magazine

Morels (Morcella esculenta, M. Elata): One of the most sought-aer wild mushroom, morels have a spongy-looking, cone-shaped cap, a nutty, woodsy or earthy flavor, and a somewhat meaty texture. ese hard-to-find spring fungi are coveted by chefs and cooks, be they fresh from the woods or dried. Since the mushroom is very difficult to cultivate, and expensive if purchased, they are especially attractive to foragers. Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius, C. laterithius, and others): Shaped like the bell and stock of a trumpet, this is one of the most popular and common wild mushrooms in the Adirondacks. Like morels, they too are difficult to cultivate, and thus are oen sought by foragers. Fresh chanterelles usually have the color and scent of apricots. eir meaty texture makes them highly versatile in the kitchen. ey are wonderful just sautéed in clarified butter with a touch of sea salt and served with polenta or arborio rice (as risotto), or—my favorite way of using them— sautéed and added to a fluffy omelet. Black Trumpets (Craterellus fallax): Sometimes referred to as black chanterelles, these fungi are typically found later in the summer and into the fall. ey possess a smoky flavor and when dried, remind some cooks of the treasured (European) black truffle. Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa): Also called Maitake, these brownish-gray mushrooms are occasionally found attached to hardwood tree stumps in late summer and early fall Adirondack woods. From a distance, their densely overlapping clusters are suggestive of a head of cauliflower. ey have a sweet, sometimes peppery flavor that makes them best prepared sautéed in olive oil with a good quality salt. Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotis ostreatus): Oyster mushrooms grow abundantly throughout the Adirondacks, usually on dead or decaying wood of deciduous trees in sizeable clumps, oen weighing several pounds. eir thick stems are as meaty as a good steak. Raw, the mushroom is rather tasteless (you don't want to eat any mushroom raw in any case), but cooking develops a striking umami characteristic that pairs well with everything from pasta to steak. Look for them aer a good, soaking rain. ey will appear seemingly overnight, and with good reason: ey shrivel up and collapse and look completely inedible during dry spells, but aer a good rain, spring back to life, ready to be plucked. Knowledgeable mushroomers make note of where they were found, and return a week or two later to continue the harvest. Boletes (Boletus edulis, and many other species and related genera, e.g. Suillus): Distinctive mushrooms with a usually smooth, hamburger bun–shaped cap and a spongy underside 33 LOCALadk

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