Cantharellus cibarius

    What can one say about the Chanterelle? Considered one of the finest of edible mushrooms, beloved by a large array of mycophagists, readily identified, and widely distributed in the Northern hemisphere, one is tempted to simply note this species and go on to other, less well known subjects. However, Chanterelle stories are something else. My favorite is about an Asian lady who took one of my identification classes in the early 1980's. She was rather quiet, business like, well organized and, yet, enthusiastic. Our season started slowly and we tended to find “things of interest” rather than things to eat. However, by mid summer (late July) the season had hit its stride and we planned a trip to the Brazos area in north central New Mexico.
    This area is Aspen-Spruce, somewhat cut over, but productive in the right season. Well, we hit it on the nose. Clitocybe dealbata formed white slashes along the road right-of-way. Puffballs, Boletus edulis, oyster mushrooms, Flammulina velutipes and a host of other agarics thronged the woods. As we reached the area just beyond the Brazos Cliffs, one could see yellow spots inside the fences lines. We piled out and spread out to find huge patches of bright yellow Chanterelles everywhere we looked. In short order paper bags, baskets, pockets, backpacks and cloth sacks were brimming with Chanterelles.
    As we reassembled to contemplate our amazing largesse, my Asian lady primly came out from behind a large Aspen, carrying a tall handled wicker basket with a low dish shaped base. Artfully placed within the basket was an absolutely stupendous number of Chanterelles, piled almost half way up to the basket handle. More astonishingly, however was that each Chanterelle had been cleaned, the stalk-base removed and all blemishes removed so that the entire collection was a mass of gleaming Chanterelles. Several class members dropped whatever they were doing and made our Chanterelle lady pose with her creation and numerous prints were made of the elegant basket. To this day I have no idea how she collected so many Chanterelles, cleaned them, and then arranged the entire assemblage into an artful whole. It certainly was worth making the trip to see this creation.

Bill Isaacs
1996-12-30