Mushroom Collecting 2010

[HoBow]

Do these look like chicken of the forest?  I thought they normally grow on live trees, but I found this on a downed tree.  Does anyone know if there are dangerous look-a-likes- I've never heard of any?  It had no gills, very stringy and  the whole thing was fairly tender.  It was found in the Chicago area- which is starting to be Fall now, but not quite yet. Also, how do they take to a dehydrator if it is chicken of the forest?  Thanks for any tips!

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[Hillbilly]

That generally looks like it probably used to be a chicken of the woods, but it looks like it's way past eating condition. They will grow on live and dead trees both. There is also a form with white pores (Laeteporus cinncinatus,) which grows from the ground off of tree roots in big rosettes.  I don't eat chicken of the woods off of conifer trees or logs, and I only eat really fresh ones.

[Hillbilly]

Tsaligi, the Smoky Mountains are really rich in a diverse bunch of mushrooms. We usually average between 40-80 inches of rain a year depending on elevation, but it's been really dry this summer. Here is an average day's morel haul here in a good year, with a mess of chanterelles for good measure:



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[El Destructo]

Man the Morels make Me Homesick...I haven't had one sinse I left Michigan in 82....

[JW_Halverson]

Judging by the cheese-eating grin on your face, I guess you believe size does matter.  I've got shroom-envy

[HoBow]

I don't think their past eating condition (though I'm not sure). They are the consistency of a soft peach- maybe a tad softer. What should they be like?

[Tsalagi]

That's a nice haul of morels and chanterelles, Hillbilly! Very nice! Those are two mushrooms that, if they grow here, no one says anything. If they do, they're the best kept secret in the Coconino National Forest.

[Postman]

wow - whatta haul!  Tooo dry here now for anything!

[Thwackaddict]

Heres the morel cream sauce recipe.

1 clove garlic
1 shallot
Handful of dried morels
2 1/2c.Heavy cream
2c.chicken broth
1tbsp butter

rehydrate mushrooms in 2 cups or so chicken broth,microwave for 2min and set for 5-10min
dice shallots and garlic add to hot sauce pan with butter and sautee til they start to brown.add mushrooms and slightly brown.deglaze pan with chicken broth and simmer for 10 min.add heavy cream and simmer stirring occasionaly til you get the thickness you desire.It should be nice and brown and smell so so good!I like it really thick so i sometimes make some rue and add to it to thicken it up nice!

Enjoy!!

[Hillbilly]

Jeff, fresh ones should look more like this:

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[Thwackaddict]

Steve- How do you fix your chantrelles and chickens?You should try that morel cream sauce,if you like morels (which by the look on your face you do) you will love the cream sauce!

[JW_Halverson]

That cream sauce recipe looks so good it must be immoral...or would that be im-morel?

[Thwackaddict]

JW it is defintely IM-MOREL My favorite is to take some fresh walleye fillets,salt and pepper fry em up in butter and jus pour that sauce all over em!It'll make ya wanna slap ya granny

[JW_Halverson]

...make sure ya don't spill a drop on top of your head cuz your tongue will slap your brains out getting to it!

[Thwackaddict]

  dam i think i may have cried a bit on that one good one!!