Chanterelles

21. October 2007 by Marco.

This is one of the best season for mushroom and wine lovers. In fact, wild mushrooms are one of the most interesting products of nature to use in food and wine pairings. Their flavor, texture and complexity are generally a perfect match for some of the best and most complex wines produced around the world. The wines that pair the best with wild mushrooms are those produced with lighter and earthier grapes such as Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese.

Picking wild edible mushrooms is an activity that allows you to enjoy nature, burn calories and get yourself a wonderful and unique dinner. Be aware that you have to be 100% sure of what you are picking: this is the first rule to avoid any intossication and even death. If you are not prepared to pick wild mushrooms, the market has often a wide variety available for sale.

Today I went for a hike in search of Chanterelles and I had good luck. Back home I rinsed them thouroghly in order to remove the dirt and I prepared one the basic but most amazing pasta recipes: Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Chanterelles, Heavy Cream sauce and Truffle.

 Here is the botanical description of this mushroom:

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION:Cantharellus cibarius L.: Fries
Syst. Mycol. 1: 318. 1821.

• Cap 3-11 cm broad, peg to vase-shaped, the disc frequently depressed but not funnelform; margin incurved, wavy, in age decurved, plane, to upturned; surface smooth or with appressed hairs, dry, yellow to golden-yellow, fading in age; flesh yellowish, thick, firm; odor faintly fruity, taste mild. 

• Gills reduced to ridges, decurrent, forking, often cross-veined or anastomosing, colored like the cap or lighter.

• Stipe 2-9 cm long, 0.5-3.5 cm thick, tapering to a narrowed base; surface dry, smooth, concolorous or lighter than the cap.

• Spores 8-11 x 4-5.5 µm, elliptical, smooth; spore print pale yellow.

  EDIBLE AND EXCELLENT!

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