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Photos: (left, middle) Wild golden chanterelle found on the Montalvo grounds;
(right) Wood-oven roasted chanterelles
(right) Wood-oven roasted chanterelles
No better ingredient represents the taste of place, or terroir, as the golden chanterelle that pops up near the Montalvo grounds. Some years, chanterelles are plentiful and some years nil. This year is somewhere in between, as the rains have been paltry and the weather warm compared to last winter’s deluge. This wild, uncultivated fungi is found under oaks and bay trees, bursting through the duff of the forest floor. It also seems to fruit right under poison oak, so be prepared to protect yourself. If you have never been mushroom hunting, this is a great mushroom to start with, but be sure to go with knowledgeable folk. There are look-alikes that can make you sick.
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Photos: Verifying the mushroom; Preparing the mushrooms for cooking
Cooking golden chanterelles is easy and if you have access to a wood oven, they become extra-special. If you live in the Bay Area, chanterelles are often found at the Berkeley Bowl and at Monterey Market in Berkeley at good prices. They are also found at Whole Foods but are much more pricey there.
Check out my recipe for chanterelle toast below!
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