A Chanterelle By Any Other Name

Golden chanterelles are on fire throughout the region, visible from a distance with their bright yellow caps. While all fresh chanterelles are delicious, our favorite patch yields dense, chunky specimens with a ghostly white – rather than yellow – stem and false-gilled underbelly. We call these firm and meaty culinary gems ‘white back’ chanterelles, though my hunch is they are Cantharellus phasmatis, first documented in 2013 at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Incredibly, the same researchers discovered three new chanterelle species within twenty meters of each other, a reminder of how much remains unknown and ripe for exploration in the field of mycology.

We find our hefty white-back chanterelles (right), strictly under hardwoods. We find the related Cantharellus flavus more often – this golden enjoys the company of conifers and has yellow false gills and thin yellow stem. C. phasmatis is also distinguished by the fact that its flesh bruises brownish (see photo), and it has pinkish spores rather than yellow.

If you’re wondering what happened to the name Cantharellus cibarius, recent research established its range as being limited to Europe. Of course, this is just an example of variation within the classic “golden chanterelle” group – let alone the diversity present among related delights like yellow-foot chanterelles, cinnabar reds, smooths, and black trumpets!

Whether your chanterelles are yellow or white underneath, you won’t be disappointed by their flavor once they hit the buttered cast iron. Still, it is fascinating to explore the spectrum of textures and aromatic subtleties within the overarching, fruity and floral ‘chanterelle’ flavor profile.

Before you make a meal of any of these species, you must know the group’s forking, false gills like the back of your hand, and have the ID down with certainty. You should also be familiar with look-alikes, particularly the nasty Jack-o’-lantern. Enjoy the abundance, and stay safe out there!