When I pick mushrooms I like to take a basket for collecting. The opening to my basket may be a little too big because as I walk the forest and bump into trees, debris falls into it. I would prefer a cleaner collection, but am too attached to my basket at this stage.  Since it is a bit bigger, I can collect a lot more mushrooms before returning to my car to empty it and go out again to collect more.

A lightly woven basket allows mushroom spores to be distributed as you walk about the forest to encourage more mushroom growth. I personally don’t like a plastic pail or bags as the mushrooms may sweat.

Stackable cardboard boxes for produce from Costco are absolutely a must for storing your mushrooms in the car. I always bring 3 or 4 of them. A large find of  mushrooms doesn’t get squashed the way they could in bags or large pails. Two or three pounds of mushrooms can easily fit in a box and stay fresh until you get home. They also breathe better in cardboard.

When walking through the forest hunting for mushrooms, I always keep my knife (not too sharp of one) in my basket till I come to a clump. I have tripped a couple times on a fallen log or hole in the ground. Keeping your knife in your hand could be dangerous if you fall.

It is also a good idea to carry tissue or a cloth to wipe your knife or hands in case you are cutting mushrooms that could be poisonous. It is always better to cut through the stems of a mushroom as you do not want to disturb the mycelia threads by pulling out the entire mushroom.

Kath’s quote: “Take a trip to the forest and experience the greatness of getting on your knees and picking your own food and going home… and eating it”. -Rene Redzepi

Love never fails.

Today I introduce a new feature and a new guest blogger to Food Musings. I have known Alice since high school. She was older than me and I would admire her and her friends in candid yearbook shots and on the sport team pictures. We were reunited when I discovered that she was married to a partner in the advertising firm that I worked at. Many years pass and her son’s family are friends with my nephew’s family. That son has a summer home at the same lake community as us. Belair Forest is well known for its blueberry and mushroom picking. Alice is a forager and has discovered many treasures in the woodlands. She will be sharing her tips for foraging as the weeks pass.

This is a great year for picking chanterelle mushrooms as there has been plenty of rainfall and very warm temperatures. I visited my favorite spots several times and found a few pounds every time I went.

Even my grandchildren  enjoy a few hours in the forest hunting for chanterelles. They have their own baskets and they carry plastic knives which are safe but make for good mushroom cutting. Taking the grandchildren mushroom picking is a very rewarding experience as I am so passionate about picking and teaching them about the gifts the forest offers us. It is also an opportunity to really embrace and enjoy our natural resources and see the beauty in nature. Someone has to teach the younger generation to be appreciative of what nature has to offer.

Now I just have to figure out how to teach them to enjoy the taste of mushrooms. Chanterelles grow in evergreen or mixed woods forest with a mossy floor.

There are lots of areas out by Belair. In July through August, just take a drive north on Hwy 59 and see where cars are parked on the side of the highway and you know they are picking mushrooms.  Friends have also told me that the Kenora forests have provided large harvests this summer. I never did find the incredible chanterelle garden I have watched others find on YouTube. Nevertheless, we had several good meals and enough to share or give to friends.  I think they are as happy receiving as I was giving.

I will stay hopeful that one day I will find the mother lode.

Find out more:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Picking+Chanterelles

https://www.google.ca/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=HCKzV9uwE-Sy8wewkoHwCA&gws_rd=ssl#q=Chanterelle+Recipes

Kath’s quote: “All of the people who work in the kitchen with me go out into the forests and on to the beach. It’s a part of their job. If you work with me you will often be starting your day in the forest or on the shore because I believe foraging will shape you as a chef”. –Rene Redzepi

Love never fails.