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Mushrooms of the mid Atlantic (mostly) by season
There are thousands of mushrooms all over the world. Some are highly sought after for culinary, medicinal, recreational, or even industrial reasons. The mushrooms that are featured below are mushrooms based in the mid Atlantic (because that's where I'm located!), and I primarily forage for culinary reasons. All of the pictures are either taken by myself or by my protege and have been personally consumed with no adverse reactions. However, every person is different so when consuming edible mushrooms for the first time, cook thoroughly, eat a small amount, and wait 24 hours. This list is a recount of my own experiences and is no way to be used as a sole guide to mushroom foraging. Always identify 100% before consuming any wild edible. I will gladly direct you to identifying resources, but I can not and will not give you a positive Identification through photo only. Happy hunting, be safe and discover your backyard!
-Chef Jonathan Kehau Till
Blonde Morel
Blonde Morels are highly prized among foragers and chefs alike. They are found in hard wood forest and play a dual role. They have both a symbiotic relationship to trees such as Ash, Elm, Aspen, Sycamore, Poplar, as well as Apple, Cherry, and Pear. They also decompose dead wood and leaf litter (Saprophytic).Their flavor is very umami and the texture is slightly chewy. They need the ground to be between 40-50 degrees to fruit and are on of the first mushrooms to come out in spring. In my experiance Blonde Morels tend to cluster more tht any other variety of Morels so if you find one, your'll probably findmore!The also seem to grow the biggest in the Morel family. To prepare cut in half (this will help verify the species if you're not sure. Morels are completely hollow. This also helps expose any critters that might have found their way into the stalk.) place in bowl of room temp. water and gently massage, lift out of water and place on a paper towel or clean cloth to let absorb extra water. Don't dump mushrooms and water into a colander or strainer, you'll just dump the dirty back on them. Once Morels have dried for 20-30 min either use immediately, dry, or plave in a container with a dry towel placed over them and refrigerate for up to a week. Morels contain a toxin that can make you sick if you eat themraw. It's broken down once cooked so make sure to cook well before consuming.
Black Morel
Like Blonde Morels, this mushroom come in the early spring time. Mid-April in the mid-Atlanic seems to be a good time to start looking. From what I have experienced they grow a little smaller than their cousins the Blonde Morel and I don't see them in as big of clusters as i find the yellow ones. As with all varieties of Morels, look for true "pits" in the honeycomb structure of the mushroom, never folds. The whole mushroom should be hollow when sliced in half lenght wise. Look in old growth Tupil Poplar groves on ridge lines next to water in well-draining soil.
Half-free Morel
The Half-free Morel isn't one that you're likely to see on a menu somewhere. Foragers often pass this one over in favor of the Blonde, Black and Grey Morel. This is however a true Morel and I enjoy them just as much as their cousins. However proceed with some caution as this mushroom has been said to give some peole gastro problems. The Half-free Morel has a very distinctive look with their extra-long stalk and small cap. They look almost like a malformed Black Morel. Follow previous recommended cleaning and cooking procedures for these guys.
Grey Morel
The Grey Morel is, to me anyways, like a combination of characteristics from the Blonde and Black Morel. They grow in what I would call "running" clusters, meaning the;res usually a bunt growing along a unseen linear path. I have best luck finding then on steep hill sides full of fallen hardwood. They are roughly the same size as Black Morels, maybe growing slightly larger.
Dryad's Saddle
Dryad's Saddle, also called Pheasant Back, has been called a "concolation prize" to an unsuccessful day of Morel hunting. This mushroom is a shelf polypore that grows on dead hardwood and can be found around the same time that the Morels are fruiting in the spring. One unmistakable identifier to this mushroom is when it's fresha nd cut open it has the distinct smell of cucumber with a hint of watermelon. For that reason I find this mushroom is best hot pickles instead of cooked in a more traditional way. Great with salads, sandwiches or in a relish when pickled. Like all shelf mushrooms, the older the species, the more woody it becomes. Look for young ones that dont have their cap completely fanned out.
Jewel Studded Puffball
The jewels studded puffball is one of the many varieties of edible puffball. It gets name from the small "jewels" that adorn the mushroom. You can find this mushroom on dead wood and I find them from spring into fall. When harvesting any puffball you want to make sure the inside is stark white and when lightly squeezed it bounces back into shape. If there is any yellowing of the flesh in anyway pass it over. I love to cook these guys in a cast iron on high heat with oil so they get a nice sear. A little butter and lemon and you have something reminiscent of bay scallops in texture and flavor.
Chicken of the woods
Chicken of the woods is a pretty versatile mushroom, both in the seasons it grows, what it grows on and the way it can be used. It's a saprophytic shelf mushroom, meaning it feeds off of the decomposing wood and forms in layers or "shelves". This mushroom is a poly-pore, having thousands of tiny holes (pores) on the underside. It usually grows on trees, but sometimes can appear to be growing directly out of the ground like in the picture shown. This mushroom is best eaten when young and the mushrooms edges are soft and rounded. Once they hit full maturity, the mushrooms edges flatten out and it takes on a styrofoam like texture. Older specimens are good for stocks and being ground into powder. As I mentioned they grow off a variety of woods. I've found them on hardwoods and conifers alike. I have read and heard that Chicken of the woods that grows off conifers might cause gastro problems and has an unpleasant taste. In my personal experiance I haven't found this to be true, but it could have a different effect on you. The only factor I've found to play a big part of the edibility of this mushrooms is age. I've found these mushrooms while looking for Morels in the spring and Maitakes in the fall and everywhere in between. I've also noticed that they grow even when conditions are too dry for other mushrooms to grow.
Beefsteak Mushroom
Beefsteak Mushroom is one of the most bizarre edible mushrooms for sure. Not only does it resemble a kidney, but if you slice this mushroom open you'll see it has a grain...just like steak. That's where the similarities with beef end though. It has a slightly sour flavor, not quite like a lemon, but noticeable. I've noticed this mushroom comes out right around the time of the raspberries, but it's not one of the primary ones I'm looking for so it may come or go earlier than I've stated. I just know I see them when I go berry picking in mid summer. On the occasions I do decide to collect them, I find them on dead rotting stumps usually. I find them best to slice thin and marinate before grilling or sauteing.
Peach Chanterelle
This is variety a of Chanterelle (on the right) that I've only ever found in a small patch in Virginia. They apparently only grow in the Appalachian region of the world, although I maybe be wrong about this. I'm only going off what little there is published on this variety and my own personal experiance. But, I can tell you this isnt a Cinnabar Chanterelle (more on them later). They have no flavor difference to Common Chanterelles but are incredibly beautiful. If you find a patch of these guard it closely, they're a rare find.
Cinnabar Chanterelle
Cinnabar Chanterelles are one of the craziest colored edible mushrooms out there.They grow a bright redish-pink and are smaller than their cousin the Common Chanterelle. They share all the traits as Chanterelles, grow terrestrial, wrinkles instead of true gills, and I dont really find any look-a-likes to this one (that doesnt mean they are'nt out there!). You don't see a lot of these commercially and I feel like there are a few reasons for that; They aren't easy to cultive...at all, they're pretty small and a run like this is a pretty big one. They typically come up around late June and will grow through the summer until the temperture starts to drop below 65ish at night consistantly or there isn't enough rain. I find them growing along stream beds and on mossy hill sides like the one in this picture and they tend to grow in clusters. I love them in pasta, on pizza, or pickled with cured meats. If you see these on a menu, order them! Chances are either the chef picked them himself or someone he's close to did and they definitely have a limited supply. The only downside to these guys is they lose that bright color when cooked or heat is applied. So if you find a way to preserve it, let me know!
Common Chanterelle
Common Chanterelle, Golden Chanterelle or more often than not just Chanterelle is one of the first signs for me summer has arrived. This mushroomis one of my favorite mushrooms to cook both in a perfessional kitchen and my home kitchen. It's easy to find a pound of two of these when the conditions are right. They like to grow in mixed wood forest and often the plant "Indian Pipe" can be a sign that Chanterelles might be nearby. This mushroom has a earthy and slightly fruity aroma and flavor to them. They can be pickled, dried and even frozen (although you should blanche them first if you freeze them). Look for these mushrooms starting in mid-June and runrun for about 90 days give or take a week or two in either direction.
Yellowfoot Chanterelles
These are another summer mushroom that you see after a lot of rain. I tend to see them trailing a little behind the Common Chanterells as far as time line goes and they grow in very similar conditions as the Cinnabar Chanterelles grow in. I have best luck finding them on extremly rotted (almost broken down into soil) downed logs that are heavily saturated. As you can see the cap is a very deep golden color, and the stalk is a rich yellow...hence the name "Yellowfoot". like all Chanterelles they dont have true gills but rather folds and several mushrooms will grow from one centeral cluster. Last key identifier if that the stalk of these mushrooms are hollow. Because of this they dry extremely well and keep for a long time. I really enjoy their umami flavor. I like to use these in braises, stews, and anything cooked for a long time. They impart exceptional flavor and can surprisingly stand up to the long term heat.
Black Trumpet
The Black Trumpet is a mid to late summer mushroom. It's easy to identify seeing as the dont really have any look-a-likes. They are smooth with mo visible gilles and true to their name they grow into a trumpet formation. The stalk is hollow all the way through to the ground so these mushrooms need to be cleaned very well since they collect whatever falls into them. Look for a vivid black mushrooms without any signs of wilt or rot on mossy hillside stream banks amoung Beech tree forest with a lot of moss. This mushroom works well dried and goes great with wild game meats, braises and stews. The flavor is very earthy and has the unmistakeable sent of "wet dog". When in peak season this mushrooms ca be found in bulk so bring several collection bags (make sure you dont more than about 1/3). Again, make sure you clean this mushroom well because their shape collects dirt and debris and can easily ruin a meal it not thoughly cleaned. A hint for finding these mushrooms; get on youre hands and knees and look horizontally across the ground instead of straight down. Trumpets like lots of mushrooms are extremely good at camouflaging into the forest floor.
Hedgehog Mushroom
This is another late summer mushroom. I have never been able to find it in abundance in the mid-Atlantic, but foraging in the Adirondacks (upstate NY) has always proven fruitful for me. It leads me to believe this mushroom might like higher elevations. This mushroom will grow late into the colder season finding them as late as early November. This is a good beginners mushroom because they are easily identified by their spikey, or "Hedgehog" like gills. There are a few different varieties but all are edible and there are no known look-a-likes. This mushroom is a choiced edible one and it is highly used in professional kitchens. They have a firm body and a light earthy flavor. When preparing them you'll want to scrape off the gills (spikes) with a spoon or paring knife and give them a quick rinse in cool water. The whole mushroom is edible, however the gill give it a unwanted mouth feel.
Cauliflower Mushroom
This mushroom is super neat. True to it's name this mushroom looks like a head of Cauliflower thats growing out of the ground. They can get quite big, up to several pounds. They like acidic soil and typically grow parasitically off of pine roots in late summer. These are best picked young, when they are brittle and creamy white like the one in the picture. Like most mushrooms as they get older, they start to turn brown and get woody. I really like this mushroom pickled. My favorite thing to do with these is to make a "Giardiniera", or put them in pasta sauce. They have a subtle flavor making the perfect for dishes that you don't want mushrooms to take over the dish. Make sure you clean these guys well! There are a lot of nooks and crannies for dirt and bugs to hide. These are also a favorite snack of squirels and other forest rodents, so again, clean well!
Maitake
One of the most highly sought after autum mushrooms by foragers and chefs alike. Maitake, or "Hen of the woods" grows on the base of mostly Elm and Oak trees. Look for trees with dying branches or rotting spots since they don't grow on healthy ones. There are two varieties that can look like the Maitake and grow in simillar conditions. The "Black staining polypore" and the "Berkeley's polypore" can definitely fool beginners and even experts from afar. The flavor of this mushroom is amazing to say the least! Unlike most mushrooms this one will still stay tender even as they grow older. The have firm flesh and are very versatile culinarily wise. Fried, grilled, roasted, sauteed..I havent found a way that I dont like these fantastic mushrooms prepared.
Lions Mane
This This is another late summer early fall mushroom. It grows from wounds on hard wood trees and can take on a few different shapes depending on the variety leading to different names such as "Comb Tooth", "Bears Head", "Pom Pom" and the list goes one. This mushroom comes around late summer/early fall. It has a unique flavor of crab going well with seafood. Along with being a great culinary mushroom, it is also prized for its medicinal qualities. Anxiety, depression, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants and immune boosters are among some of the researched benifits for this mushroom. I'll add a link to some research being done with culinary mushrooms and their medicinal benifits.
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