Cantharellus subalbidus: The White Chanterelle

[ Basidiomycetes > Cantharellales > Cantharellus . . . ]

by John Plischke

The edible and choice White Chanterelle, Cantharellus subalbidus, grows in the Northwest. When picking edible mushrooms I am familiar with, I use a knife to field clean them (see photo)--unlike unidentified and poisonous mushrooms I am taking home to study, which I carefully dig out, leaving all parts in-tact (such as the bulb at the base of the stem of an Amanita, which can be very important when identifying the mushroom).

Cleaning mushrooms begins with picking them. If you just yank them out of the ground and throw them into a basket, dirt will cover everything, and you will have a mess to deal with when you get home. Instead, take your time: cut each mushroom off a little above ground level, and do a little field cleaning. Knock off a little dirt; pick off that leaf or blade of grass. Also, toss out any mushrooms that are too old, full of bugs, or that don't look right.

The White Chanterelle is similar in size and shape to the Chanterelle, Cantharellus cibarius, but the White Chanterelle's identifying features are its white color and its orangeish bruising. Be careful not to confuse it with Gomphus floccosus, which differs by having an orange to orangeish red, scaly cap.

The White Chanterelle is a choice edible. It is "meaty" and can be cooked like the "true" Chanterelle. It can be fried in butter or cooked with eggs, and it is good in casseroles. You can add a touch of honey or vanilla to remove any bitterness. Chanterelles can be threaded on strings and dried for future use, but they become somewhat leathery after drying, so make sure to rehydrate them long enough, or to chop them up finely before using them. I often use a food processor, especially if I am making dip. Chanterelles can also be preserved by sauteeing them in butter and freezing them. They should be cooked at medium temperature.

Description:

Ecology: Mycorrhizal with pines, Douglas-Fir, and Madrone; growing alone or scattered; fall and winter; occasional; northwestern North America.

Cap: 5-11 cm wide; becoming sunken in the center with age; white, bruising orangish to orangish brown and sometimes developing orangish brown spots with age; the margin wavy.

Undersurface: With false gills that run down the stem; often with forking or cross-veins; white, bruising like the cap.

Stem: 1.5-6 cm long; 1-2 cm thick; often wider near the cap; white, bruising and staining like the cap; solid.

Flesh: White.

Odor and Taste: Mild.

Spore Print: White.

Microscopic Features: Spores 7-9 x 5-5.5 µ; smooth; elliptical.

REFERENCES: Smith & Morse, 1947. (Corner, 1966; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1981; Thiers, 1985; Arora, 1986; Phillips, 1991/2005; Lincoff, 1992; Pilz et al., 2003; Miller & Miller, 2006; Kuo, 2007.)

Further Online Information:

Cantharellus subalbidus at MykoWeb

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Cite this page as:

Plischke, J. (2004, March). Cantharellus subalbidus: The white chanterelle. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/cantharellus_subalbidus.html