Chanterelle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Page 1 of 3

Chanterelle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cantharellus cibarius, commonly known as the chanterelle or Cantharellus cibarius

golden chanterelle, is a fungus. It is probably the best known
species of the genus Cantharellus, if not the entire family of
Cantharellaceae. It is orange or yellow, meaty and funnel-shaped.
On the lower surface, underneath the smooth cap, it has gill-like
ridges that run almost all the way down its stipe, which tapers
down seamlessly from the cap. It has a fruity smell, reminiscent
of apricots and a mildly peppery taste (hence its German name,
Pfifferling) and is considered an excellent edible mushroom.

Distribution Scientific classification

Kingdom: Fungi
Chanterelles are common in northern parts of Europe and North Phylum: Basidiomycota
America, including Mexico, in Asia including the Himalayas,[1]
Class: Agaricomycetes
and in Africa including Zambia.[2] Chanterelles tend to grow in
clusters in mossy coniferous forests, but are also often found in Order: Cantharellales
mountainous birch forests and among grasses and low-growing Family: Cantharellaceae
herbs. In central Europe, the golden chanterelle is often found in Genus: Cantharellus
beech forests among similar species and forms.[3] Species: C. cibarius
Binomial name
At one time, all yellow or golden chanterelles in western North
America had been classified as C. cibarius. However, using DNA Cantharellus cibarius
Fr. 1821
analysis, they have since been shown to be a group of related
species. In 1997, the Pacific golden chanterelle (C.
formosus) and C. cibarius var. roseocanus were Cantharellus cibarius
identified,[4] followed by C. cascadensis in 2003[5]
and C. californicus in 2008.[6] Mycological characteristics

ridges on hymenium
Biochemistry
cap is infundibuliform
Chanterelles
are relatively hymenium attachment is irregular or
high in
not applicable
vitamin C (0.4
mg/g fresh stipe is bare
weight),[7]
very high in
potassium spore print is yellow
(about 5%, dry
to cream
weight),[8] and
among the ecology is mycorrhizal
richest sources
of vitamin D known, with ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) edibility: choice
as high as 2500 IU/100 grams fresh weight.[9]

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Scientific research has suggested that the golden chanterelle may have potent insecticidal properties that
are harmless against humans and yet protects the mushroom body against insects and other potentially
harmful organisms.[10]

Culinary use
Though records of chanterelles being eaten date back to the 1500s, they first gained widespread
recognition as a culinary delicacy with the spreading influence of French cuisine in the 1700s, where
they began appearing in palace kitchens. For many years, they remained notable for being served at the
tables of nobility. Nowadays, the usage of chanterelles in the kitchen is common throughout Europe and
North America. In 1836, the Swedish mycologist Elias Fries considered the chanterelle "as one of the
most important and best edible mushrooms."[3]

Chanterelles as a group are generally described as being rich in flavor, with a distinctive taste and aroma
difficult to characterize. Some species have a fruity odor, others a more woody, earthy fragrance, and
others still can even be considered spicy. The golden chanterelle is perhaps the most sought-after and
flavorful chanterelle, and many chefs consider it on the same short list of gourmet fungi as truffles and
morels. It therefore tends to command a high price in both restaurants and specialty stores.[11]

There are many ways to cook chanterelles. Most of the flavorful compounds in chanterelles are fat-
soluble, making them good mushrooms to sauté in butter, oil or cream. They also contain smaller
amounts of water- and alcohol-soluble flavorings, which lend the mushrooms well to recipes involving
wine or other cooking alcohols. Many popular methods of cooking chanterelles include them in sautés,
soufflés, cream sauces, and soups. They are not typically eaten raw, as their rich and complex flavor is
best released when cooked.[3]

Chanterelles are also well-suited for drying, and tend to maintain their aroma and consistency quite well.
[3]
Some chefs profess that reconstituted chanterelles are actually superior in flavor to fresh ones, though
they lose in texture whatever they gain in flavor by becoming more chewy after being preserved by
drying.[11] Dried chanterelles can also be crushed into flour and used in seasoning in soups or sauces.
Chanterelles are also suitable for freezing, though older frozen chanterelles can often develop a slightly
bitter taste after thawing.[3]

Similar species
The false chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) has a similar appearance and can be confused with
the chanterelle. Distinguishing factors are color (the true chanterelle is uniform egg-yellow, while the
false one is more orange in hue and graded, with darker center) and attachment of gills to the stem (the
true chanterelle has ridges or wrinkles, which can be quite deep, but not true gills). Though once thought
to be hazardous, it is now known that the false chanterelle is edible but not especially tasty, and
ingesting it may result in mild gastrointestinal distress.[3][11] The poisonous species in the genus
Omphalotus (the jack-o'-lantern mushrooms) have been misidentified as chanterelles, but can usually be
distinguished by their well-developed unforked gills and yellow-orange interior flesh (the yellow orange
color of chanterelles is confined to their surface; their interiors are white). Omphalotus is not closely
related to chanterelles. Other species in the closely-related genera Cantharellus and Craterellus may
appear similar to the golden chanterelle.[11]

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References
1. ^ G. H. Dar, R. C. Bhagat, and M. A. Khan, Biodiversity of the Kashmir Himalaya, Anmol Publications
PVT. LTD., 2002.
2. ^ E. R. Boa, Wild Edible Fungi: a Global Overview of Their Use and Importance to People, Food &
Agriculture Org., 2004.
3. ^ a b c d e f Persson, Olle. "The Chanterelle Book." Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California. 1997.
4. ^ Redhead, S. A.; Norvell, L. L.; Danell, E. (1997), "Cantharellus formosus and the Pacific Golden
Chanterelle harvest in Western North America", Mycotaxon 65: 285-322
5. ^ Dunham, S. M.; O’Dell, T.E.; Molina, R. (2003), "Analysis of nrDNA sequences and microsatellite allele
frequencies reveals a cryptic chanterelle species Cantharellus cascadensis sp. nov. from the American
Pacific Northwest", Mycological Research 107(10): 1163-1177
6. ^ Arora, D.; Dunham, S. M. (2008), "A New, Commercially Valuable Chanterelle Species, Cantharellus
californicus sp. nov., Associated with Live Oak in California,
USA" (http://www.davidarora.com/uploads/arora_dunham_chanterelles.pdf) , Economic Botany 62(3): 376–
391, http://www.davidarora.com/uploads/arora_dunham_chanterelles.pdf
7. ^ Barros, Lillian; Venturini, Bruna A.; Baptista, Paula; Estevinho, Leticia M.; Ferreira, Isabel C. F. R.
(2008). "Chemical Composition and Biological Properties of Portuguese Wild Mushrooms: A
Comprehensive Study". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 56 (10): 3856–3862.
doi:10.1021/jf8003114 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1021%2Fjf8003114) .
8. ^ USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-
bin/measure.pl, accessed 8/5/2010
9. ^ Mycol. Res. 106 (1) : 70±73 (January 2002).
10. ^ Ionic Liquids for the Production of Insecticidal and Microbicidal Extracts of the Fungus Cantharellus
cibarius (http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/116322233/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0)
11. ^ a b c d Fischer, David W; Bessette, Alan E. "Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America: A Field-to-kitchen
Guide." University of Texas Press, 1992.

External links
■ Cantharellus cibarius (http://www.indexfungorum.org/Names/NamesRecord.asp?
RecordID=200345) in Index Fungorum.
■ Chanterelle (http://www.whatamieating.com/chanterelle.html) at whatamieating.com (a food
dictionary)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanterelle"
Categories: Cantharellales | Fungi of Europe | Fungi of North America | Edible fungi | Agaricomycetes

■ This page was last modified on 17 November 2010 at 03:48.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanterelle 11/20/2010