First Chanterelles of the Year

[Nicodemus]

Went to my first patch down by the creek and in less than 3 minutes had a pound or so. That was a gracious plenty, plus the skeeters were about to take me home for supper so I came on back to the house, stole a couple of eggs from a broody ol` Mahran, and fixed up an omelet as fresh as you can make one.

 

[GLS]

Nic, nice haul. My stomach is growling over the last photo. Chants and eggs are about as good as it gets. I intended to look Saturday but got tied up. Hope I can get out this week. Gil

 

[GLS]

Nic, I went to my usual spots today and pickins' were sparse. I don't believe we had the rain from Alberto like you had further west. The time is right for here, but not the rain. Gil

 

[Nicodemus]

Nic, I went to my usual spots today and pickins' were sparse. I don't believe we had the rain from Alberto like you had further west. The time is right for here, but not the rain. Gil

Up until a couple of days ago we`ve been getting regular rains. A couple of my patches did go underwater for a about 24 hours, but they should come back strong. I`m fixing to ease out there and see about another bag full.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I'm jealous. We just had the wettest May on record, but no chants yet. It's usually July before they start here. It'll probably be a drought by then.

 

[HermanMerman]

That’s living right, sir.

 

[Cmp1]

Nice pic's Nic,,,, like your knife also,,,, do you get morels there?

 

[Pig Predator]

That looks delicious. I can't wait for ours to come in.

 

[blood on the ground]

Looks good Nic

 

[Killer Kyle]

Great post, and good eats Nic! I appreciate you posting because it was a great tip-off for me. I had other plans Saturday morning, but saw your thread when I woke up. I knew if you had food chants in your necknof the deep South, then they'd just be cranking up in the hills. I headed out to check two spots for chants to see if they have started yet. I checked one place in Hall County and found a great abundance of buttons just making their appearance. That one spot is loaded, and should yield chants aplenty. I went to another spot in White County, and found where only a few we're beginning to emerge. It is higher in altitude than the spot I checked in Hall. If this precipitation continues as usual, it is going to make a fine year. We have had a near historic amount of rain here lately, and the fungi aren't hurting for moisture. It's raining right now, in fact.
Thanks for the heads up. I enjoyed your posts and pics as always!

 

[GLS]

Sunday I checked a half dozen of the usual spots after Friday and Saturday showers and I found about a pound. A few here and a few there, but no big flushes. Soil temps are just about right and now it'll take some heavy showers. Gil

 

[Killer Kyle]

Hey Nic, you've mentioned your method of preservation before, but I can't remember exactly what it was. Don't you Sautee them in butter or something like that?

I'm asking because I have essentially been dehydrating them. I used to do it in the greenhouse, but this time of year, the higher temps almost "burn" a lot of them. They will dehydrate in a day usually, but lots of them turn black. I switched to dehydrating them on a pan beneath a ceiling fan in my house and with a small "personal" fan blowing on them at room temp. Also takes a day, maybe a day and a half. I'm looking for a different method because when you dehydrate them like this, and then rehydrate them, you usually get pretty chewy mushrooms after cooking. I am looking for a way that preserves a more natural texture. Can you tell us your method again please? After the freezer, when you cook them, is the texture fairly to fresh chants?

 

[Nicodemus]

Kyle, Gil, up above, taught me how to save the excess chants I gather. Saute them lightly in an olive oil-butter mix, then freeze in usable portions. The Redhead got some vacuum seal containers that I put them in to freeze for the winter.

 

[GLS]

Kyle, I sauté as Nic does and freeze 4 oz. portions of chants. I use a food saver and vacuum bags. When I'm ready to serve them, I put the bag in a pot of water and simmer until thawed. They are as tasty and tender as the day they were first cooked. Gil