# NE MO



## D_licious (Apr 8, 2019)

Hey hey! Nothing here by Mark Twain lake. The corps of engineers had big burns on the public land around the lake last year after the tornado went through so it should be a banner season. I watch the may apples to sprout to start walking the woods. As they emerge and before they open, we find the blacks and free morels. Once they are fully open we find the big yellows. I'm excited to see how the 100's of acres burn theory produces this year. We had sleet last night and the nice temps have turned cold and rainy. I'll start checking on our property this week for the early shrooms. Sending you all happy hunting for 2022.


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## D_licious (Apr 8, 2019)

Had a tornado last Oct that trashed our woods. We started cutting and clearing the mess. We have osage orange downed trees that we made into walking sticks. It was a long hard winter here. On the bright side we have 3 cords of wood ready for next winter and sore backs to go with it.


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## r0ck3m333 (11 mo ago)

Make sure you take plenty of bags when you go to those burn areas you will need them!


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## cajunshroomer3578 (Mar 22, 2017)

That’s some beautiful work !! 

Meet a guy down here in South Louisiana (my home state) back in February. Real cool fella. He grew up picking Mark Twain lake. I gave him alligator and frog meat in hopes he’ll mail me some elusive morels !!! They don’t grow this far down south. I have high hopes for the future to take the family camping Mark Twain lake in the spring time


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## D_licious (Apr 8, 2019)

r0ck3m333 said:


> Make sure you take plenty of bags when you go to those burn areas you will need





cajunshroomer3578 said:


> That’s some beautiful work !!
> 
> Meet a guy down here in South Louisiana (my home state) back in February. Real cool fella. He grew up picking Mark Twain lake. I gave him alligator and frog meat in hopes he’ll mail me some elusive morels !!! They don’t grow this far down south. I have high hopes for the future to take the family camping Mark Twain lake in the spring time


Thanks! When your ready to head this way let me know and I will show you some good areas that won't disappoint. The morel season is still a couple weeks out with this cold snap. Should be a great season through the end of May. In late June we have golden chanterelles everywhere around here. I actually prefer those over morels (insert gasp). If you need any info on the camping up here - I would be happy to help.
Here's a pic of the chanterelles from last year. (They grow all over our little farm).


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## r0ck3m333 (11 mo ago)

Sometimes I feel the same about some fresh chants. Much more sophisticated flavor.


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## emarler (10 mo ago)

I don't think those grow out here in southwest Idaho, unfortunately, they look like a lot of fun! And they're a fall mushroom, correct? How do you generally prepare them? Fry 'em in butter like morels?


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## D_licious (Apr 8, 2019)

They are early to mid summer and so easy to find. I sauteed them but never have tried breading to fry. They have a fresh floral buttery flavor. We put them over scrambled eggs and over steak. Check your local mushroom forum in Idaho maybe they grow there too.


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## emarler (10 mo ago)

Thanks, they sound yummy!


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## cajunshroomer3578 (Mar 22, 2017)

D_licious said:


> Thanks! When your ready to head this way let me know and I will show you some good areas that won't disappoint. The morel season is still a couple weeks out with this cold snap. Should be a great season through the end of May. In late June we have golden chanterelles everywhere around here. I actually prefer those over morels (insert gasp). If you need any info on the camping up here - I would be happy to help.
> Here's a pic of the chanterelles from last year. (They grow all over our little farm).
> View attachment 41405
> View attachment 41406



Man that would be fantastic!!! We’re in the middle of selling our home in the suburbs and moving back the the country. It’ll have to wait a while.

I’ve just heard so much about these elusive morels and have yet to put my lips on them. Cooking runs really deep in my culture and heritage and I have concocted quite the dishes with other wild mushrooms. By far, as of now, my favorite is also chanty’s. VERY versatile. Too many dishes to mention all.
Much like your area, I’ve had years where I gave away pounds upon pounds of chantys to friends and family. Particularly a good Laos buddy who owns a restaurant in Lafayette. We do trade offs lol. He feeds my wild Thai and Laos taste buds cause no one else under my roof enjoys the stinky goodness in some of their dishes. He made a fresh bean sprout and chanty stir fry that was outstanding.

Back to my chanty dishes. I stole a few ideas from a few different chowder recipes.
Started off with shrimp stock I had in the freezer. Sautéed roughly 3-4 lbs of chantys
Threw 2/3 of that in the food processor and added to my chowder. Saved the other third sautéed whole mushrooms to garnish after serving. Seasoned to taste and I added a sprinkle of Thai crushed red peppers. MY GOODNESS!! Served with home grown fried purple eggplant !! I’ll try to find pictures and post.

I belong to another forum dedicated to any and everything wild mushrooms. wildmushroomhunting.org Been there a while. Check us out. You can also find a more detailed recipe for my wild mushroom shrimp stock chowder there.


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## cajunshroomer3578 (Mar 22, 2017)

Another one of my favorites!!
Dried a ton of chants and ground up. Made sushi bowls with fresh wild caught tuna and amberjack !!! Sprinkled a generous amount of dried chantys on top. ( Not recommended eating wild mushrooms raw but I have a pretty tough stomach lol) The dehydrator doesn’t quite cook them enough for some folks to consume.


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## emarler (10 mo ago)

Wow! How I would like to get a taste of these delicious looking dishes. Thanks for sharing!

That chowder looks amazing.


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## emarler (10 mo ago)

@cajunshroomer3578 

If you get some free time, would you mind sharing how you distinguish a true chanterelle from a toxic look alike? I've never found a chanterelle, but I am trying to do my homework so that one day I can confidently harvest them.


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## r0ck3m333 (11 mo ago)

I've always wanted to do a BBQ eel morel mushroom sushi.


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## cajunshroomer3578 (Mar 22, 2017)

emarler said:


> @cajunshroomer3578
> 
> If you get some free time, would you mind sharing how you distinguish a true chanterelle from a toxic look alike? I've never found a chanterelle, but I am trying to do my homework so that one day I can confidently harvest them.


There’s ton of info on the web. I started roughly 10 years ago. Took me a year to feel comfortable consuming any wild mushrooms

Purchase a few good field guides particular to your area. Look up and study the look a-likes MORE than anything. Also wildmushroomhunting.org has tons of back log on identifying mushrooms.


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## emarler (10 mo ago)

Awesome, thanks for the link!


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## D_licious (Apr 8, 2019)

cajunshroomer3578 said:


> Man that would be fantastic!!! We’re in the middle of selling our home in the suburbs and moving back the the country. It’ll have to wait a while.
> 
> I’ve just heard so much about these elusive morels and have yet to put my lips on them. Cooking runs really deep in my culture and heritage and I have concocted quite the dishes with other wild mushrooms. By far, as of now, my favorite is also chanty’s. VERY versatile. Too many dishes to mention all.
> Much like your area, I’ve had years where I gave away pounds upon pounds of chantys to friends and family. Particularly a good Laos buddy who owns a restaurant in Lafayette. We do trade offs lol. He feeds my wild Thai and Laos taste buds cause no one else under my roof enjoys the stinky goodness in some of their dishes. He made a fresh bean sprout and chanty stir fry that was outstanding.
> ...


Lol! My husband lived in Nola for years! Like you he loves his cajun cooking. I will definitely check out the other site. And I saved your recipe...it sounds amazing! Nice to me you and looking forward to everyone's mushroom pics, recipes and stories.


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## cajunshroomer3578 (Mar 22, 2017)

Forgot to mention…. I have battered and breaded then deep fried chantys …..BEST FRIED MUSHROOMS I’ve ever eaten!!


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## D_licious (Apr 8, 2019)

cajunshroomer3578 said:


> Forgot to mention…. I have battered and breaded then deep fried chantys …..BEST FRIED MUSHROOMS I’ve ever eaten!!


Never tried frying. It sounds good! Do you use cornmeal, cracker crumbs or tempura batter?


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## cajunshroomer3578 (Mar 22, 2017)

D_licious said:


> Never tried frying. It sounds good! Do you use cornmeal, cracker crumbs or tempura batter?


I use flour


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## cajunshroomer3578 (Mar 22, 2017)

cajunshroomer3578 said:


> I use flour but tempura batter sounds delicious


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## shroomsearcher (Apr 7, 2018)

D_licious said:


> They are early to mid summer and so easy to find. I sauteed them but never have tried breading to fry. They have a fresh floral buttery flavor. We put them over scrambled eggs and over steak. Check your local mushroom forum in Idaho maybe they grow there too.


True that! The first year I decided to look for them, I read up on their habitat and realized there was an ideal woods very close by. It's in a public park with a path that runs along a hardwood ridge. Oak, maple and beech woods. I wasn't five minutes before I saw that "egg yolk yellow" color. Also that first year, I discovered that they don't dehydrate well! So, my strategy now is smaller harvest to be used right away, Hard to beat chants and scrambled eggs for breakfast.


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## r0ck3m333 (11 mo ago)

Made a smoked turkey meatloaf with chants and morels last year I just remembered.


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## bohemianjon (May 6, 2013)

D_licious said:


> Hey hey! Nothing here by Mark Twain lake. The corps of engineers had big burns on the public land around the lake last year after the tornado went through so it should be a banner season. I watch the may apples to sprout to start walking the woods. As they emerge and before they open, we find the blacks and free morels. Once they are fully open we find the big yellows. I'm excited to see how the 100's of acres burn theory produces this year. We had sleet last night and the nice temps have turned cold and rainy. I'll start checking on our property this week for the early shrooms. Sending you all happy hunting for 2022.


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## bohemianjon (May 6, 2013)

In need directions to those burn areas around Mark Twain Lake please...where are they? Thanks


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## D_licious (Apr 8, 2019)

emarler said:


> @cajunshroomer3578
> 
> If you get some free time, would you mind sharing how you distinguish a true chanterelle from a toxic look alike? I've never found a chanterelle, but I am trying to do my homework so that one day I can confidently harvest them.


Chants are one of the easiest shrooms to identify. In our experience, we have found one toxic kinda look a like which is a jack o lantern. We rarely see these is our area but have seen many in the w. Virginny woods. They grow in clusters on wood not in the dirt. We always do spore prints on any unfamiliar mushroom. We've been foraging for decades but always recommend buying a book on mushrooms in your state. Chanterelles grow in the ground along trails or in clusters in damp environment. I'm never comfortable giving advice on identification online. Jack-o'-LanternGolden Chanterelles

Hope this helps.


bohemianjon said:


> In need directions to those burn areas around Mark Twain Lake please...where are they? Thanks


I would be happy to share the info. Here's a few links to get you started. Maps for the 2 public trails and I would suggest you stop by the visitor center off of Rt J by Clarence Cannon Dam and pick up some free maps of the area. Google Route J lake for another good public hunting spot in our neck of the woods. Good luck


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## D_licious (Apr 8, 2019)

D_licious said:


> Chants are one of the easiest shrooms to identify. In our experience, we have found one toxic kinda look a like which is a jack o lantern. We rarely see these is our area but have seen many in the w. Virginny woods. They grow in clusters on wood not in the dirt. We always do spore prints on any unfamiliar mushroom. We've been foraging for decades but always recommend buying a book on mushrooms in your state. Chanterelles grow in the ground along trails or in clusters in damp environment. I'm never comfortable giving advice on identification online. Jack-o'-LanternGolden Chanterelles
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> I would be happy to share the info. Here's a few links to get you started. Maps for the 2 public trails and I would suggest you stop by the visitor center off of Rt J by Clarence Cannon Dam and pick up some free maps of the area. Google Route J lake for another good public hunting spot in our neck of the woods. Good luck


St. Louis District > Missions > Recreation > Mark Twain Lake > Recreation > Trails


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## shroomsearcher (Apr 7, 2018)

D_licious said:


> Chants are one of the easiest shrooms to identify. In our experience, we have found one toxic kinda look a like which is a jack o lantern. We rarely see these is our area but have seen many in the w. Virginny woods. They grow in clusters on wood not in the dirt. We always do spore prints on any unfamiliar mushroom. We've been foraging for decades but always recommend buying a book on mushrooms in your state. Chanterelles grow in the ground along trails or in clusters in damp environment. I'm never comfortable giving advice on identification online. Jack-o'-LanternGolden Chanterelles


^^^^^^^^ This! One time I had to drop something off at my buddy's house. I happened to look in one of his flower beds and there were mushrooms galore! I thought I had found Chant heaven! A closer look revealed that they were growing out of the mulch, and grew in dense clusters. Chants may grow "gregariously", but never in clusters. Checked the ID on the computer and found that I was right. Once I found the real Chants there was no dougt about it! The variety that growns in my area is the Smooth Chanterelle.


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## r0ck3m333 (11 mo ago)

There are other false Chanterelle's that look really really similar that you will find amongst a patch but they will be very brittle to the touch. It will also not smell anything like a true chanterelle. We call them falsies in my group.


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## D_licious (Apr 8, 2019)

r0ck3m333 said:


> There are other false Chanterelle's that look really really similar that you will find amongst a patch but they will be very brittle to the touch. It will also not smell anything like a true chanterelle. We call them falsies in my group.


Good to know. I have never encountered "falsies ". Do you have a pic of one?


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## r0ck3m333 (11 mo ago)

I'll have to ask my brother for a picture but if not then I will during the season.


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