Today I went to the woods again to look for some chantarells. Actually I went to a new place so I ddn't know what I would find. When I walked through the bushes and the shrubs I pondered upon what would be my best tips and tricks to you regarding chantarell picking and mushroom hunting in general. So here we go.
Make sure you have the right gear.
- A nice basket to put your treasures in. Preferably one that is big and flat in the bottom so that it sits sturdy on the uneaven ground of the forest.
- A brush and a knife. I have a combo that is fairly easy to find at your local grocery store. It's a brush/knife so that you only have to keep track of one thing.
- The proper outfit. I prefer wellies, comfy pants, a wind proof jacket and a cap.
- Make sure you use a mosquito repellant. You'll never get the sought after peace of mind if all you do is chasing away non-friendly mosquitoes.
- A cell phone if you're out on your own.
Now, all you need to do is find a good spot. Walk slowly. Chantarells can really be hard to find. Pay attention as to where you put your feet, you don't want to discover that you've just stepped on a nice shroomy.
here comes the important part, when you find a nice golden chatarell, the first thing you need to do is a victory dance. This is compulsory! Then pick it, brush it off and put it in your basket. Now comes a second dance. Line dance. Since chantarells have a tendancy to grow in groups just imagine a line dance. (I haven't line danced properly, but I imagine they sound like this.) " A step to the right, a step to the left. Do a little twirl. Two steps forward, three steps back." And so on. (no, my hand isn't blue, its just my iPhone that takes wanky photos sometimes.)
Even if you see a nice chantarell glowing further away, make sure you've picked everyoneat your current spot before you leave. I find this part difficult. I'm like a four year old at christmas when I see a chantarell. That is why I walk in circles so that I pass the same spots several times. I actually retraced my steps four times today and I found new chantarells every time!
I also found a new friend today. The wind. God bless the wind. Nothing keeps the mosquitoes away like the wind!
I finished my little forest walk sitting by the lake. I placed my bum on a stone (in swedish also called a "bumling" haha!) and ate a pear. As a nice bonus I stumbeled across some more chantarells on my way to my car.
Needless to say, I'm a happy camper!
ps. if you're not 110% certain of what you've picked, make sure you consult a good mushroom dictionary before you use it in your food!. ds.
