Girolles, Chanterelles and Trumpets

The Cantharellaceae family of fungi are all edible, but their nomenclature can cause a lot of confusion, and they have a few toxic but unrelated lookalikes, so you can't relax too much. The key is that Cantharellaceae do not have gills. They have irregular pleats on their undersides. Beginners need to really study them to be sure they can confidently recognise the Cantharellaceae pleats and not mistake them for gills. All of the toxic lookalikes have gills, so make sure you look carefully.

The current officially sanctioned vernacular naming system is that Cantharellus spp should be referred to as Girolles, and Craterellus spp should be referred to as Chanterelles (except for C. cornucopioides, which is referred to as a trumpet).

The greatest prize is the Girolle Cantharellus cibarius (Fr. Girolle). But these are not very common in the Touraine, so you might have to resort to buying them at a market. 

Winter Chanterelle Craterellus tubaeformis (Fr. Chanterelle en tube) and Girolles at a market.

Winter Chaterelles at a market. This species is abundant in the Touraine forests so you can forage your own if you have a good eye.

Yellowfoot Chanterelle Craterellus lutescens (Fr. Chanterelle jaune), foraged in the Forest of Loches. A localised but abundant species where it occurs.

Yellowfoot Chanterelle found in a woodland near Séligny.

Yellowfoot Chanterelle, showing the distinctive yellow colouring under the cap. Winter Chanterelles are grey under the cap.

Blackening Chanterelle Craterellus melanoxeros (Fr. Chanterelle noircissante), an uncommon species in the Touraine. These were found in the Forest of Preuilly.

Ashen Chanterelles Craterellus cinereus (Fr. Chanterelle cendrée), foraged in the Forest of Preuilly, and being cooked by me at home.

Ashen Chanterelles are an uncommon species, which I found in a small quantity in the Forest of Preuilly last year.

Ashen Chanterelles are very difficult to spot in the leaf litter.

Black Trumpets Craterellus cornucopioides (Fr. Trompettes de la mort) at a market.

Black Trumpets in the Forest of Preuilly.

All of these edible mushrooms can be found in the forests of the Touraine if you get your eye in. The rules in France are that you can forage up to 5 kilograms per person per day for personal consumption if you have the landowners permission. The outdoor market in Loches has several stalls in October and November that will sell wild mushrooms such as this, gathered by licenced commercial foragers.

Studies show that mushroom foraging for personal consumption is no threat to biodiversity, unless a site is badly trampled (compacting the soil). Using a rake is forbidden, because of the habitat disturbance, and in any case counterproductive, as you have to spend so much time cleaning and sorting the mushrooms from the leaf litter.