ing May and June. Its fruits are orange to scarlet pear-shaped hips.
Rosehips are used for food and medicine. The hips are high in Vitamins A, B, C, D, and K, calcium, silica, iron, phosphorous and pectin. Be sure to only eat the outer rind, because the seeds contain hairs that are irritating to the digestive tract. Rosehips tea is used for sore throats, colds, diarrhea, and other conditions.
Cantharelles cibarius | Fall | Native
Chanterelles are among the most popular of fungi found in Pacific Northwest. There are several varieties of chanterelles in this area, several of them edible. Golden chanterelles have an earthy, peppery taste and their tan yellow skins make them relatively easy to spot—in theory!
Mushrooming can a be fun, satisfying, and delicious hobby, but knowing how to properly identify edible mushrooms—and avoid toxic or poisonous look-alikes—is the most important component of this activity. Before you go, make sure you know what you’re looking for, and what you’re not looking for. Consult ID guides in books like Wild Edible Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. The Mushroom Forager website describes a few of the most common chanterelle imposters, as does Leslie Land. Study up on the imposters and bring some pictures with you if you can.
Tips: Always remember these stern words of warning from Northern Bushcraft: “Do not attempt to identify a mushroom by matching the pictures alone; compare all the listed characteristics. Never experiment with a mushroom that you cannot positively identify, that is over-ripe, damaged, or collected from contaminated areas. Consuming poisonous mushrooms can kill you.”
BONUS recipe from Pam Hayes, steward of FSC®-certified forest Hyla Woods:
Chanterelle Pasta Sauce
heavy whipping cream
1. Clean and chop chanterelles.
2. Dry saute them in a skillet and when they are cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated, add some white wine and let it cook down. Remove chanterelles.
3. In skillet cook chopped shallots and remove. In skillet cook thinly sliced chicken breast meat. Combine Chanterelles, shallots, and chicken in pot.
4. Add heavy whipping cream and simmer until the cream thickens.
5. Serve over pasta with grated Parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt.