Chicken of the Woods!

The Elusive Mushroom

      My husband and I went mushroom hunting one beautiful summer evening a couple of weeks ago.  Mostly we were after oyster mushrooms because we are not seasoned mushroom hunters at all and they are easy to spot.  We did find some but then we spotted beautiful orange-yellow mushrooms growing on a dead cherry tree!  We stopped to get a better look. The mushrooms had a very nice mushroomy smell and a firm but spongy feel.  We picked some and stopped at his brother's house to investigate further in his mushroom book.

      Sure enough these are a hard to find, edible, choice mushroom!  What a find!  We harvested them for about a week but then a big storm came along and smashed tree, ruining what was left of the mushrooms.  It was nice while it lasted...

 

If you would like to hunt for the Chicken Mushroom make sure to do your research.  There is a lot of information online, YouTube I think is the most helpful.  One thing we learned that it's just as important to know your trees as it is to know your mushrooms. (Chicken Mushrooms love cherry trees,  do not eat if found on coniferous trees.)

             To prepare these mushrooms we cut them into slices, sauteed in butter and then simmered in chicken broth.  They have a dense, buttery texture- absolutely amazing!  Also, another great thing is that they freeze well.  When we want to use some of the frozen mushrooms we just put them frozen into a little chicken broth and simmer until they are warmed through.

Shrimp Alfredo with Chicken Mushrooms