Chanterelles: what's the best way to preserve?

[William Hunt]

david at bartolotta.com (David Bartolotta) writes:
>williams at netshop.net (Mycos) wrote:
>>dgaines at vt.edu (David N. Gaines) wrote:

>>>Do you know of any good way to handle maggot infested chanterelles.  I 

>>So Chanterelles are infested with moggots on the east coast are they?
>>I'm from B.C. and I don't believe I've every seen a Chanty with a
>>moggot of any sort in them. Tee Hee heee. I once saw a larvae with a
>>paculiarly conspiratorial look on it face (?).  Naturally of course, I
>>had to kill it. Haven't seen one since. Go figure!

>Hmmm.  My thoughts are that the East Coast and West Coast Chanterelles
>are really different species.  The West Coast Chanterelles are mud
>encrusted at times with NO larvae on or in them.  The East Coast
>Chanterelles are very clean (no dirt) and loved by the local larvae.

	i forage chanterelles for my table mostly out of the Cascades 
	east of Portland Oregon, and sometimes along the Oregon coast, 
	and i don't remember ever finding larval infestation, at least
	not in anything i collected, but i avoid aging specimens :*)

	there is a little black spider that seems to often make it's 
	home among chants under duff, but i've never noticed any kind 
	of fly activity in or around the mushroom.

	there is a blue mold which attacks sooner or later, depending
	on the moisture level, but otherwise, uncollected chants seem 
	to decay very slowly.

	also, there doesn't seem to be much competition from the four
	-leggeds.  wildlife seems to prefer russula and amanita.

	unfortunately, most of my favourite old chanterelle sites have
	been clear-cut over the last two years and i haven't found any
	new sites to replace them.  (Mt. Hood National Forest).


--
William Hunt, Portland Oregon USA		wjh at teleport.com