I just love the way that word rolls off the tongue ~

“Chan-ter-elle”

I can hear it with a French accent.

The word is beautiful, the mushroom is gorgeous, the texture is delightful, and the taste is divine.

I was gifted with a bounty of special mushrooms today.  What a blessing and what a treat!  They may not be as significantly golden yellow as a traditional Chanterelle, but the soft texture and fringed oyster like appearance is still winning a place in my heart tonight.

I have some ideas up my sleeve about how I may prepare these delicious delicacies ~ or I just may revert back to my favored Kitchen Sink with a mushroom twist.

In any case, the beautiful bounty delivered to my hand today reminded me of the Chanterelle experience of December 2012.

Mushrooms are so amazingly interesting.  From little button mushrooms that we see everyday to the most exotic colors and shape imaginable.  The gorgeous fungi are prized possessions, particularly the Chanterelle.

This pleasantly aromatic fleshy wild mushroom shines like an exotic golden flower when seen from a distance against the drab autumn forest background. Also known as “golden chanterelle” and “egg mushroom,” it has a magical appeal for most culinary experts in Europe, United States, and Asia. But all chanterelles are not alike. European and Asian forms are usually about the size of a thumb. In the eastern United States they are the size of a fist. But, ah, in the west they can be as large as two hand spans–from little finger to little finger.Chanterelles weighing as much as two pounds are not uncommon.

I shall…Chanterelle…