About chanterelles: Foraging for chanterelles

Good food and walking are two things that go very well together. Whether it’s a ‘Brettljause’ with Tyrolean cheese and bacon, a traditional Kaspressknödel soup or Tyrolean Schlutzkrapfen – after a hike, you’ve certainly earned a tasty meal. As well as the exercise, the stunning Tyrolean mountain scenery and the good food at the region’s mountain huts and alpine pastures, I’m currently drawn to the Tyrolean mountains by the hope of ‘finding blueberries or chanterelles’.

Orange Pilze auf einem mit Holzstücken und Gras bedeckten Waldboden, im Gegensatz zu ihrer natürlichen Umgebung leuchtend hervorgehoben.

On one of my recent walks in the Hall-Wattens region , I was lucky enough to find a few chanterelles (also known as Pfifferlinge). After our walk, we prepared them in what is probably the best-known way: bread dumplings with chanterelle goulash.

Frequently asked questions about chanterelles

How can I recognise chanterelles?
By their lovely golden-yellow colour and the gills on the underside of the mushroom.

When and where do chanterelles grow?
Depending on the weather, these mushrooms grow on mossy forest floor from around July to September.

Where can you find good spots where lots of chanterelles grow?
Generally in the woods, though the exact spots will remain every forager’s secret.

What should you bear in mind when foraging for chanterelles?
Please cut chanterelles and other mushrooms off using only a knife, so that the mycelium network of the mushrooms in the forest remains intact. They may only be picked between 07:00 and 19:00. It is also important to respect nature and the animals’ habitats. Chanterelles should be stored and transported in a basket or a cloth bag. Each person is only allowed to collect a maximum of two kilograms of mushrooms!

To all those who are unable to go foraging for chanterelles or who don’t come across any on their walks: make the most of the seasonal offerings at restaurants during the summer months and treat yourselves to a dish featuring chanterelles!

Tip:
If you’re in a bit of a rush but still fancy a dish with chanterelles, here’s a tip for you: sauté the chanterelles and onion in melted butter and season with pepper, salt and parsley. If you have any other mushrooms (e.g. porcini), you can add these too. Toast a slice of white bread and enjoy a delicious and, above all, quick-to-prepare meal!

Fancy a spot of hiking? Why not order the free hiking map of the region and discover the hiking trails in the Hall-Wattens region – and perhaps even spot a chanterelle or two... ;-)