Black trumpets are edible mushrooms . They grow in hardwood forests throughout North America and Europe. They are not easily cultivated, but they can be foraged in the wild during the spring and summer.
The black trumpet mushroom is usually no more than 4 inches in size and belongs to the Cantharellaceae family. It is also called a craterelle due to its flared shape, its large hat easily recognizable with irregular edges and its narrow, hollow foot. Although its name suggests that it is a poisonous mushroom, it is not!
The black trumpet is one of my favorite wild mushrooms. Don’t let its unremarkable appearance fool you; this is one of the best tasting fungi you’ll ever find. These mushrooms are gourmet edibles. They have a smoky, rich flavor and a pleasant, fruity aroma. There are no poisonous look alikes, making this a great mushroom for beginners to identify.
Black trumpets hold their flavor and keep very well dried. If you have too many, dry them out in a dehydrator or on a sheet in the oven on the lowest setting. The dried mushrooms can then be chopped or powdered, and used to add flavor to recipes or white wines. Add your dried mushroom powder to rice dishes, or even couscous.
Can you eat black trumpets?
Black trumpets can be eaten raw, cooked fresh, frozen and thawed, or dehydrated. They have many different uses and can be added as a flavoring to nearly any savory recipe. Check out this recipe video for a unique way to use black trumpets in cooking . Black trumpets have not been successfully cultivated.
Identification of black trumpets is not very difficult. Finding them, however, can be. That’s not because they fruit in remote places. You may have an incredible patch of black trumpets nearby. Yet their dark gray appearance makes them very hard to spot on the forest floor.
Are Devil’s urn mushrooms edible?
Fortunately the devil’s urn is not poisonous, it’s just not as tasty. They have a more cup-like appearance in fruit in the spring (black trumpets fruit in the summer and fall). Black trumpets are popular edible mushrooms. They have a rich, smoky flavor that is far better experienced than described.