Today we are going to talk about a type of mushroom that belongs to the group called trumpets and that despite its appearance, it is edible. It's about the Craterellus cornucopioides. It is an excellent mushroom to sell in different dishes as a side and in almost all kinds of stews. You have to be careful when collecting since there are some poisonous species similar to it and it can lead to different confusions.
In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics, habitat and possible confusions of Craterellus cornucopioides.
Key features
Hat and foils
This type of mushroom has a hat that it can measure up to 10 centimeters in diameter as long as it has been developed in good condition. The color of the hat can be variable and depends on the degree of humidity that exists in the environment at that time. We can find colors of the hat ranging from black to matte gray. It has a cuticle with a smooth texture and slightly streaked with fibrils. It can be recognized with the naked eye since the hat has lobed edges or irregularly.
It is shaped like a trumpet and has a cavity in the center that extends almost until it reaches the base of the foot. Its plates they are non-existent so the hymenium is completely ready. It has an ashy gray color and is sometimes a little wrinkled.
Pie and meat
As for the foot, it is not a foot as such, but can be considered as an extension of the hat. It is a hollow foot and has a color similar to that of the hymenium. In some specimens it can be found in somewhat darker colors and can be better differentiated.
Finally, its meat is scarce but of good quality. It has an elastic consistency and has a color that ranges from gray to blackish. Its smell is quite pleasant and aromatic and it is a great option to add to meals since it has a good flavor.
Habitat of the Craterellus cornucopioides
This type of mushroom can be found in places with a high amount of humidity since it needs environments rich in litter. The litter is the grouping of leaves that is stored after the fall of the deciduous tree. This litter is perfect for storing soil moisture and nutrients. As the leaves decompose to add organic matter to the soil. When the leaves degrade they emit in the carbon that they have absorbed throughout their life during photosynthesis.
Therefore, the Craterellus cornucopioides It can be found in oak and beech forests, especially in the autumn months. These months are ideal since the leaves fall in greater quantity and the temperatures favor the growth and development of this mushroom.
As we have mentioned before, it is an excellent edible even though it looks somewhat ugly. It is ideal to accompany as garnishes of all kinds of stews. In addition, it is a type of mushroom that can be dried for subsequent rehydration or to turn it into a powder that is used to season stews.
Possible confusions of the Craterellus cornucopioides
Although it can be differentiated and there is no danger when it comes to confusion, it can be confused with the Cantharellus cinereus. It differs mainly in that this specimen has a hymenium with well marked folds while the Craterellus cornucopioides it has it smooth. There is no problem since this specimen is also edible.
Sometimes you can also collect other mushrooms by mistake, such as Leotia lubrica and Mitrula paludosa. Both mushrooms are poisonous and also have a non-creased hymenium. Its meat is gelatinous but it can be differentiated since it has a head-shaped hat.
How to use the Craterellus cornucopioides
Many people wonder if this type of mushroom can be consumed. We will explain all about it. Trumpets are highly valued species in many countries, especially in northern and central Europe. In these places the abundance of trumpets is greater. With the passage of time and its fame, this consumption is being incorporated in Spain. It is one of the increasingly common mushrooms in haute cuisine and in the most luxurious restaurants. The most advisable thing is to preserve this mushroom through the dehydration process at room temperature. If we live in an area that is too humid, they will stay hydrated.
For this, it is advisable to use the vegetable dehydrator at a not too high temperature so that it does not lose its aroma and flavor. Proper dehydration helps enhance these characteristics. Once they have been dehydrated, it can be ground with a thermomix or a grinder to obtain flour with this mushroom that is used to season a large number of dishes. It can be eaten with rice, pasta, meat and fish stews, as well as empanadas and sweets.
Repeated consumption of large amounts of Craterellus cornucopioides since they are accumulators of radiocesio. It is a radioactive element that can accumulate in the bloodstream. From a medicinal point of view, it is a mushroom that has a large number of benefits. And it is that it has a good amount of provitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C and vitamin D very important for the proper functioning of our body. What's more it has some hypoglycemic and antitumor activity.
Other trumpets
Trumpets can be classified into two large groups based on their coloration: on the one hand we have the yellow trumpets and on the other the black ones. The first are a group of species that present the hat with a grayish brown color and the yellowish foot. They are usually found under cork oaks, beech, holm oaks and chestnut trees. Some can also grow on pine trees in humid areas.
Black trumpets have a predominantly blackish or greyish color and grow under the phagaceae (cork oaks, holm oaks, chestnut trees and beech). Among these stand out the Craterellus cornucopioides and Craterellus cinereus.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about Craterellus cornucopioides her CARACTERISTICS.