Black trumpet mushrooms are popular edible mushrooms. They have a smoky, nutty taste that’s accompanied by a uniquely sweet aroma. They have a smooth and tender texture, almost like a softer version of the fresh wood ear fungus.
You can simply cook black trumpets with butter, garlic and white wine and the result will be truly heavenly. They’re also a great addition to soups, sauces, pasta and rice dishes.
Black trumpet mushrooms usually grow to be about 5-10cm in height and 4-7cm in diameter. You’ll often find them growing around broad-leaved woods such as oak, ash and beech. They tend to prefer mature forests with moss soils, where the tree canopy provides lots of shade.
They are fairly common in the UK between August and October. However, their grey-black appearance easily disguises them among the fallen leaves, making them quite tricky to spot on the forest floor. They normally grow in a large group, so if you’re lucky enough to spot your first one, search around and you should find more.
Quick facts
Common names: Black trumpet, horn of plenty
Scientific name: Craterellus cornucopioides
Season: August – October
Frequency: Fairly common.
Culinary value: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 5/5
Key identifications
Cap: As the name suggests, black trumpet mushrooms are funnel or trumpet-shaped with a flower-like ruffled edge. They are usually black, dark grey, or dark brown in hue, but if the mushrooms are exposed to the sun, they can dry out and lighten, sometimes to a light grey, sliver or tan.
Gills: The underside is a smooth surface with no gills, pores, or teeth.
Stem: Stem is hollow and fragile.
Flesh: The flesh is thin, smooth, and slightly wrinkled with a suede-like feel.
Spore print: White to a pinkish salmon. To be honest, because of their unique appearance I’ve never done a spore print. for them.
Habitat: They usually grow around broad-leaved woods such as oak, ash and beech. They prefer mature forests with moss soils, where the tree canopy provides lots of shade.
Possible confusion: The black trumpet is a very unique mushroom with no poisonous lookalikes in the UK, making it perfect for mushroom foraging beginners!
Taste: They have a smoky, nutty taste that is accompanied by a unique sweet aroma – one of the best tasting wild edible mushrooms you can find.
Recipe
Vegan wild mushrooms (black trumpet) pasta with truffle oil
A fantastic simple pasta dish that brings a smile to your face, super creamy and mushroomy with a touch of truffle oil – add a bottle of great wine and it’s the perfect treat ready in just 20 minutes.
More information
Before you go out and pick your own wild food, I also recommend you read my article all about the 7 rules for foraging. Please always remember to pick responsibly and leave the place as you found it.
Foraging is great fun but it requires practice and a lot of research. Never rely on one source when identifying wild plants and mushrooms and don’t consume anything unless you are 100% sure of its identity and edibility. K33kitchen.com is a recipe blog and I am not a mycologist nor a plant expert; if you spot any misinformation on my site, please feel free to leave a comment or contact me – your help is always appreciated. K33kitchen.com does not take legal responsibility or liability for any loss and damage (including damage to property and/or injury to person) for the use of the information on this site.
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