Trumpet chanterelle or Horn of plenty

The cap of the trumpet chanterelle is small — 1 to 6 centimeters across. When young it is convex with an inrolled margin; with age it becomes funnel-shaped with a deep hollow in the center that connects to the hollow stem, and a wavy, often torn margin. The surface is finely scaly-fibrous and dry. The color is yellow-brown, grayish brown or dark ochre, darker in the center. The funnel shape with a hollow running right through is a characteristic feature of the species.

Fruit body funnel-shaped or tubular, 3–10 cm tall and 2–6 cm across, with no clear boundary between cap and stem. The outer (upper) surface is dark gray or blackish brown, slightly scaly. Margin wavy or irregularly lobed.

There are no true gills. The underside of the cap is covered with low, sparse, forked and interconnected vein-like ridges that run down the stem. At first they are grayish yellow or ash-gray, with a bluish-gray tint. The spore print is whitish or pale cream. A vein-like spore-bearing surface instead of true gills is a hallmark of the chanterelle family.

The hymenophore is on the outer surface of the fruit body — smooth or slightly wrinkled, with no true gills or false gills. Gray or bluish gray, with a powdery bloom of spores. This feature sets it apart from the hymenophore of true chanterelles.

The stem is thin, 2 to 8 centimeters long, hollow and connected to the hollow in the cap. Its defining feature is its bright yellow or yellow-ochre color, which earned the mushroom the name yellowfoot chanterelle. The surface is smooth, sometimes slightly flattened or grooved. There is no ring and no volva. The stem flows smoothly into the funnel-shaped cap.

There is no stem in the classic sense — the fruit body is one continuous cone-shaped tube. The lower part is narrowed, hollow inside, and the whole structure is open from top to bottom. Grayish or brownish black.

The flesh is thin, elastic and yellowish gray, barely changing color when cut. The taste is mild and pleasant, with a characteristic faintly peppery note that is especially noticeable in the raw mushroom. Despite its thin texture, the flesh is fragrant and holds its shape well in cooking, and it reveals itself most fully when dried.

Flesh very thin, brittle, gray or blackish. Taste delicate, pleasant, slightly nutty. When dried it concentrates, taking on a rich, intense, truffle-like flavor.

The smell is pleasant, mild, fruity and mushroomy. As it dries, the aroma intensifies and becomes rich. For identification, rely above all on the funnel-shaped hollow cap, the vein-like gray-yellow spore-bearing surface and the bright yellow hollow stem.

Smell unobtrusive, pleasant, slightly floral and woodsy in fresh mushrooms. When dried, the aroma intensifies sharply and becomes deep, earthy and truffle-like. That's exactly what makes the dried horn of plenty such a valuable culinary ingredient.