Chanterelles are orange with pleated waves under their caps. We had to pick them from a forest our guide knew well; it's important to not pick mushrooms along sidewalks or yards since you never know if a pet might've stopped by earlier that morning and contaminated the soil or mushrooms. Usually, you do not wash mushrooms because they will absorb water easily - kind of like trying to "wash" cotton candy! Instead, you use a little brush to remove dirt or leaves off of the tops and stems and keep them in an open basket so the mushrooms can "breathe."
It was frustrating at first; many mushrooms are not good for eating and although we showed our guide many mushrooms, she was very picky about the ones that we were allowed to bring home. I am thankful our guide was careful, however, as we did see several very toxic mushrooms nearby, but she made sure that we avoided them. Eventually, my mushroom-picking buddies helped fill my basket and I had plenty of mushrooms to take home. Some say children are best for finding mushrooms because it takes a good eye close to the ground to find them, but usually, it just takes a little practice.
Mushrooms live in mossy forests and usually grow very quickly, mostly overnight after a rain. Mushrooms need shade and moisture, so you can usually find them under dead trees or big boulders. Where you find one mushroom, be sure to look carefully, as there will typically be other mushrooms in the area nearby. Mushrooms grow by the spread of "spores" in the wind, so typically you find mushrooms in groups on the ground where many spores have landed.
