Candy caps are often associated in the PNW with Douglas fir, growing on well decayed wood. The taste of Candy caps is mild - there are plenty of peppery and acrid tasting Milk caps around. For me to be sure detecting the burned aroma is crucial in the woods. The latex of candy caps is quite watery and whitish, whey-like and does not turn color upon exposure to the air. As typical for Milk caps, the members of the genus Lactarius, Candy caps have a latex, a milk-like liquid that oozes out when breaking or cutting them. The hollow stem is very fragile, as indicated in the old name of Lactarius rubidus which was Lactarius fragilis var. 2, 2013Ĭandy caps are smallish mushrooms, normally not growing bigger than 1 to 4 inch wide caps. Photo: © Daniel Winkler, Port Gamble WA Nov. Even if they went through a laundry cycle and the dryer they still keep their aroma for years to come. I usually keep a few California specimen in my coat pocket to sniff them for enjoyment. This unusual quality - at least when it comes to fungi - is the source for the fame of the Candy cap and a price for over $100 per pound.

Our Pacific Northwest version is just not as pungent as the California oak-associated relative, whose odor once dried will fill any room and add a very special flavor to any desert or cookie. Talking about lack of intensity in odor, unfortunately that also applies to the maple syrup aroma after drying. When fresh you just can detect a subtle burned odor, which is not apparent to every nose. And just then you will catch a whiff of their maple syrup-like aroma. Candy caps only reveal their true nature after carefully drying them, carefully means a slow low temperature drying as most mushrooms appreciate anyways. Unfortunately there is no sweetness to detect when you find them fresh in the forest. You might think, 'well what's so hard to recognize sweetness in a taste'. As the name suggests they are renowned for their candy like taste. Candy caps ( Lactarius rubidus) are one of these elusive mushrooms due to the difficulty of identifying them.

Pacific northwest forest