Northern Lights Foods

Every spring in the pristine northern boreal forests of Saskatchewan, locals attend Northern Lights Foods seminars to learn harvesting techniques, product information, and the environmental practices used in the search of three of natures most desirable culinary delights. The first of these to emerge from the forest floor is (Morchella sp), or the Black morel. This superb delicacy, begins to appear towards the middle of May, and can still be found well into the month of June.

As the spring harvest of morels comes to a close, the (Cantharellus cibarius) or “true” chanterelle is beginning to show. This mushroom is favoured by gourmet chefs and consumers, throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. The chanterelle mushrooms in our region, are said to have one of the finest flavors, and size variations in the marketplace. With the right conditions, and adequate moisture, the chanterelle season can be extended well into September or even until the first frost.

During the peak of the chanterelle season, towards the end of the second week of August, harvestors turn their focus on the first signs of the elusive (Tricholoma magnivelare) or Pine Mushroom (Matsutake). This particular mushroom has been enjoyed primarily by the Japanese people for more than a millennium, and is of great value in their culture. The people of Japan believe the Matsutake is a symbol of fertility, good fortune, and happiness and it is considered an honor to receive this gift from another.

With such a vast area of undistributed wilderness, the mushrooms of northern Saskatchewan, with their robust flavor and extraordinary aroma, are a welcome addition to any table, which prefer these true organic delicacies. At Northern Lights Foods, we are pleased to have become the first certified organic QAI Quality Assurance International, harvestor, processor, and wholesale distributor of these products in Canada. With our local buying stations situated in the communities of the northern boreal forest, we are able to harvest quality mushrooms, and deliver them fresh daily to our processing facility in LaRonge. At our facility only the choice mushrooms are cleaned, and sorted for drying or fresh distribution worldwide to our valued customers. At Northern Lights Foods our mission is to ensure our customers receive the finest quality mushrooms, prompt service and competitive pricing in all of the products we harvest. In the following pages we have listed descriptions, nutritional values, and a few of our most desirable recipes, which we hope you enjoy.

(Morchella sp) Black morel

Key Characteristics: Dark brown in colour, with darker outer ridges and lighter pits. Stem is white to cream in colour.

Description: found in mixed forests and sometimes found one year after forest fire growing right out of the ash.

Cap: can be pointed or conical, and mushroom is hollow, with cap being completely attached to the stem.

Stem: can be anywhere from one to six inches in length.

Flesh: is quite dense and has a nutty wood type taste.

Morels vary in size and colour, but all species of Morchella (true morels) are edible.

Key Characteristics: yellow in colour to a deeper coral or orange, folds on the underside of the cap, pleasant apricot like fragrance.

Description: usually found under jack pine trees.

Cap: normally one to three inches in diameter, convex in new mushroom and becoming trumpet shaped with a wavy outer margin or edge. Cap is usually pale yellow to darker coral or orange with maturity.

Under Cap: ranging from almost smooth to wrinkled, and having cross veins running down the stem, coloured to cap or even lighter.

Stem: one to three inches long, but have been found even longer. Colour is similar to cap with slight variations.

Flesh: white to off white and very solid

Taste: taste emerges when cooked and has an apricot like fragrance.

Key Characteristics: large cap, off white to cream coloured and rounded down. Button stage, or new mushroom, the stem or stock can be as wide as the cap.

Description: found in jack pine forests in coarse sandy soils.

Cap: size can vary from one inch to ten inches in maturity. Veil under cap is attached at button stage and opens and tears away as mushroom matures.

Stem or stock: very dense and thick through entire life cycle, and remains the same colour or a slight darker tone is noticed as the mushroom is in full maturity.

Flesh: is dense and has an unmistakable fragrance which is a spicy nutmeg like scent.