Chicken of the Woods

The wild fungus grows in fleshy, knobby projecting clusters that develop into shell- or feather-like curves. The sueded two-tone mass, bun-to-beehive in size, is soft to sharp orange and butter to ocher; the distinct pores (not gills) on the underside are bright yellow; the interior is subdued. When the mushroom is young, its thick flesh is solid and smoothly uniform, breaking into fiberless golden chunks when fork-cut. But while young specimens are velvety, yielding, and flavorful, older ones—however handsome—can be stiff, fibrous, and allergy-provoking.