The photo above was taken in Camden, Maine, September 5th, 2025, after a long stretch of dry weather. Typically, this time of year we find golden chanterelles, yellow foot chanterelles, black trumpets, or the occasional lobster mushroom—but on this trip, none were around.
On our hike, we did a simple out-and-back route (instead of our usual loop) and almost missed this beauty. It wasn’t until we were heading back to the truck that we spotted a cluster of mushrooms growing on a dead birch. To our surprise, it was one we don’t often come across: a Coral Tooth Mushroom (Hericium coralloides).
Hericium mushrooms are known for their unique appearance and fantastic texture. Lions Mane and Bear’s Head Tooth form cascading “icicles,” while Coral Tooth grows in branching, coral-like clusters. At first glance, a friend suggested it could have been a young Lions Mane with undeveloped spines, but given its firmness and mature look, we felt confident it was Coral Tooth.
The aroma was sweet, with hints of anise and hazelnut. Flavor-wise, it reminded us of lobster or crab—sweet, mild, and slightly nutty—with a texture similar to crab meat but firmer. Naturally, we had to test it in a recipe, so we made mushroom “crab” cakes with the shredded mushroom. The result? Absolutely delicious—the texture and flavor came together beautifully.
Tools used: Hori Hori Knife
Ingredients used: Rhed’s Original Hot Sauce & Rhed’s Gochujang Sriracha
Happy Foraging!
Deja & Karsten Hart