The long-awaited invitation finally came. Fondue at our friend's cabin on the Grand Mesa. For years now, a group of us cheese-eaters has regularly gathered to enjoy a good meal and good time. But quite some time has passed between parties and one of us has been busy building a cabin. Well, the cabin is done so bring on the gooey melted Emmenthaler and Gruyere!

Lisa and I will head up a little early to look for fall colors.  But while most people will drive Highway 65 gazing up at the green-to-gold aspen, we will be wandering under the pine trees gazing at the forest floor, hoping to spot the orange-gold glow of chanterelles.

There is more to fall than trees changing color. The cool fall air, shorter days, and particularly the regular alpine rains bring out the mushrooms as well. There are perhaps hundreds of varieties of mushrooms growing on the Grand Mesa but, due to the dangers associated with some mushrooms, only two that I readily recognize and will eat: boletes and chanterelles.

WARNING: Never consume a mushroom, not even a minute taste, unless you can absolutely verify its identity! There are many mushrooms that are poisonous and some are deadly.

Now don't say I didn't tell you so.

Boletes are typically plentiful on the Mesa, but chanterelles seem to be more finicky, requiring very specific conditions to emerge. In fact, chanterelles have been so hard to find in recent years, I wonder if some foragers haven't been overzealous in their collection. When harvesting mushrooms it is very important to leave a few behind and take care not to disturb the soil where the mycelium grows. This will ensure that the tasty chanterelles can return year after year.

When the mushroom hunt ends, baskets full (or as in more recent trips, gradually, desperately, resigned to failure,) I will head to one of the many lakes on the Grand Mesa to look for more fall colors: Rainbow, Cutthroat crimson, or Brown. All of them as in trout.

If I can bag a fish and a basket of mushrooms here is what I will do:

Pan-fried Trout with Chanterelles

Clean and butterfly a trout of good size. Season with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Pan-fry the trout in butter, turning once. When done, remove the trout to a platter, add a knob of butter to the skillet and saute a large handful of sliced chanterelles and a spoonful of minced shallots until soft. Season the mushrooms, then deglaze with a splash of dry Colorado Reisling. Swirl in a couple more knobs of butter then pour over the trout. Garnish with toasted pine nuts. Enjoy with a bottle of dry Reisling and your favorite group of cheese-eaters.