American Matsutake in July?! Our PNW Songi Story, Identification & Korean Ways to Eat It

Finding this firm, fresh American matsutake in July was an unforgettable PNW forest surprise.

I could hardly believe what we were holding.

Matsutake is the mushroom my husband and I normally associate with cool autumn rain, fallen needles and the unmistakable fragrance of the fall forest.

Yet there it was in the Pacific Northwest—in the middle of July.

The mushroom was firm, clean and remarkably fresh.

It had not been damaged by insects, and it carried the familiar aroma that we usually wait all year to experience.

For a moment, I kept wondering:

How could a fall mushroom be growing here in summer?

As many of you may already know, I am a Korean woman approaching 50 who married an American and now lives in the mountains of Washington State.

Living here has taught me that food memories can travel across oceans.

Sometimes they remain almost exactly as we remember them.

At other times, they meet a new forest, a different climate and another family—and become an entirely new tradition.

Matsutake, or songi in Korean, has become one of those traditions for us.

My Husband Did Not Always Love Mushrooms

My American husband did not grow up knowing about matsutake.

In fact, long before we met, he had a frightening experience involving a mushroom dish.

He once ate a meal at an acquaintance’s home that had been prepared with dried shiitake mushrooms purchased from Costco.

Afterward, he became extremely sick.

No one could say with certainty that the shiitake mushrooms were responsible.

Something else in the meal, its preparation, the storage conditions or a completely unrelated cause may have been the problem.

Still, that experience remained in his memory.

After we married, he never complained when I cooked with mushrooms.

He quietly ate dishes containing shiitake, oyster mushrooms or enoki mushrooms because he did not want to criticize my cooking.

But whenever mushrooms appeared in a meal, I could sense a little hesitation.

One day, I finally asked him:

“Do you not like mushrooms?”

That was when he told me what had happened.

I explained that the mushrooms I used were properly identified, commercially sold mushrooms and that I was preparing them carefully.

Little by little, he tried the dishes I made.

He ate shiitake.

He ate oyster mushrooms.

He ate enoki mushrooms.

Nothing happened.

He felt perfectly fine.

Eventually, he began to believe that something else must have gone wrong with the meal he had eaten years earlier.

His fear slowly disappeared.

But he still had no idea how important one particular mushroom would eventually become to our family.

The First Time He Saw Me Buy Songi (Matsutake)

During late fall and early winter, local Vietnamese mushroom sellers sometimes offered beautiful fresh matsutake.

When my husband saw how much money I was willing to spend on a small amount of mushrooms, he looked at me as if something must be wrong.

“Are you sick?” he asked.

I laughed.

Then I explained that in Korea, fresh wild songi is considered a treasured seasonal food.

The best specimens can be extraordinarily expensive, especially during a year with a small harvest.

Many people may taste fresh songi only on a special occasion, and even then, the amount served may be very small.

Naturally, my husband became curious.

What kind of mushroom could be special enough for me to spend that much money?

The spicy, sweet and slightly funky matsutake aroma is unforgettable
—but smell alone never confirms identification.

I prepared matsutake with beef and scallops and grilled everything at the table in the Korean style.

At our table, we call this songi samhap—three wonderful ingredients enjoyed together.

The rich beef, sweet scallops and fragrant matsutake complemented one another beautifully.

My husband took his first bite.

His reaction was immediate.

“Wow. A mushroom can taste like this?”

Then he asked:

“Mushrooms were always this delicious?”

The mushroom that had made him nervous for years had suddenly become the food he wanted to experience again.

From that time forward, buying matsutake once a year became one of our fall traditions.

From Buying Matsutake to Finding It Ourselves

Around 2019, we began trying to find matsutake in the forest.

I watched American mushroom-foraging videos and searched for information about the mushrooms growing in the Pacific Northwest.

An experienced YouTuber helped us understand some of the habitat and identification clues we needed to study.

Eventually, we found our first matsutake.

I still remember the excitement of realizing that the precious mushroom I had known in Korea was growing here in the forests of America.

That first discovery opened an entirely new world for us.

Since then, we have encountered and learned about many Pacific Northwest mushrooms.

We have found queen boletes, hedgehog mushrooms, neungi-like tooth fungi, gupdeodeogi-type mushrooms, chicken of the woods, golden chanterelles, white chanterelles, lobster mushrooms, conks, turkey tail and pig’s ear mushrooms.

Some became food.

Some became tea.

Some were photographed and left exactly where they were growing.

And some taught us that it is better to admit that we do not know enough yet.

The king bolete is still the famous mushroom I have not found properly.

Perhaps the forest is saving that adventure for another season.

Every year, I become more amazed by the diversity of life in the Pacific Northwest.

A forest is not simply a collection of things waiting to be harvested.

It is a living community of trees, fungi, plants, animals, soil, water and changing temperatures.

Different organisms live together, exchange nutrients and respond to the same rain in completely different ways.

The more I learn, the more extraordinary creation becomes.

What Is the American Matsutake?

The matsutake found in western North America is currently classified as Tricholoma murrillianum.

Older North American field guides, government reports and foraging books often identify the western species as Tricholoma magnivelare.

A 2017 taxonomic study clarified that T. murrillianum occurs in the western United States and Canada, while T. magnivelare is applied to the eastern North American species.

That is why both scientific names may still appear in older American matsutake references.

The Asian matsutake traditionally prized in Korea and Japan is Tricholoma matsutake.

The western North American species is closely related and shares the dense texture and distinctive spicy fragrance that make matsutake so memorable.

American matsutake is an ectomycorrhizal fungus.

This means that the underground fungus forms a mutually beneficial relationship with the roots of certain trees.

The mushroom we see and harvest is only the temporary fruiting body.

A much larger fungal network remains hidden beneath the forest floor.

In the Pacific Northwest, western matsutake can be associated with several conifers, including pines, Douglas-fir, western hemlock and true firs.

The exact habitat varies according to location, elevation, soil, moisture and the surrounding plant community.

That is why learning one person’s “perfect spot” does not guarantee that the same formula will work somewhere else.

Why Finding Matsutake in July Surprised Us

Matsutake is normally considered a late-summer and fall mushroom in much of western North America.

The precise season changes with latitude, elevation, rainfall, soil temperature and local forest conditions.

U.S. Forest Service literature notes that matsutake may fruit at different times in different regions.

Examples range from August in parts of northern British Columbia to September and October in Oregon’s Cascade Range and later in more southerly areas.

Even nearby habitats may produce mushrooms weeks or months apart.

Still, July was surprisingly early for the place where we found ours.

Matsutake often remains partly hidden beneath moss, needles and forest duff.

Finding this mushroom in July does not mean that July has suddenly become the normal matsutake season.

A high-elevation or unusually cool and moist pocket of forest can behave differently from the surrounding landscape.

Mushrooms do not follow our calendars.

They respond to the conditions beneath the forest floor.

Moisture, temperature, tree health, soil conditions and the hidden life cycle of the fungus all matter.

I view our July mushrooms as an unusual local event—not as a new seasonal rule that every forager should expect.

The Mushrooms I Watch Before and After Songi Season

Over the years, my husband and I have noticed that certain other mushrooms often appear around the broader matsutake season.

In some of our areas, neungi-like tooth fungi and the mushrooms Korean foragers may call gupdeodeogi appear before, during or after matsutake fruiting.

Chanterelles, hedgehog mushrooms and other fall fungi may also begin appearing as the forest becomes cooler and wetter.

These mushrooms make me pay closer attention to the changing season.

However, they are only personal seasonal observations.

Finding one of them does not prove that matsutake is nearby.

The order can change from one mountain to another and from one year to the next.

Elevation, rain, temperature and tree communities can shift the entire sequence.

How I Recognize Western Matsutake

No single feature can safely identify a wild mushroom.

I look for a complete combination of characteristics.

Western matsutake is usually dense and firm.

Even a young mushroom can feel surprisingly substantial in the hand.

The cap begins white to cream and may develop tan, cinnamon or brown staining and fibrous patches as it expands.

Young mushrooms often remain partly hidden beneath moss, pine needles or forest duff.

The gills are white to cream and closely spaced.

Young specimens have a partial veil covering the gills.

As the cap opens, the veil tears and may leave a ring or veil remnants on the stem.

The stem is thick, solid and fibrous rather than hollow or fragile.

The flesh can often be pulled apart in long fibers, somewhat like string cheese.

The spore print is white.

The fragrance is one of the most memorable characteristics.

People describe it in many different ways:

Spicy.

Sweet.

Cinnamon-like.

Piney.

Funky.

Some people even compare part of the aroma to old socks.

Once someone becomes familiar with true matsutake aroma, it can be unforgettable.

But aroma alone is never enough to confirm identification.

Pale gills, torn veil tissue and a dense fibrous stem are useful clues,
but safe identification requires the complete combination of features.

The close-up photograph shows several useful features, including pale gills, torn veil tissue and a sturdy stem.

In some of our locations, gray or ashy soil sticks firmly to the base.

That soil has become a familiar clue for us in those particular places.

However, soil color is not a universal matsutake identification feature.

Soil composition varies widely across the range of the species.

Habitat is important.

Fragrance is important.

Texture is important.

The cap, gills, veil, stem and underground base are all important.

But none of those details should be used alone.

The Dangerous Look-Alike I Never Ignore

The most important Pacific Northwest warning is Amanita smithiana, commonly called Smith’s amanita.

It can grow in the same conifer forests as western matsutake and has been mistaken for it.

Smith’s amanita is a dangerous poisonous mushroom associated with delayed kidney injury and kidney failure.

Initial gastrointestinal symptoms may appear after the mushroom is eaten, while serious kidney problems can develop days later.

That delay makes the poisoning especially dangerous.

Smith’s amanita may have a brittle or crumbly stem that eventually shatters under pressure.

Western matsutake is usually much denser and more fibrous.

Smith’s amanita can also have a deeply rooted, tapered or torpedo-shaped underground base.

The base of a western matsutake usually has a different shape and does not extend as deeply.

Its odor may be mild or unpleasant rather than the familiar spicy-sweet matsutake fragrance.

However, these differences should not be treated as an easy checklist for beginners.

A poisonous amanita will not always look exactly like a photograph in a book.

Age, weather, soil and insect damage can alter the appearance of any mushroom.

When identification is necessary, the entire mushroom—including the underground base—must be removed carefully and examined.

Never identify a white wild mushroom by cap color, smell, an identification app or a single photograph.

If every feature is not present and an experienced local identifier has not confirmed it, leave the mushroom in the forest.

Matsutake Grades in Korea

In Korea, fresh songi is commonly separated into first, second and third grades, with additional categories for mushrooms that fall outside the regular standards.

The market grade considers features such as:

• How tightly the cap remains closed

• The length, thickness and overall shape of the mushroom

• Freshness and firmness

• Insect damage

• Breakage or physical damage

• Whether the mushroom stopped growing

• How widely the cap has opened

Beautiful mushrooms with tightly closed caps and long, even stems usually receive the highest grades.

Mushrooms whose caps have begun opening may be placed in a lower grade.

Fully opened, short, broken, misshapen or insect-damaged mushrooms may be graded differently or sold as off-grade products.

Japan and North American commercial buyers may use additional categories, so grade numbers are not always perfectly interchangeable between countries and markets.

Most of the matsutake my husband and I find would probably fall around the middle grades rather than the flawless gift-box grade.

Of course, finding a perfect, tightly closed button is thrilling.

But my husband and I also love the second- and third-grade mushrooms.

As the cap opens, the fragrance can seem even stronger to us.

They may not look perfect inside an expensive gift box, but they are wonderful in soup, rice, ramen and grilled dishes.

Commercial grade describes market appearance and maturity.

It does not replace correct identification or freshness checks.

Korean Songi and American Matsutake

During a visit to Korea, my husband wanted to taste Korean songi.

We purchased a mixed box containing second- and third-grade mushrooms for around $200.

Prices change dramatically according to the year’s harvest, weather, region, freshness and grade, so one season cannot represent every season.

Both the Korean songi and American matsutake were delicious.

My husband, who is especially sensitive to fragrance, thought the American mushrooms had a more powerful aroma.

I enjoy both.

To me, comparing them is not about deciding which country has the “better” mushroom.

The Korean songi carries memories of Korea, autumn markets and a food considered precious enough to save for a special day.

The American matsutake carries memories of walking through the Washington forest with my husband and discovering that something familiar from Korea has another home here.

They are related experiences, but each has its own story.

Matsutake Nutrition and Possible Benefits

Matsutake is valued first for its aroma, firm texture, flavor and cultural significance.

Research on the Asian species Tricholoma matsutake has reported protein, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, essential amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids and minerals including potassium and phosphorus.

Its measured fat content was relatively low in the published compositional study.

However, laboratory measurements from dried T. matsutake should not be treated as an exact nutrition label for every serving of fresh western T. murrillianum.

Species, maturity, moisture, soil, storage and cooking methods can all change the results.

Researchers have also studied polysaccharides, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in matsutake extracts.

Laboratory activity does not prove that eating an ordinary portion of cooked matsutake will prevent, cure or treat disease.

I do not need exaggerated medical claims to consider this mushroom valuable.

For me, matsutake is already special as a seasonal wild food with a remarkable fragrance, satisfying texture and meaningful place in our Korean-American family story.

Our Mountain Matsutake Ramen Tradition

When we find even one matsutake, one of our happiest traditions is making ramen in the mountains.

I slice some of the mushroom and add it to the water with the soup seasoning.

The broth begins absorbing the matsutake fragrance.

Then I add the noodles.

A little chopped green onion is all it needs.

Ordinary ramen suddenly becomes premium forest ramen.

It may not be an elaborate recipe, but eating it near the forest where the mushroom grew makes it unforgettable.

Songi Samhap Barbecue

The dish that changed my husband’s opinion of mushrooms remains one of our favorites.

We grill matsutake, beef and scallops together at the table.

The beef is rich.

The scallops are sweet and tender.

The matsutake is aromatic, firm and pleasantly chewy.

At our table, we call this songi samhap.

It is the meal that transformed my husband from someone who quietly feared mushrooms into someone who looks forward to matsutake season every year.

Matsutake Doenjang Jjigae

When Korean guests visit, I sometimes prepare japchae, galbi, fresh kimchi geotjeori and gosari namul made with bracken fern that I harvested and dried myself.

Then I serve doenjang jjigae made with matsutake.

My Korean guests say “Wow!” because of the songi in the stew.

My American guests often say “Wow!” first because of the japchae, galbi and fresh kimchi.

By the end of the meal, everyone has discovered something special.

The earthy, savory flavor of doenjang and the fragrance of matsutake create a deeply comforting combination.

Spicy Charcoal-Grilled Matsutake

Another favorite is spicy grilled matsutake.

I slice the mushroom and brush it lightly with a gochujang-based seasoning.

Then I grill it over charcoal.

The smoky heat, spicy sauce and chewy mushroom texture create a completely different matsutake experience.

This preparation has been especially popular with some of our American friends.

Matsutake Rice

Japanese-style matsutake rice is one of the gentlest ways to enjoy the mushroom.

The rice captures the fragrance as it cooks.

I keep the seasoning light so that the aroma of the mushroom does not disappear beneath strong sauces.

Opening the pot and smelling the steam is part of the experience.

What About Eating Matsutake Raw?

Some experienced foragers and diners enjoy positively identified, exceptionally fresh matsutake in very thin raw slices, sometimes with sesame oil and salt.

I understand why.

The raw mushroom has a crisp, firm texture and very direct fragrance.

However, raw wild mushrooms may cause digestive upset, and they can carry contamination from soil, wildlife, handling or the environment.

For a public safety standard—especially for beginners—the Puget Sound Mycological Society recommends thoroughly cooking wild mushrooms.

Cooking does not make a poisonous mushroom safe.

Correct identification must always come first.

After identification, thorough cooking and beginning with a small portion provide an additional level of caution.

Our Matsutake-Infused Vodka Tradition

I also prepare matsutake-infused vodka.

Traditionally, I might have used soju and a large glass jar.

Because the Korean market is far from our mountain home, I sometimes buy an inexpensive Costco vodka instead.

My husband likes Grey Goose and insists that such a precious mushroom belongs in his favorite vodka.

So occasionally, I prepare both.

I pour out some of the vodka to create space.

I place cleaned pieces of positively identified matsutake into a clean glass canning jar with some of the vodka.

After making enough room in the original bottle, I may also add pieces directly to that bottle.

Then we seal everything, store it in a cool, dark location and wait approximately one year.

This is an adult culinary tradition.

It is not medicine or a scientifically proven medicinal liquor.

The mushrooms must be unquestionably identified, the containers must be clean, the alcohol should not be diluted with water and the finished drink should be consumed responsibly.

How I Store Fresh Matsutake

Because matsutake is precious, I decide immediately which mushrooms we will eat fresh and which ones we will preserve.

Fresh mushrooms deteriorate quickly.

They should not sit for days in a warm car or remain forgotten inside a plastic collection bag.

For the Next Two or Three Days

I gently remove soil, pine needles and forest debris.

I avoid soaking the mushrooms because excess water can damage their texture and shorten their storage life.

I wrap them loosely in a dry paper towel and place them inside a paper bag in the refrigerator.

A paper bag allows airflow and helps prevent excess moisture from collecting around the mushrooms.

We try to eat our matsutake within two or three days while the texture and fragrance are still at their best.

For the Freezer

When we cannot eat everything immediately, I clean and portion the mushrooms.

Our household method is to remove as much air as possible, seal the portions and place them directly into the freezer.

Fresh raw mushrooms should not remain vacuum-sealed in the refrigerator.

Reduced-oxygen packaging creates different food-safety concerns, so anything sealed for our freezer goes into the freezer immediately.

I open the package before thawing and cook the mushrooms promptly.

Extension guidance notes that many mushrooms maintain better quality when sautéed or steam-treated before freezing.

However, we sometimes freeze cleaned matsutake raw because preserving its fragrance is our priority for future ramen, stew or rice.

The texture may soften slightly after freezing, but the aroma can still turn an ordinary winter meal into something special.

I do not home-can wild matsutake.

Tested preservation guidance limits home canning to cultivated button mushrooms because mushroom density and texture vary.

Harvesting Matsutake Responsibly

The mushroom we see above the soil is only one temporary part of a larger living fungus.

The underground mycelium remains connected with the forest.

I do not rake large areas of moss or forest duff while searching for hidden buttons.

Raking damages the habitat and may affect future mushroom production.

When we carefully remove a mushroom, we replace disturbed soil, needles and moss over the opening.

We harvest only what we can use.

Older, damaged or insect-eaten mushrooms can remain in the forest as part of the ecosystem.

Mushrooms provide food for wildlife, and fungi perform essential roles in forest health.

Harvesting rules differ among private, state, federal and tribal lands.

A place that allowed personal mushroom gathering last year may change its permit system, harvest limit or closure rules.

For example, Gifford Pinchot National Forest currently requires a free-use mushroom permit and harvest-area map, limits the days and amounts allowed and prohibits collection in Wilderness areas and the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Those rules apply to that particular National Forest and may change.

Always check the current rules for the exact land you plan to visit.

Mushroom and Foraging Safety

⚠️ Never eat any wild mushroom unless you are 100% certain of its identification.

Western matsutake has a dangerous Pacific Northwest look-alike, Amanita smithiana, which has caused delayed kidney failure.

Identification should be confirmed in person by an experienced local mushroom identifier.

A photograph, identification app, aroma, soil color or single field mark is never enough.

Collect the complete mushroom, including the underground base, when identification is needed.

Always cook wild mushrooms thoroughly.

Even a correctly identified edible mushroom can cause an individual reaction.

Try only a small amount the first time.

Try only one new wild mushroom species at a time.

Eat only fresh mushrooms in good condition.

Do not eat mushrooms that are rotten, waterlogged, moldy or badly insect-damaged.

Avoid harvesting near roads, sprayed areas, polluted locations or anywhere contamination may be present.

Always follow land-access rules, permit requirements, harvest limits and seasonal closures.

If anyone becomes ill after eating a wild mushroom, seek medical help immediately and call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 in the United States.

Save an uncooked specimen and any leftover food to assist with identification.

A Fall Tradition That Arrived in Summer

Years ago, my husband quietly worried whenever he saw mushrooms in his food.

Then he tasted matsutake with beef and scallops.

Now, every fall, he looks forward to walking through the forest with me, breathing in that unmistakable aroma and turning the first matsutake of the season into ramen.

Matsutake is no longer simply an expensive mushroom I remember from Korea.

It has become part of our marriage.

It connects Korean food with the forests of Washington State.

It reminds us of the first mushroom we bought together, the first songi samhap we grilled and the first matsutake we found beneath the forest floor.

This year, the forest did not wait until fall.

Finding a firm, beautiful matsutake in July reminded me once again that nature is never completely predictable.

We can study the seasons.

We can learn the trees.

We can remember the rain and watch the temperature.

But the forest still keeps some surprises for itself.

Perhaps that is one of the reasons we continue returning.

Which matsutake dish would you choose first?

Matsutake ramen?

Songi samhap with beef and scallops?

Matsutake doenjang jjigae?

Spicy charcoal-grilled matsutake?

Or fragrant matsutake rice?

Tell me in the comments.

I would love to know.

Watch Our July Matsutake Adventure on YouTube

See the moment we found a mushroom we normally expect to see in fall:

🎥 I Couldn't Believe It… A Fall M----T--- in the Middle of Summer?!

Watch the Short Video

Can you recognize the two mushrooms hiding beneath the forest floor?

🎬 I Found TWO of These Hiding in the Forest… What Are They? 👀🍄

You May Also Enjoy

Where there is Candystick, matsutake mycelium may be living beneath the forest floor.

This unusual red-and-white plant depends on the underground fungal network of matsutake for its nutrients, making it one of the most fascinating clues for mushroom hunters. Its presence does not guarantee that matsutake mushrooms will fruit that year—but it tells us that the hidden fungal network may already be there.

🌿 Related article: Candystick—The Strange Forest Plant That May Reveal a Matsutake Clue

Another familiar forest fungus becomes much more interesting when we slow down and learn how people have traditionally used it.

🍄 Read next: Would You Draw on This Mushroom—or Drink It? Artist’s Conk in the Pacific Northwest

Join Me on YouTube

If you enjoy wild edible plants, mushrooms, shellfish, fish, seaweed, Korean-style cooking and seasonal harvest adventures in the Pacific Northwest, I would love to have you join me on my YouTube channel.

📺 Wild Harvest Life PNW

Thank you for visiting Wild Harvest Life PNW.

I truly appreciate every visit, every comment and every story you share.

Some wild foods bring back memories of Korea.

Some create new memories here in America.

And a few—like matsutake—connect both places in one unforgettable fragrance.

Would you expect to find a fall matsutake in the middle of July?

Stay tuned for more Wild Harvest Life adventures! 🌿

Sources and Further Reading

Trudell et al. — North American Matsutake: Names Clarified and a New Species Described

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28609221/

U.S. Forest Service — Ecology and Management of the Commercially Harvested American Matsutake

https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/7599

Note: This older report uses the former western North American name Tricholoma magnivelare.

U.S. Forest Service — Managing Forest Ecosystems to Conserve Fungus Diversity and Sustain Wild Mushroom Harvests

https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/5634.pdf

UBC Beaty Biodiversity Museum — Amanita smithiana Toxicity and Identification

https://explore.beatymuseum.ubc.ca/mushroomsup/A_smithiana.html

Puget Sound Mycological Society — Eating Wild Mushrooms Safely

https://www.psms.org/eating_wild_mushrooms.php

Oregon State University Extension — Mushroom Storage and Preservation

https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/sp-50-919-preserving-mushrooms

Gifford Pinchot National Forest — Current Mushroom Permits and Harvesting Rules

https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/permits/mushrooms

Compositional and Nutritional Studies of Tricholoma matsutake

https://academicjournals.org/journal/JMPR/article-abstract/A81E62B23591