The golden pholiota has a slimy, ochre cap that is 2 to 6 inches wide, bell shaped to convex, and spotted with flat, brownish scales.

Underneath, yellow brown gills attach to the stalk.

The spores are brown.

The yellowish to yellow brown stalk is 2 to 4 inches long, 1/4 to 5/8 inch wide, and briefly encircled toward the top with an off-white ring that leaves a faint ring zone.

The mushroom grows clustered on deciduous and coniferous trees, logs, and stumps in autumn, throughout most of North America.

Avoid Pholiota biemalis, a similar Pacific Northwest mushroom with slimy scales on the stalk, which is poisonous.

Mushroom hunters consider the golden pholiota good, but a clear rank below the many choice mushrooms featured in this book. Yet it's so abundant in the second half of autumn, I've always wondered how to use it to make first-rate dishes. The trick is to take advantage of this mushroom’s melt-in-your-mouth texture. Wash the slime off the cap and include the cap and stem in soups, stews, and sauces. Let other ingredients provide most of the flavor, and you'll never go wrong.