Thread: Morel mushrooms - 1 month to go!

No, I "borrowed" the pictures from other sites. I've spent time photographing mushrooms before but that was a number of years ago, long before I had digital cameras back in the good ol' days when SLR's ruled.

I loooooooooooover mushrooms, but have never had the coruage or training to go hunting them on my own. If I ever see a morel, however, I'll give it a try. Thanks for this thread. My mouth is salivating out of control. If I open my lips my keyboard would fry.

X

Just don't eat them raw, Xman. Save the raw mushroom eating for the tasteless white agaricus bisporus cultured for mass production and sold at the superkmarket.

Originally Posted by PapaBull

Just don't eat them raw, Xman. Save the raw mushroom eating for the tasteless white agaricus bisporus cultured for mass production and sold at the superkmarket.

Gotcha.

X

erm I wouldn't say that morels are a 'safe' mushroom to just pick. You have to be confident that you are not picking Gyromitra esculenta instead, which is noticeable by the fact it is more of a 'brain' texture instead of a sponge.
I wish i knew where there was a morel patch. I have never managed to find one. Oh well. There are plenty of other good edibles to be found, if you know where and what to look for.
Unfortunately i'm not confident enough to risk picking without being 100% so i stick with cultivation in my back garden.
Nick

What about matsutake mushrooms? I've never had those (or really any other exotic mushrooms), but I understand they're quite rare and prized as well.

There are some mushrooms that are rare, and cannot be cultivated or at least a way has not been found to cultivate them yet Mushrooms that grow on wood tend to be easier to cultivate. Matsutake is one of the mushrooms(as are truffles) that have a relationship with the roots of certain trees that allow them to grow.
Morels have been cultivated, however under much secrecy, and to the home grower, there are no guarantees. It amazes me that things so commonplace as mushrooms can be so mystical and elusive and, well so natural. Some species are beyond our sciences capability to recreate their growing conditions.
Anybody else here attempted growing? My favourite so far is Pholiota nameko.
(Oh and i believe the nippled mushroom you mention is the well known Liberty Cap. Now illegal to even pick in Britain due to the new drug laws!)
Nick