Printable View
Morels in most areas of the country are going to start showing up in about a month. In Ohio, April 15th was the earliest I've ever found spikes and the Morel Esculenta. Large yellows usually show up around 2 weeks after the spikes. In my opinion, next to the French Truffle, the Morel is the most sought after and highly prized mushroom in the world. :)
http://pkaminski.homestead.com/files..._bunch_2_L.jpg
What sort of a flavor do they have? How do you prepare them?
They have a very rich and complex flavor and they are used in all sorts of fine cuisine. I enjoy them with eggs, in sauces, sauteed in a stir fry, in soups and they're incomparable with meat dishes. These may be the most versatile of all mushrooms and quite expensive to buy. If you happen to be a good mushroom hunter with some great spots, you can sometimes find them in huge quantities. Good morel spots are more closely guarded secrets than great fishing holes but they tend to grow wherever they want to grow and can be found in surprising places.
As a plus, Morel's are fairly easy to recognize. Many would consider them unmistakable, but I'm not sure I'd go that far-- people can always make mistakes!!
Rule 1 of mushroom hunting is to absolutely never eat a mushroom if you're not 100% sure you know what it is. Having your liver fail is not very pleasant.
Very true, Scott. I consider Morels to be one of the "unmistakables" due to the time of their fruiting and also their unique cap structure. The Helvellas can be mistaken for morels, although I've found them to be rather rare and distinct enough that there should be no confusing the two. A wee bit of research on both will clearly illustrate distinct differences and the Helvellas are the only other mushroom I know that looks similar enough to be carelessly mistaken for a morel.... It's like the first sailors mistaking manatees for mermaids, it requires some imagination but it could be done, I suppose. :D
Know your 'shrooms before picking them. There are some species that will kill you and some of them look mighty tempting - like the Amanita Virosa. for instance. It's a summer/fall mushroom but it sure is a pretty thing. And is widely distributed and fruits plentifully. They're not hard to find. They are nice and pristine and white and large and possess a fruity, sweet fragrance..... it's even reported to be quite tasty by those that have eaten it and somehow managed to survive long enough to talk about the experience. I suspect most of those died, too, since there's no antitode and causes a very slow and painful death. 30 grams of raw Amanita (about an ounce) is usually enough to kill an adult human being. Of course, it's as easy to tell the difference between an Amanita and a Morel as it is to tell the difference between nightshade berries and cherry tomatoes.... but there's no substitute for KNOWING the difference. :)
Amanita Virosa - destroying angel.
http://kinoko-ya.jp/phots2_cd/dokutsurutake.jpg
I remember looking for shrooms in September on Hampstead Heath about 20 years ago (when I was a student at UCL).
They were very small (about 2-3cm in length), a dark cream colour cap (less than 1 cm), and a little purplish/pink nipple on top. About 20 ingested would make you very :confused:.
Those were the days...
That would be one of the less lethal forms of mushroom poisoning, from the sounds of it. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by majurey
My family goes mushrooming every year. We have been going to the same place for over 30 years now. Its a great way to relax and enjoy nature. Morels are in my opinion the best of the shrooms, when it comes to taste.
David
They're mighty fine, but here are a few that I think to be in the same class of "incredible edible".
Marasmius Oreades - Fairy ring mushrooms http://fungimap.rbg.vic.gov.au/fsp/photos/sp031.jpg
Lactarius Volemus - Milk Cap http://web.comhem.se/~u13134371/lactarius/volemus.jpeg
Chantharellus xanthopus - Yellow Chantarelle http://www.wcu.edu/patton/fungi/imag...thopus_jpg.jpg
Boletus Edulis - King Bolete http://www.dipbot.unict.it/funghi_et...0edulis-03.jpg
:OT On a side note, those are really nice pictures, Robert....did you take them?
-whatever
-Lou
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. :D
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. :)
Gotcha. :tuQuote:
Originally Posted by PapaBull
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