Morels – Mushroom hunting is for everyone

The out-of-doors are a popular place. Some like to hunt or fish, others might boat or canoe. Many like to camp, hike, bird watch, even just swim in a lake or enjoy a picnic.

But there’s one other sport that draws thousands — even folks who rarely venture into Mother Nature’s territory.

That’s mushroom hunting, an activity that brings out families, senior citizens, even 10- or 12-year-old kids to roam woodlots, fencerows and heavy forest seeking the elusive morel mushroom.

These myriads of fungi seekers look avidly for this brown capped, ribbed mushroom mainly for one reason. You can talk about healthful exercise, a chance to see wildflowers and forest creatures, or breathe fresh air, but the real reason is the mushroom tastes great.

If you’ve never eaten a morel mushroom, and would like to right this minute, you can often find them in larger supermarkets where they sell for a price slightly lower than gold bars.

But the best way to get some is to head forth and find them. Normally, the time to do that is now. But it’s been a strange spring. First we had a week of warm, but dry weather, then it turned cold, then warm again, then cold and rainy with temperatures in the 40s.

Morels like it warm and damp, and there’s been little enough of that. Perhaps a few hunters have found some, but I’ve heard of none, and have found none myself.

But the usual succession of small, elusive blacks, then larger greys, then the big yellow mushroom is coming or has already arrived in some places, so it’s either time or nearly time to start looking.

Over the next few weeks hunting the mushroom will get better and better, after each rain followed by a few days of warm weather, then taper off abruptly, ending it all for the season. You can be scientific about the business of hunting these elusive plants, starting on hilltops where the ground warms fastest, then working down the hillsides on successive trips, but the tried-and-true method for most hunters is simply to hunt.

You walk and walk, uphill and down, through valleys, along those fencerows, little woodlots and big, old apple orchards, around fallen timber (especially elms), through deep woods filled with trilliums, spring beauties, May apples and other flowers. And sooner or later you’re likely to find some.

Mushroom finds might turn up immediately. I’ve had it happen. Or you might search for long hours, using that “walk a few steps, then stop and look around.” But if you walk enough, there they are. Most hunters know to use mesh bags, so any ripe spawn can fall through the mesh as you hike, and they know to leave at least a couple from each little bonanza to produce spawn for next year.

Finally, most know to split the morels lengthwise and soak them for a few hours in salt water to remove bugs and forest debris. Then it’s time to eat them.

Frying some up in a good batter is obvious, and placing a few on steaks nearly grilled is, too. But did you ever try some in an omlet? I keep it simple, mixing eggs and milk as usual, then adding a few chopped up mushrooms before frying. A delicate, subtle and flavorsome way to enjoy the morel mushroom.

If you think we Americans have a corner on the market, know that the first morel recipes came from the ancient Romans, and one of these called for cooking them in salt water, oil and pure wine, and serving with chopped coriander.

A French recipe from 1793 called for placing them in a saucepan with pepper, salt and parsley, adding a piece of ham, then stew for an hour in a little water, then bind with the yolks of two or three eggs and serve on buttered toast.

If none of the above strike your fancy, just fry them in a little butter, and enjoy. Hard to go wrong with that choice.

Mushroom Recipes with Bill & Sheila

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