| Hunting the Elusive Morel Mushroom | | | | where you live. In the U.S., morel mushroom season |
| Morel mushrooms are among the most prized edible | | | | begins first in California and the Pacific Northwest, |
| wild mushrooms in the world. Resembling a sponge on | | | | then southern states, then concentrates roughly in |
| a stick, morels don't look like ordinary mushrooms- or | | | | the Midwest, stretching to a few eastern states. |
| taste like ordinary mushrooms. Morels have a rich, | | | | Morels sprout from January to early June, with April |
| creamy flavor that is deliciously earthy, nutty, | | | | and May being the peak season. In Canada, morel |
| steak-like- and it's this awesome taste that makes | | | | season usually starts in May, and can extend to July, |
| the morel mushroom No.1 with mushroom lovers. It's | | | | as the snows recede slowly in different regions. |
| been said that "there is something almost cruelly | | | | Further north, in the Northwest Territories and |
| tantalizing about morels. No other mushroom in the | | | | Alaska, morel season runs June 1st to July 30th, |
| world, save perhaps the white truffle of northern | | | | peaking at the end of June. |
| Italy, offers quite the degree of flavor and fragrance | | | | Generally speaking, the best time to begin looking for |
| of a fresh morel." The taste of morels is exquisite | | | | morels is when daytime highs in your area have been |
| and indeed addictive. The unique flavor of the morel | | | | in the 60's (15° to 21°C) , with nighttime |
| mushroom is prized by gourmet chefs around the | | | | lows no colder than the 40's (5°C). Rain is |
| world for special menu options, and the results can | | | | important, too. Mushrooms like it warm and moist- |
| be quite creative. lists over sixty morel recipes | | | | but not soggy. Morels grow where soil is moist yet |
| ranging from omelettes, sauces, vinaigrettes, morel | | | | well-drained- not oversaturated. If you have a dry |
| pate, morel stroganoff, veal and morel pie, to the | | | | spring, the crop will be sparse. If you have ample |
| exotic morel tarts and morels in puff pastry with | | | | rain- but not an unusually wet spring- the crop will be |
| cream. | | | | plentiful. Many mushroom hunters know to head out |
| Early spring is the season for hunting morels. More | | | | after receiving warmer rains. Morels need moisture, |
| than 50 million people in the world hunt for morels | | | | warm days and warm nights. |
| every spring. Morel hunting contests, festivals, online | | | | Seasoned mushroom hunters will swear by identifying |
| morel hunting discussion boards, t-shirts, walking | | | | particular types of trees as the key to locating |
| sticks, lamps and other décor items abound. | | | | morels. Morels seem to particularly love the American |
| There's even a nickname for people obsessed with | | | | Elm, White Ash, Tulip Poplar and apple trees. The |
| morels: Roon. John Ratzloff, author of the romping | | | | American Elm has been greatly eradicated due to |
| book The Morel Mushroom says a Roon is defined as | | | | Dutch Elm Disease, but the yellow morel motherlode |
| "A person possessed by extreme or insatiable desires | | | | can usually be found around Elms, particularly dead |
| for morel mushrooms" or "A keeper of the secrets | | | | ones, and old, overgrown apple orchards. |
| and Order of Roon." Roons are willing to pay upward | | | | There's a reason mushroom hunters call it the "elusive |
| of $52 per pound for fresh morels or $20 per one | | | | morel." Sometimes morel mushrooms don't grow |
| ounce for dried. | | | | back in the same spot the next year. Morels are |
| Morels are most prolific in the U.S., though they can | | | | masters of camouflage, blending in with leaves, faded |
| also be found in Russia, Australia, China, Romania, | | | | grass and twigs. The trick to seeing morels is to lie |
| England, Pakistan and France. Morels grow in every | | | | low, to scan the ground ahead of you to notice the |
| state, every Canadian province and most countries | | | | distinctive morel shape. The oblique light of morning |
| throughout the world. They thrive best in climates | | | | and late afternoon often highlights morels that stick |
| with pronounced seasonal changes. Morels are | | | | above the leaf litter, making them easier to spot. |
| particularly popular in Europe, and they are | | | | Imprinting the image of the morel in your mind helps |
| commercially harvested in India, Turkey, Morocco, | | | | to see them more clearly. The best advice is simply |
| Peru, Nepal and Afghanistan. | | | | to get out there and look until you find one. Once |
| Spring is the season for hunting morels, and they | | | | you've found one, you'll find others. Then when it |
| appear only briefly, making the harvesting season | | | | becomes easier for you to find this elusive treat, |
| very short. Of course, spring is relative depending on | | | | you'll be hooked on morel mushroom hunting for life! |