Midwest Delicacy! Morel Mushrooms!

Morel Mushrooms are a true American past-time, not extremely well known but well known enough. Mushroom Hunting wasn’t originated here though, in fact, there is no origination date as they have been around since the age of the dinosaurs. Mushroom hunting started since pretty much the first humans tried them. No other animal typically eats these knowingly. Only homo saipiens do. They are found almost everywhere in the United States and come in all sorts of different variations. They also are a great excuse to get out and enjoy the nice weather, as that’s the only time they like to come around. Even a good hike comes with it. If you do manage to go on the adventure, and have some knowledge of the sport, then hopefully you can bring a good load back. The season typically starts around the beginning to middle of spring and ends in middle to late May in most areas. Just so you know depending on where you are in the United States, the price of Morel Mushrooms can range anywhere from $10.00-$90.00. This is based on research and personal experience. Now if you want to go look for them yourselves, and you are new to Mushroom Hunting, then you’re going to want to know where to look first.

“Morels live in and on the edge of forested areas. Look for ash, aspen, elm, and
oak trees, around which morels often grow. Early in the spring as the ground is warming, you’ll find them on south-facing slopes in fairly open areas. As the season progresses, go deeper into the woods and onto north-facing slopes.” Another good tip is to look around dead or dying trees and logs, and almost always if not always, if you find one, you’re going to find another or more real close. So be careful to watch your step. You can also even find them in your yard under a tree, they can grow anywhere really, but what does that matter if you don’t even know what they look like?

Finding these tricky little guys requires an art and talent of a sort. First thing you’ll need is a mesh bag, do not use a plastic one, you want them to be able to breathe. You can use a knife to cut them off or you can pinch them. Do not pull them out, as this ruins any chance of that mushroom coming back the next year. You need to be able to spot them as they tend to blend in. Morel Mushrooms can range in a few colors and shades. The ones you’ll find most where I’m from in North Eastern Kansas are the “yellers” as we like to call them. They have a yellowish color to them and have a texture of an underwater sponge. My personal favorite variation are the greys. They have the same texture as all the others but take on a darker gray color to them. To me these pack a more meaty flavour to them. Morels can range in many sizes but they are averagely a couple inches tall not including the stalk. Every now and then you will find some big boys the size of beer cans or bottles. You also need to beware of “false Morels” also, as these are poisonous. “Deadly Poisonous. It contains a toxin that is in rocket fuel (ouch!), and has a delayed reaction from 1 to 24 hours. Don't mess with this one.” They have a darker red shade to them and a “brain” appearance. You can tell the difference immediately but it’s always good to know.

False Morel ^

When it comes to cooking these guys, there are several ways you can do it. But first you’re going to want to rinse them and then soak them in a bowl of water, preferably for a day, but if you can’t wait, a few hours will work efficiently enough. This is to kill any little bugs there might be in the mushrooms, don’t worry, they come out of the mushroom first and then die. Rinse them once again and you’re ready to cook them up. My mother prefers to sautee them with veggies, butter, salt, and pepper. It’s simple yet delicious. My favourite as well as my 3 brothers and my father is to batter them up, spice them with salt and pepper and fry them in some oil. Let them brown and crisp up a wee bit and they’re ready. You can dip them in sauces if you’d like, ketchup and bbq sauce is popular. Most prefer to eat them as is without additional seasonings and sauces.

In conclusion, I obviously love these things, and so do many other people in the entire world. Always guard your spot too, as others will do the same, good land for mushrooms is highly prized. They’ve been around for ages and I’m sure will still be around for ages to come.

(Last 2 pictures are mine)

Sources:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2013/04/finding-cooking-morel-mushrooms
http://www.twineagles.org/morel-mushroom-hunting.html
http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/node/13872

Other posts by me!
https://steemit.com/life/@greenbuff/reasons-to-join-whaleclub-the-exchange-that-pays-marginal-trading-included-222x-leverage

https://steemit.com/life/@greenbuff/molly-is-a-dangerous-girl-and-why-you-should-stay-away-from-her

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