April 21, 2021 – With yesterday’s cold nonsense out of the way, it’s a great time to go walk in the woods. This time of year, when Spring begins to warm up the ground, there are morel mushrooms waiting to be harvested.
Morel mushrooms have a distinct flavor, with an earthy and nutty taste and a have a meatier texture instead of the sliminess that typical mushrooms are known for. They’re found in forested areas, typically at the base of trees such as oak, elm, and ash trees. They can be difficult to spot, as most are not yet fully grown at this time of year. Currently, most will have a cap is between the size of an acorn and a small walnut husk.
Now, it’s plenty of fun to walk through the woods to gather the mushrooms, but the payoff comes from preparing and eating them. To prepare them, wash the mushrooms briefly with cold water and dry them off quickly. Then, slice off the dirty part of the stem, or the entire stem. After that, prepare them as you like. I enjoy making some fresh batter and frying morels because it gives it a texture I personally find similar to chicken nuggets. Make sure you do cook them because raw morels can cause stomach cramps.
So if you’re looking for an excuse to get outside, consider yourself a foodie, or both, morel foraging is a very unique experience that has a very short window to enjoy.
If you are new to foraging for morels, check with a friend to make sure that you’ve gathered edible morels and not another type of mushroom.
