Sunday, May 11, 2008

Morel Mushroom Mania

Lets just say morel mushrooms get the attention they deserve here in Northern Michigan. I have been home for about a week in Leelanau county and everybody is going crazy over these shroomies. Wondering why there are so many cars pulled off on the side of the road? It's because the driver is poking through the woods. Morel mushrooms can not be farmed for some reason, only found in the wild. Between mid-May and the first week of June is when the pickings prime. They favor growing in wooded areas after a warm rainy night, particularly around trillium, black ash, poplar and decaying trees. But the best way to find morel is to know where they have grown in years past. And some hunters will go to great lengths. My aunt said she knows a lady who goes up in an airplane and looks for cars that are parked on the outskirts of the woods, morel hotspots. She also said an elderly woman had just revealed her secret mushroom spot to her grandchild on her death bed. I mean these mushrooms are no joke! Just 1 lb. of dried morels goes for over 100 bucks. And you have to be careful where you look. If somebody catches you snooping on their property there's a good chance they will call the law. The reason why people go so bonkers over these shriveled little shrooms isn't because they are rare, awesome looking and expensive, it's because they're AMAZING!!!

They look like sponges, their porous caps, and they absorb butter like a sponge, too. I wouldn't advise spicing them up to much, just saute them in a little bit of butter so you can really get a taste of these fine fungi. Careful not to eat your finger tips off. After Sauteing, maybe sprinkle with a little salt to make them juice with flavor. This morning I made a single egg omelet with spinach and feta cheese. The omelet was just a vehicle for the morel's. I didn't want anything to over ride the shrooms, just complement them. So when cooking with morels, keep it simple. A few raw ingredients working in perfect harmony, there's nothing better.