Flashback: Edible Gold – Morel Mushrooms
As difficult as winter can be here in Iowa, there are some things that make it worthwhile. After the ground thaws and we get some spring showers, the combination of moisture and sunshine creates something magical: The morel mushroom. Several years ago, I shared about it on SahmRamblings. Today is a flashback to that memory and a reminder of things to look forward to when the weather is frigid and miserable.
This article originally appeared May 18, 2008 on SahmRamblings.com.
Can you see it?! No? Look really close. It’s hiding, but it’s there. There are a lot of things that I couldn’t do in Los Angeles and morel hunting is one of them. Oh, how I missed it.
If you don’t know what a morel is then check out a few of these morel sites. Although the taste is fabulous, the actual hunt…and find… is what makes this mushroom such a treasure for me.
Since we moved back, I’ve been trying to schedule a morel hunting trip with my parents. The window of opportunity is very small and is extremely dependent on the weather. Last year, that little window was open while we were out of town. But this year was perfect and the girls are old enough to be able to do the trek with us.
We headed out to a wooded area in Muscatine County praying that nobody else beat us to it. At first, the girls were skeptical. After that 30 seconds passed, we were good to go and Miss M could frequently be heard telling the rest of us to hurry up. She’s a natural-born hiker.
Once we found our first patch, we were all filled with excitement. My mom called the girls over to start looking and picking. Then I arrived on scene and found even more. DH trailed behind me and found ones that I had missed. Those sneaky little things hide when they see you coming.
Miss K did a great job because she was lowest to the ground. She was actually finding them on her own without us hinting at an area to look. Miss M was doing just as well.
We ended up with about two and a half pounds of morels for this outing. We enjoyed several for dinner then froze the rest. I’m sure the girls will be just as excited for next year’s hunt as I usually am!
Have you ever hunted for morel mushrooms or had them in a recipe?
I’ve never been a big fan of mushrooms. However, when it comes to enjoying any food, fresh is definitely the way to go.
I love, love, love morel mushrooms. I’m no good at finding them, but I’m an expert at eating them. Can’t wait for my husband to hopefully find some this year.
I have never hunted for morel mushrooms-I am not even sure if they grow anywhere near me or to where I could get to within a couple of hours. Yes, I have cooked with them and do like them–but then I like most mushrooms!
i love mushrooms, have no idea where they grow.
I am always nervous about collecting mushrooms. I don’t know enough to tell which are poisonous. Those look really great! I hope you enjoy them!
I remember hunting for these when I was a child living in Illinois. These were so yummy! My mom use to fry batches of these! I really miss hunting for these mushrooms.
My aunt and her three daughters love to hunt for them. Her daughters are grown now and bring their kids with them sometimes too.
I love mushrooms but I have honestly never tried a morel mushroom before but I think I need to try them. It would be awesome to go out and hunt mushrooms. What a fun family outing!
I can’t wait to go morel hunting again. Usually it is in May for us, but it has been as early as late April or as late as the first week in June. All depends how long the cold stays and when the snow leaves.
I have never even heard of morels but I do love mushrooms so would be interested in tasting them.
How fun! We go apple picking each year, but it’s just not the same as going on an actual trek to find your food.
This sounds pretty fun and challenging. Although, I have to admit these look a little like toads at first glance. I’d probably jump if I saw one, haha.
Looks tasty.