John Myers
The morel belongs to the sac fungi. It is a flesh-pink to brownish spring mushroom with a pointed, conical cap, distinct longitudinal ribs, and short transverse ribs. The gaps are deepened like honeycombs. Cap edge and stem are fused together, both are completely hollow inside, whitish sticky. Morels are sold both fresh and dried. The blacker the cap on the mushrooms, the better their quality.
Origin
Morels come from the Balkans, Canada, and the USA. Today they grow sparsely throughout Europe as far away as Norway.
Season
From April to May, the morels grow in deciduous and coniferous forests, on bushy slopes, in gardens and on wood storage areas, particularly on limestone and clay soils and on river meadows. You can find them from the lowlands to the high mountains.
Taste
The taste of the morel mushroom is mild and nutty.
Use
Morels are a real delicacy. Before using, cut the mushrooms in half and rinse them under cold running water as they are very sandy. Never use fresh morels raw, because they are poisonous uncooked. Fine and noble in taste, the mushrooms go well with white meat, fish, or crustaceans. But they also taste delicious with fresh asparagus or briefly fried with salad and pasta. Since the season of morels is short, they are relatively expensive.
Storage
Fresh morels should be consumed as quickly as possible within about two to three days. Store in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.
