Foraging Morels

[Paul Funyun]

Any hunters found any out there yet? I figured we've had such a soggy winter, they'd be sprouting like crazy now, but I didn't find a single one last week out here in eastern PA. What's the hold up. My stomach can't wait much longer...

[rlibkind]

It's too early. Don't expect to see them until late April, mid-April at the earliest. That's been the experience of Sam Consylman, who gathers them in Lancaster County and sells them via Earl Livengood at the Reading Terminal Market and other locations. I don't imagine they are earlier than that in other parts of eastern Pennsylvania.

[GlorifiedRice]

Ive never had Morels, are they ever in grocery stores?

[IndyRob]

Ive never had Morels, are they ever in grocery stores?

Our local grocerys usually carry them (we're in a morel region), but I haven't seen any yet this year.

[GlorifiedRice]

What is the flavor like? I do not like shiitakes, but I love buttons, portabellos, maitakes, oyster, and shimejis.

[IndyRob]

What is the flavor like? I do not like shiitakes, but I love buttons, portabellos, maitakes, oyster, and shimejis.

I think they're very meaty (as in beef) tasting. Very different than oysters, more towards portabellos - actually, beyond portabellos.

The first time I got some I made mushroom soup. It was really different than I expected as it tasted more like a beef stew than mushroom soup.

On a few occasions I think I've posted here saying that they seem a really good option for veggie burgers or any other sort of vegetarian misdirection.

Their shape is also notable as a 'shroom that begs to be stuffed. Stuffing, battering and frying appears to be the thing to do in these parts, but I've never sampled that preparation.

[Okanagancook]

The first spring after we landscaped our property we found morels coming up in the mulch! We must have gotten five or seven pounds. Slowly they have disappeared.

[SylviaLovegren]

What is the flavor like? I do not like shiitakes, but I love buttons, portabellos, maitakes, oyster, and shimejis.

Morels are the apotheosis of mushroom, for me. Very strong umami, deep mushroom/earth/beef, like an intense cepe. Definitely in the button/portabello family of taste but stronger, deeper, purer. God, I love those things. My dad used to get them every year in the northwest. Sigh.

[dcarch]

What is the flavor like? I do not like shiitakes, but I love buttons, portabellos, maitakes, oyster, and shimejis.

I don't think anyone can verbalize the taste of morel mushrooms.

I can only say they don't taste like chickens.

Buy some and try them out.

dcarch

[David Ross]

Not a good season this Spring in the Pacific Northwest. I bought some morels yesterday at the astronomical price of $62.99 a pound! They were almost a month late in the market and they won't last long.