This is Morel mushroom season up nort'. For those that don't know, this is the BEST mushroom in the world. And by a large margin. We found about a gallon yesterday, a day's picking.
Today we hit THE MOTHERLOAD, got a five gallon bucket full in about 20 minutes. others find this many, but put in serious time.
Karl
How come they can't be domesticated? I LOVE them! Are you going to dry them all or send some to your buddies?
Milady just went out and repicked the site, got another 3 quarts. I did share almost a gallon with a dear friend, but it was hard for me. Don't think I can do that again.
We have never tried to save any, I think there's a law someplace that says you must eat them all without delay.
$299.99 per lb
Guess I just finished a $600 meal. Also had fresh picked asparagus, fresh picked lettuce, and the first broccoli of the year. Wonder what you'd pay for those if you specified no more than 15 minutes old.
Karl
I miss those things. We used to gather them in the woods west of Clare, MI.
So, how do they taste?
i
I stumbled in to a small patch of them about 15 years ago, and have not seen any since. We harvested only about a dozen.
I share your views. They are far better than the chanterelles (both white and golden) that are common to our area.
Harold
They are almost as good dried. How do you eat 5 gal?
There is a vegetable cutting company that supplies restaurants in my complex and they bring me fresh Broccoli once in a while. Never had it that good at the store. It's probably picked same day. BIG difference!
We came up with the solution to the terrible problem of having to eat so many so quick...
Today is my baby boy's 30th Bday. Also the MIL's 80th. We're having a joint celebration and will force the whole group to each eat 1/2 dozen sauteed mushrooms.
There will still be enough to have mushrooms every day for a week.
Now, we're out on the hunt again today. If we find a bunch more, I'll ask for a dehydrate procedure.
Karl
When I lived in Michigan we sliced them about a half-inch thick, for frying, and then froze them with two layers of wax paper between them. It worked OK. They got a little mushy, IIRC, but that disappeared when you fried them.
Here's a whole bunch of morel-preserving ideas:
They grow wild in my yard here. Not a lot, just a few here and there. Noticed them a bit over a month ago while mowing the lawn. Can't eat them anymore, no fun getting old. Well I guess I could eat them but it isn't worth the suffering...
Didn't see any last year with our early spring and then freeze. Wasn't so sure they would be around this year. It was still mighty cold when they popped up.
Be glad you can still eat/enjoy them ;-)
You think that's bad, now I can't drink red wine! I'm stuck with beer and single malt scotch (sniff).
Pete Keillor
San Francisco restaurants pay $70/lb for them.
Enjoy eating like a wealthy man...
I grew up on the side of the Cascade mountains in Washington state. We'd hunt them after each rain, mostly in the river beds and burned forest areas. Usually get a couple of quarts, but I can remember getting a couple of shopping bags full. Damn good eating.
Naw. My mom strung them up like string beans and dried them out. Not much loss of flavor.
Haven't had any wine for a long time, maybe something else to look forward too, eh? Can't say I'd miss the wine but would hate to give up on my half-dozen or so beers each week. I gave up on blueberries and bananas too. I'll still munch an occasional Banana-Nut muffin after I've had some time to forget how they affect me. I really, really like Banana-Nut muffins ;-)
I gave my older sister some morels a few years ago. They gave her trouble too and she won't take/eat them anymore. We both used to eat them and both of us LOVE mushrooms. Just can't enjoy the morels anymore...
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