Morel Hunting
Posted By admin on August 4, 2009
Mt Hood Morels…
Those most elusive mushrooms hardly a soul shares the whereabouts thereof.
No wonder people in the ‘know’ are nervous when asked where they got those yummy Morels.
First… They can’t be found except by luck or accident.
Second… Some Morels will grow in the same place for many years — and if you happen to find one of these places it should be treated like a gold strike to keep secret.
And Third… You need something to pass on to your favorite heir.
Every year the season for Morel mushrooms is different. Changing mainly with the moisture in the ground, big storm fronts with lightning, sudden freezes at the wrong time or landscape changes such as logging or wildfires. The best bet is to start looking at the end of May.
The season runs longer in the Mount Hood area, often through August, because of the area’s cool, moist air. Morels shoot up with a couple quick growth spurts and stabilize. They start out as small, beautifully creamy miniature — barely the size of a fir needle in height (shown above). They become cloudy gray in the next growth stage and then an impossibly camouflaged fir-needle hue that darkens to brown with edges that appear airbrushed with a darker tone.
Walking around the lawn edge or anywhere around your property can be a lucky find. I found some on the North side of my house right next to the foundation. Funny…I walked by them several times before getting surprised.
Last year a lady brought over a Morel so I could identify “these funny looking mushrooms growing all around my rose beds” she said. We used to have a red lava stone fire pit in the back yard that always every year developed a crop of supper Morels. My neighbor discovered some outside his woodshed in some old rotted alder limbs. I’ve found them on the north side of rivers and large creeks in sandy loamed brushy areas. They quite often appear in light groundcover near water because the temperature of the air is cool and moist which is ideal for the right growing conditions.
My sister told me she was walking down an old abandoned railroad grade along the river and discovered a nice patch of Morels.
Use Care When Harvesting
Always use a knife or scissors cutter to harvest any mushroom bloom. It works like this for example. You find a beautiful rose and clip it off for removal, Why pull the whole plant out of the ground? It creates a big mess and harms the root system beyond repair. It’s the same for harvesting a mushroom.
Fungi (or mushrooms) are a vital part of ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest. They provide a wide range of benefits for all. Please do your part in taking care of this valuable natural resource by respecting the land and all forest visitors.
Good Luck
The trick is to walk and cover a lot of territory at a moderate pace. If you see one Morel there can be more right under your nose, so stop for awhile and really case the area over slowly. Sometimes I just stand and relax to discover camouflaged Morels that would be missed otherwise. Even going back to the area from a different angle can surprise you.
One of my favorite finds was up along the north side of a lake along a red cinder, gravel road bed. Along the shoulder in the shade of young pine trees were many nice and very fresh Morels. My wife and I picked some and fried them up with pan size brown trout we caught an hour later — a very memorable experience. We went back the next year and found them again. Then after that I never had any such luck.
Know Your Morels
Now…if you do find some Morels out there make sure they are not false Morels. It is wise to register with a mushroom hunting group and go along with an experienced guide. Morel mushroom hunting
This usually requires a fee and joining a mushroom club, but you will have access to a great learning experience and who knows…you might change your life destiny. Remember though… save some secrets for yourself. Check your reference book and learn how to identify types of mushrooms before assuming they are edible.
It never hurts to be involved with others who have experience if you really are inexperienced at gathering mushrooms for consumption. Always cook edible wild mushrooms. It’s a nice rule of thumb not to gorge yourself on any variety of edible mushroom you’ve never eaten before. Be modest and give your body a chance to have a say if they are agreeable morsels. You can have more the next time.
It’s Easy to Find Wild Mushrooms
at the Mt Hood Salmon & Mushroom Festival!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
18th Annual Mount Hood Salmon & Mushroom Festival. Sponsored by The Cascade Geographic Society. Location: Mt. Hood Village,
65000 East U.S. Highway 26 (near the Village of Brightwood snuggled in
the foothills of Mount Hood). Admission: FREE! Parking: FREE!
SEE OUR EVENTS CALENDAR FOR MORE INFORMATION.
“How do you cook ‘em, Ruby?”
- Brush off any debris. Please don’t wash them with water as you don’t really want to steam cook the delicious taste out of them.
- They are hollow… so start at the tip, and with a sharp knife slice ¼” rings. Stems too!
- Heat up a pan to low-medium and toss in the Morel rings. The liquid that forms in the bottom should be poured off to reduce any steaming process.
- Next add an appropriate amount of butter and cook medium. There should be very little moisture coming from the rings now. Add a little salt and pepper. If there is steaming moisture, spoon it out. The Mushrooms are done when they are a little darker and hot.
- Serve and eat them right away. They are best straight from the pan.
Some people prepare a T-bone steak or such to serve the mushrooms over. Don’t even think about making an omelet with Morels…it’s a total waste of flavor sensory. Forget about your health…set aside the olive oil and use butter or none at all. They go very well with meats.
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