Arriving home tonight, after the male twin's first soccer game of the season, I decided to check on a few of the flowerbeds around the farmhouse. Nikon was with me and there's just no excuse for letting good light go to waste. I had just finished exploring and taking a few pics, and as I turned to walk along the front path towards the driveway, I just about tripped over these. I bent down to get a close, up front and personal view and just about squished a few more with my knees. Right about then my eyes grew big, my breath started to become rapid and shallow and I might have possibly, said out loud, "it's the Mother load!" But there were no witnesses so that last part could just be my imagination.
I've never tasted morels; in fact, before this spring I could have tripped over one, sort of like I did tonight, and would have been none the wiser to the fortune laid at my feet. But thanks to a post from Osage Bluff Quilter earlier this spring, I was finally able to establish a mental image; yet I gave them nary another thought. Fast forward to earlier today, I came across a foraging post at Crackers. (If you haven't met them yet, you should pay a visit. They're locavores, kind of like me, except they actually know what they're doing and by golly if they're not situated in the same neck of the woods as the old farmhouse. This blogger world just gets smaller and smaller!
Quick as a twelve week old kitten, (you can trust me on that) I came in and explained to the Artist our forest lotto win and we began researching morels on line. Because while they looked like the real thing, eating a poisonous mushroom is a little difficult to undo. And then we went back outside and the Artist showed me where he found some growing today but hadn't known what they were. Then we went in and dissected one. Then I went back outside again and found more growing in our mulch pile. We were in and out and in and out like a pair of eleven year old twins. (You can trust me on that.)
We read if they're completely hollow inside, and the cap is connected to the stem, then they're likely a morel. Likely? So we searched a few more sights, saw some weird looking, poisonous shrooms, and have decided ours are the real deal. Although we haven't actually tasted them yet. If I never post again, you'll know why. And I have to be honest here, they don't look appetizing. No.Way.Jose. But I'm still gonna try them. Hey Mom, remember the days when I wouldn't eat asparagus or fiddleheads? No worries, I'm not falling for the yummy food with weird DNA trick again this time.
So now I'm asking all you morel experts out there, would you eat these? And what's your favourite way of cooking them? Do tell!
I'm joining:
~Happy Friday Friends!~
17 comments:
I don't believe I have ever eaten a morel, so , sorry, no cooking tips. However, they make great photos! I love the textured/ honeycomb look. Will check back later to see what others say...
Jenni
Woah, you're living on the edge, here! :) They look stunning, in a very otherwordly sort of way. I'd be hesitant to eat shrooms found in the wild myself but perhaps there is an expert you can consult? In any case, the photography is stunning!
Blessings,
This Good Life
I've thought about trying these an haven't. You have encouraged me. Thanks!!
Staci
What a good post and images! I`ve never tried them but now perhaps I may!
I'm with you, they do not look appetizing at all. But I have read other bloggers who rave about them. And I do love mushrooms, so, I will wait patiently for your assessment :). I really hope you post again :).
Well I am always afraid of trying them when I would see them in my woods. I really like being here on earth and did not want to leave it for being not a very good judge of poison or not. I would try them if someone was absolutely sure. ( I think) B
i'm not a 'shroom eater at all, but these do look exactly like morel posts i've seen from other bloggers.
I can't believe I'm the first commenter to have eaten morels! Crazy!
Soak in cold salt water (to get the ickies out.) Air or pat dry. Flour and fry in butter.
You will regret it if you don't try them. Trust me. ;)
Haha, well I just don't know. I mean, they look beautiful...and yet spongy. And dangerous! That either makes for a really cool night of living on the edge, or a really annoying night at the ER. heh!
Oh my goodness...yes, eat them! Eat them! Would you believe they sell for $25-50 a pound in our area??? We found 6 lbs of them a couple weeks ago, ate half and dehydrated the other half. Just soak them in water for several hours, then dip them in egg, then flour, then fry in butter + olive oil.
If you're still worried, you can send them to me and I'll dispose of them ;)
Yes, I would definitely try them! :))
I don't eat mushrooms, so I don't know. These do fetch a pretty price around here. Plenty of people go scouring through the woods to get them. You can always try to sell them.
Such great shots. Thank you for joining in Foto Friday.
I have never even heard of such. Lovely pictures though.
I've never had morels before, but I've seen some interesting recipes for them recently. One of them is this: http://jenncuisine.com/2009/04/challenge-morel-sausage-sage-and-morel-ravioli/
Ok, it's been 3 days....Please post so we all know the shrooms were safe!
LYLAS!
xo, misha
Thanks for the mention! And this year was our first taste of morels too. You're only a week behind us. Hope you enjoyed them.
What a wonderful, entertaining post! I love the photography here and I am hoping against hope that these are morels!
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