.png)
The guest that doesn't RSVP- Meet The Morel Mushroom
- ouruntamedroots
- 5 days ago
- 7 min read
Part of a living calendar
used long before modern times, the Morel mushroom was one of several signs that earmarked a transition phase. They are the elusive bookmark marking the beginning of a new season.
Morel mushrooms are so much more than a fun spring treasure hunt. They have a lot to teach us.
Imperfections...
They don't arrive where everything is perfect. As a matter of fact they show up where things have cracked, fallen, burned, and softened. Like where a tree died or the ground shifts, they arrive where something has happened.
The hunt
"No, there's none here either!" I remember repeating over and over to Dave. That was last spring as we went all over Salt Fork (Ohio). Searching the obvious spots that one would think morel mushrooms would be hiding. We encountered let down after let down in hopes of finding the unpredictable delicious fungi. Luckily part of the fun is in the search. Even if you leave the woods empty handed it is still a fun experience. Many evenings after dinner we would go search. They only have a short window, so it is an all in hunt when it is that time of year.
The famous dinner guest
Morel mushrooms are probably the most famous wild foraged mushroom and rightfully so. They are rare, available for only a short period, and very difficult to cultivate. Which, honestly I wouldn't even want to grow them because that would take away the magic of them.
Magic below the surface
It is astonishing what all is happening below the surface
Under the soil there is a whole entire network communicating constantly and this is what determines where the morel shows up, how many show up, and when they show up. Most people think it is the surface level environment that determines everything but it is actually mostly all decided by what is going on underground.
Morel mushrooms are a bit different from other fungi. Morel mycelium behaves as a shifting, responsive system influenced by disturbance, soil chemistry, and available nutrients which is what makes them seem unpredictable because all of that is mostly determined by underground conditions.
They also aren't acting like a single individual plant, they grow into a network of tiny threads underground called mycelium. This is the main “body” of the fungus, even though you can’t see it. They can live underground for years feeding on decaying plant material and tree roots, sometimes in a symbiotic relationship where both are thriving from one another.
Nature's translator
Morel mushrooms belong to a different world, they don't photosynthesize like plants and they aren't considered animals. They live in the in-between playing a huge role for the environment. They break things down and feed what is produced by nature next. They turn what was finished into something that can begin again. They are the voice of the forest whispering,
"now we rebuild!"
What an odd shape you have, sir!
Morel mushrooms have a very specific and unique shape. They have a honeycomb body that looks similar to a brain, a network of sorts which looks fascinating on the surface... almost like a whole little world all of its own. This unique appearance shows us what it wants to help us with.
Internally, it mirrors our pathways, our internal signals, and our own bodies remembering. They are another one of nature's gifts showing us that everything is connected.
Picky picky fellas
Part of what makes morel mushrooms so elusive and rare is that they are pretty precise. They typically pop up when soil temperatures reach about 45-60°F, when the spring rain brings in moisture, and when daytime temps are mild around 60-70°F.
Like mentioned earlier, they like areas that have been distributed but not too disturbed.
They could be, but they shouldn't be
The elusive Morel has many places it could be waiting to be found and sometimes they are found in places they technically "shouldn't" be. They don't follow rules. Like mentioned before they have their own underground "thing" going on.
Here are a few tips to go based off if you decide to go searching.
It is more about noticing rather than finding.
It is more about being present rather than searching.
It is more about attention and not effort.
You can hike for miles and find nothing or you can walk 200 feet, slow down, and notice a magical gold mine of morel treasure.
Typically, not always
They could be discovered
-Around south facing slopes
-Around dead or dying trees especially ash or elm.
-When you do find one be sure to look around carefully in about a 10-20 foot radius. They rarely ever show up alone since they grow underground interwoven as a large network.
-They generally like to show up after a recent spring rain.
-In most areas the season is late April to mid May but it isn't about timing it is more about the soil.
They like cool nights but not freezing and they like warm days but not dry or too hot. (They sound a lot like me)
Slow down
The magic of The Morel is to slow us down. Winter is melting and drifting off into the background, the sun is shining, things are growing, we are ready to start things, to hurry and get projects going, to hurry and plant seeds, to hurry because we feel energized by the new season but nature loves to tell us in subtle ways to slow down, to be in the moment, to take our time and the morel mushroom does exactly that. It isn't about hurrying to find them, it is about slowing down to allow them to present themselves when they feel we are deserving of them. It is about connecting with that intricate underground network beneath our feet and using our ancient instincts to guide us.
It isn't about rules, or what should be... it's more about connection, inner wisdom, and what could be.
The morel actually did RSVP, now what?
Yay, you did the most challenging part, you acquired yourself some Morel mushrooms but what do you do with them?
First give thanks. Maybe this is just a me thing but showing gratitude should be the first thing. Whether nature blessed you with a gift or maybe you did like people did back in the day and a friend or neighbor provided you with some- either way it is important to give thanks and to take a moment to appreciate what you are being offered.
Second thing is to wash them! This is a step that you'll probably be disturbed by if you skip. Those honeycomb shapes, all those lines, that whole little hollow cap is most likely home to some hitchhiking slugs and definitely grit left behind from the earth. You can soak them in cold water for about 20 minutes and then rinse under cold water.
They are usually cleaned best if you cut them in half that way you can see if anything is hiding in the hollow part.
Light the flame!
These mushrooms should be cooked. Heat activates their nutrients and also removes compounds that could cause irritability.
They can be cooked with a little butter or high quality fat/oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. This simple method is delicious! They can then be tossed onto of a homemade pizza, served with wild rice, or added to a delicious pasta dish. Whichever ways you would use cooked common mushrooms will be great ways to use Morels.
They were traditionally used in broths and soups or even dried and then rehydrated later in different parts of the year, extending their presence.
For me personally, I don't preserve them. For me they are a spring treat, something rare, something magical, something that shouldn't be extended outside of its natural window. My perspective also comes from the convenience of being able to shop at a grocery store. Indigenous people didn't have that option and relied on preserving anything they could in order to survive winters where nutritional foods were a bit more scarce. They would string morel mushrooms along with other things, dry them, and save them for winter. Of course they didn't do this in mass quantities, it was respectful, about survival, and done in a way that still allowed some to be left behind.
We've got guests!
The Morel isn't showing up alone. The humble earmark of spring comes with many companions ready to greet us along the forest paths. Many things are emerging, becoming, growing, and giving. Abundance is pushing through after a still winter.
Around the same time the Morel is making his debut so are: (Depending on your location)
-Ramps also known as wild leaks
-fiddleheads- these are tightly coiled young ferns
-Trout lily leaves- these are very tender, mild greens
-Dandelion greens- mineral packed and slightly bitter
-Nettles- perfect nourishment used in broths or even as wilted cooked greens
These are the commonly foraged gifts.
Remember if you decide to step into nature for your food to be respectful, give thanks, and leave some behind.
You don’t empty something you want to return
It is common practice when foraging not to take everything. It is respectful of mother nature to leave part of the harvest behind. This has been a common unspoken practice for thousands of years. It isn't about scarcity but about respect and a mutual relationship with nature.
We invite you
We will be doing a lot of foraging here in the Adirondack mountains this spring!
Be sure to sign up for our little letters - a very informal email list- to keep up with new adventures
Here are a couple of recipes already on the website that would be perfect for incorporating your Morel finds
If we are blessed this season we will have more recipes to share
Comments