Let's talk morels (a.k.a. please help -- I can't find them!)

[seanps]

There's an ongoing thread in the Vancouver Island forum, here: http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?81778-Any-one-out-looking-for-morels

Who's looking on the Mainland? I did a three-hour hike yesterday into a two-year-old burned out clearcut, but had no luck. None!

I have all day Friday and lots of Sea-to-Sky bush to explore, but would love some tips about where to find them.

Old burns? Check. South-facing slopes? Check.

What about trees? I've read alder/poplar/apple, but those aren't common in my neck of the woods. Near/under hardwoods or softwoods? If you've found them on a roadside, was it near a cut or in a heavily forested area? Beneath fallen needles or fallen leaves?

THANKS.

[Everett]

To early we have always found them in July at least in the EK

[doubled]

You should hit a burn the following spring - not much the second year around for most at least around here.

[Brez]

Here in the West Koots, right now would be the time, especially the year or two after a burn. this year we are running a little late. I found a handful last week and will check again tomorrow. Trouble with a good burn site is all the professional , transient pickers hog all the spots.

[Scuba_Dave]

Could someone tell me what the big deal is about these Morels? Not a mushroom personally, cant really stand mushrooms to be honest...But whats the big to do with these little fellers?

[seanps]

Could someone tell me what the big deal is about these Morels? Not a mushroom personally, cant really stand mushrooms to be honest...But whats the big to do with these little fellers?

There's the thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of being rewarded for a hard day's work and the pride in finding something that's incredibly elusive.

Really, it's a lot like hunting, which is probably why so many of us enjoy it.

[bugbones]

Ya ... good luck....not many here for what ever reason...When the black flies ..fly..Morals grow...at least in Ontario..

[doubled]

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t262/doubled66/IMG_1593.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t262/doubled66/IMG_1592.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t262/doubled66/IMG_1588.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t262/doubled66/IMG_1589.jpg

[Moose63]

Holy Crap! That's the Mother Lode! I pick chantrellles, don't know too much about morels. I'll buy a bag if your selling.

[Kalum]

Nice haul doubled! was wondering when one of the interior guys would flash up the morel mother load...

[benttip]

very cool..are u going to dry them..use to do many thousands of lbs commercially..they dry so well and keep for years..im surprised they are so big already if they are this years..

[swamper]

Still pretty early here in the Cariboo, but I did find a couple in the back yard so might start looking next week if we get the heat predicted for the weekend.

[doubled]

Those are from a few years ago the year after the Nevertouch fire. I still have a half doz bags dried from that haul. That was one day and I picked about 5-6 times that spring.

[silvertipp]

Could someone tell me what the big deal is about these Morels? Not a mushroom personally, cant really stand mushrooms to be honest...But whats the big to do with these little fellers?

As said it is the fun of the hunt,and the fact that they are worth a small fortune,camping afew years ago in a burn area 5 kids all made $150.00 bucks each in a short time ,july 1st long weekend up by Manning park

[quincy]

How's everyone's morel season going? Not finding as many as last year and seems to be winding down already in the west kootenays. Now do you guys think it's over or will more pop up if we get some rain? Still learning about hunting these sneaky mushrooms.

[cloverphil]

I've got some of those growing out my front room window in the bark mulch,

so you're saying I can eat that sh!# ? say it isn't so . . . .

[Mykos]

I've got a couple meals worth out of the fields at work the past week. They're out there right now for sure.

[seanps]

Took a look around Squamish Valley this weekend, in a few good spots. Seems the soil is too cold up there still; the "false morels" (verpa bohemica) have been up for a week or two, meaning the morels should be next! (I've been doing my reading).

[bccanadian]

How do you Prepare wild mushrooms? I've never cooked with them. Do you wash them or trim off the outside or what?

[huntingmom]

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t262/doubled66/IMG_1593.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t262/doubled66/IMG_1592.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t262/doubled66/IMG_1588.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t262/doubled66/IMG_1589.jpg



WHAT ON EARTH IS..... THAT?????

( Sorry.......I just don't know what I'm looking at.)

[Bow Walker]

those pics (above) are pics of a HUGE pile of Morel mushrooms, mmmmmmm good!

[eastkoot]

If you do find some, try this way of cooking them. Have had huge success in the past years in previous year burns.. Clean and rinse them well, dip in egg wash, roll in regular potatoe chip crumbs and fry in butter or olive oil, nothing better!!!

[Bow Walker]

Crushed cornflakes, potato chips, or Panko bread crumbs - just like eastkoot says.....

Or use them in stews, goulashes, chili con carne, pasta sauces, soups, omelets........or wherever you would normally use white mushrooms.

Hell, you can even pickle them and have a nice winter treat...

[benttip]

dry them and they keep for years..so awesome..

[blackbart]

Found a few this past weekend. They were tasty on top of some nice steaks. The mushrooms I found were within a mature Douglas-fir forest in the southern part of BC.

[brad ferris]

I picked up a tip or two on the intraweb recently. Use a basket to carry them instead of bags or buckets. Spores may fall through and make it to the dirt. Also when you rinse them pour your rinse water out somewhere that may suport new mushrooms growing. Maybe under some trees in the yard or a compost pile.

[Buckmeister]

WHAT ON EARTH IS..... THAT?????

( Sorry.......I just don't know what I'm looking at.)

That is a whole bunch of the most tasty mushroom ever created! Makes my mouth water looking at the steak/shrimp/mushroom feast there.

Ok, I'm not a morel expert, but I do know a few things. I haven't found any yet this year, I think if we had a good rain they will sprout up, it's about the right time for them. I have found them in natural grassy meadows, look around any small fir trees that may be growing there. You can also find them where cattle have grazed in the previous 3 years. But the best place to find them is in a burn the following year after the fire. Check the north facing slopes, and continue to go back after each rain. Sometimes you can pick the same burn through the summer and right into september, or so the mushroom experts tell me. When they picked the burn near us a few years ago, the pickers were getting $12.50/pound. One 19 year old kid picked 90 lbs in one day!!! The morels are very sought after in Europe as well.

A proffesional mushroom guy explained why mushrooms grow so well after a burn. He says the mushrooms will always grow where a tree has died. He said the forest floor is one huge connected web with the tree root system and the mushrooms are a byproduct of sorts and it is natures way of helping the forest heal after a burn (not sure how?). He also said that morels are highly nutritious and are very high in certain vitamins and minerals. He didn't recommend picking them near a highway because they will absorb some bad stuff from car exhaust. Here is a link to his website http://untamedfeast.com/ his name is Eric and he lives on the Island but he collects shrooms from all over BC and Alberta. Check out his videos, some informative stuff and some good recipes too.

As for cooking, give them a good rinse and prepare anyway you desire. If you dehydrate them, and then reconstitute them, they tend to have a stronger flavour. Yum Yum Yum!