All About Morel Mushrooms

It has been two years since I was fortunate enough to consume morel mushrooms.  They are not as plentiful in the Grand Marais area as they are elsewhere in the Upper Peninsula and areas down state.  So the other day when hiking with Jamey and Lois I was really excited when we thought we came across a giant patch of morels.  Unfortunately, they were all false morels.  Since false morels are poisonous to many people, we didn't pick any.  We did also find some beefsteak mushrooms -- which Jamey did cook up and we all ate.  I was surprised when doing research for this posting that beefsteak mushrooms are also a form of false morel, and can also be poisonous. 

From what I can tell, every morel hunter has his or own theory about when and where to look.  According to http://thegreatmorel.com/:  "Typically they are found in moist areas, around dying or dead Elm trees, Sycamore and Ash trees, old apple orchards and maybe even in your own back yard. Ground cover varies and it is very likely that each patch of mushrooms you come across may be growing in totally different conditions. It is a common practice of shoomer's to hit their favorite spots year after year.

If you are a first time hunter, you should make your first hunting expedition with someone who knows what a good morel looks like. There are several types of morels, some edible and others poisonous. The woods will dole out many types of fungi to the hunter, therefore, The Great Morel webpage recommends that all shroomers - rookies and veterans alike visit Edible and Poisonous Mushroom Page by Barbara Bassett, Naturalist at http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/outdoor-recreation/mushrooming/basic-mushrooming.  This site has great images of the good, the bad and the uglies! Click http://thegreatmorel.com/faq.html#ident for other great sources of morel identification as well as make sure to visit The Great Morel's page on the false morel page at http://thegreatmorel.com/falsemorel.html. 

MOREL
To me the morel mushroom is a beautiful thing.  Morchella, the true morels, is a genus of edible mushrooms. These mushrooms appear honeycomb-like in that the upper portion is composed of a network of ridges with pits between them.They can be identified according to the characteristics below, as described on the web page http://www.michiganmorels.com/morels2.shtml

• Cut lengthwise it will be hollow from bottom of stem to top of cap. It'll look like a rubber mold, prompting comments from non-morel lovers.
• Bottom of the cap is attached to the stem. [Cap and stalk all one piece]
• Cap is full of Ridges and Pits. [Prune like, only deeper pits]
• On most Morels the cap is longer than the stem.
• Stem has little bumps both inside and out.
• Stalk is usually a lighter color [sand, yellow or grayish color].

Deciduous trees commonly associated with morels in the northern hemisphere include ash, sycamore, tulip tree, dead and dying elms, cottonwoods and old apple trees (remnants of orchards).

From what I can tell, every morel hunter has his or own theory about when and where to look. According to http://thegreatmorel.com/: "Typically they are found in moist areas, around dying or dead Elm trees, Sycamore and Ash trees, old apple orchards and maybe even in your own back yard. Ground cover varies and it is very likely that each patch of mushrooms you come across may be growing in totally different conditions. It is a common practice of shoomer's to hit their favorite spots year after year.

Locally people say to look for morels after a rainy, warm night.  They also say it is good to look in forests that have been burned over by fire the previous year.

FALSE MOREL
The "False Morel" has several species. While some people say they can prepare and eat the false morel with no problem, others have a drastically opposite reactions.  Research shows that false morels contain a chemical called Gyromitrin.   This chemical is toxic and possible carcinogenic.  Some websites suggest that this chemical can be removed from false morels with proper preparation and cooking. However, others who eat even small amounts can suffer diarrhea, severe headaches, vomiting, nausea, extreme dizziness, and even possible death.

Here are a couple of different false morels.

Potentially dangerous The first is what locals call beefsteak mushrooms. The texture of the cap has brain-like ridges, which are irregularly lobed and wavy. The color is reddish or a brownish red, and will darken to almost a blackish red as the false morel ages. The most important distinguishing characteristic, though, is that false morels are not hollow, although there may be air pockets within the mushroom's flesh. Sizes can vary from 2 inches to 10 inches.

According to the web site http://www.michiganmorels.com/morels2.shtml, this mushroom should be avoided. The poison in this false morel is MMH, or monmethylhydrazine (a chemical also found in rocket fuel). Its toxicity may be cumulative (you may eat false morels safely for years and then, one day, croak after one bite). Clearly, MMH is not to be messed with.

 

 

Potentially dangerous The second is a mushroom species is called Verpa Bohemica. This mushroom has a cap that appears more wrinkled than pitted. The cap is also barely attached to the stem -- and is attached to the top of the stem sort of like a skirt over the stem.. When twisted, the cap easily pulls apart from the stem. When cut open, the stem is usually filled with cotton like fibers, although in some cases insects can consume these fibers. This mushroom also contains MMH.