Morel Mushrooms 2010

[happy honker]

April 30...just had a few wet days, now it's sunny (but not too warm).
Is it time to start looking for morels?
I'm east of Edmonton and hope to get out this weekend.
cheers.
HH

[FishBrain]

I think you may need a couple warm days. I head north to Smoky lake for maylong, and I can ussually find them then. Not sure exactly when they start coming up as I am new to picking myself, but I have found them every may long for the last few years
Last year being so dry did not yield very many but the ones that were there, were big.
I know this link is for the states but it gives you an idea of when they are being found. just add a week or so to the dates because we are north
http://thegreatmorel.com/2010.html

[walking buffalo]

May long weekend is usually the ealiest you would find them. But I think they will be out earlier this year, of course that depends on the weather.

Phenological connectors for golden morels are when Dandilions are in full bloom and Aspen, Cottonwood trees are leafing.

[howlin]

none down south so far,even in the open burn

[albertadeer]

I found quite a few up north already!!

[ROAD HAMMER]

wat does a morel mushroom look like ?

[Reeves1]

Originally Posted by ROAD HAMMER

wat does a morel mushroom look like ?

Let me do your work for you !



http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&s...=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Make sure you know what a false one looks like before eating any !
They have a sort of shiny surface and "brain like" .

[honda450]

Originally Posted by ROAD HAMMER

wat does a morel mushroom look like ?

Like this,

[ROAD HAMMER]

Thanks for puting up pics .I have seen them many times before but thought they were poison . So are they really good to eat, can you eat them raw or do they have to be cooked.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by ROAD HAMMER

Thanks for puting up pics .I have seen them many times before but thought they were poison . So are they really good to eat, can you eat them raw or do they have to be cooked.

I like mushrooms, nad tried one last year, while I ate it simply cooked in butter with some garlic, it was good, but would be great with steak I think.

[redranger15]

I boil then drain ,boil again, I do this three times.They then go in the pan with some chopped garlic and onions,cook it down a bit then over mashed spuds.Doesn't get any better, if it does then I gotta know.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by ROAD HAMMER

Thanks for puting up pics .I have seen them many times before but thought they were poison . So are they really good to eat, can you eat them raw or do they have to be cooked.

All Morel mushrooms should be cooked. There are many varieties, and some of them are poisonous raw, cooking destroys the toxins.

Originally Posted by redranger15

I boil then drain ,boil again, I do this three times.They then go in the pan with some chopped garlic and onions,cook it down a bit then over mashed spuds.Doesn't get any better, if it does then I gotta know.

I'm curious why you would do this? You are throwing away the flavour, kind of like boiling a steak three times before eating it. If they are dirty, first use a soft toothbrush to remove dirt/sand, and give a light rinse if neccessary. Shake off all water before cooking.

To get the true flavour of wild mushrooms, the simple recipies are usually best. Try morels sauteed with a little butter (not margarine), a shake of salt, that's all. Add a small amount of cream for a sauce.

To the novice picker, get informed before eating wild mushrooms. When you know what you are picking, you and your family will be able to feast on a plentiful wild bounty safely and with peace of mind. Some things don't taste very good when you are wondering if it will kill you

Get several mushroom guide books. My favorite field guide is "All that the Rain Promises, and More..." by David Arora. This pocket guide gives you a concise, understandable description of our common mushrooms with great photography to help ID the 'shrooms.

[redranger15]

My baba used to do it that way,why??? beats me.

[honda450]

Dang if I get into a good crop of them I dry em out and re- hydrate them afterwards. I did eat some poison ones before but not morels. Man that was an expierence in itself. Would of killed a normal man, but hey I ain't normal.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by redranger15

My baba used to do it that way,why??? beats me.

LOL... That's what I was quessing. Wish my Baba could still walk in the bush with me.... Great memories

There are types of 'shrooms you would want to boil and drain, but there is no point doing this with Morels. Other than the False Morel (get your books and learn) any toxins in True Morels and Elfin Saddles will be destroyed by the heat when cooked.

Honda, I have a couple jars of dried mushrooms that will give you quite the "experience". I would have to use every Smilie icon to describe them. They are not recreational, they are Medicinal/Spiritual.

There's a reason why Santa wears red and white, and his reindeer FLY.

[honda450]

Yup thinking those are the same ones that grew in my backyard when I lived in Terrace BC walking buffalo. In the spring ya would find the hippies wondering aimlessly threw the bush to find those.

[redranger15]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

LOL... That's what I was quessing. Wish my Baba could still walk in the bush with me.... Great memories

There are types of 'shrooms you would want to boil and drain, but there is no point doing this with Morels. Other than the False Morel (get your books and learn) any toxins in True Morels and Elfin Saddles will be destroyed by the heat when cooked.

Honda, I have a couple jars of dried mushrooms that will give you quite the "experience". I would have to use every Smilie icon to describe them. They are not recreational, they are Medicinal/Spiritual.

There's a reason why Santa wears red and white, and his reindeer FLY.

I've been picking morels for over 25 years,some great memories aswell.My parents bought me a book years ago,that has a lot of picks.Guess they were tring to warm me about the blue onesI always thought she boiled them to make them softer but maybe she was worried about a false one sneaking in there? Going to try your way with this years batch.

[happy honker]

May 1, 1hr east of Edmonton. Nothing today, Also, soil and grass was bone dry where I was. No leafs on poplars, barely starting to bud.
Nice day to be out, though.
hh.

[Christena]

I also looked about a hour East of Edmonton and had no luck either.

[CeeZee]

Originally Posted by redranger15

My baba used to do it that way,why??? beats me.

My Baba does it the same, I was told the reason for it was they are less "slimy" after that, but could be they needed to me the way she made them, always always done in cream, butter and oinoins. mmmm Unkranian way i guess. Not sure if the mushrooms are a bit different back home, wonder if they have more moisture in them, none the less, they are so good, it would be nice to find some out here.

[walking buffalo]

Honda 450 on his trip.

[flyfish82]

Edible mushrooms of Alberta poster, from the Alberta mycological society:

(click on the top bar of the image to see full size)

Link: Mushroom poster

[FishBrain]

when I first started picking, I would dry ALL of them. Just to get rid of the little worms that live in the older ones.
Now I just par boil them and freeze into meal size portions. or if there are only a few, they get eaten that night. we usually make a cream sauce with them but they are good anyway you decide to cook them.
OH I cant wait!!!!!!

[CeeZee]

Originally Posted by flyfish82

Edible mushrooms of Alberta poster, from the Alberta mycological society:

(click on the top bar of the image to see full size)

Link: Mushroom poster

hmm neat, never would have guessed there were that many, and i can tell you the only ones i would think of eating is the morrells. lol

[CeeZee]

Originally Posted by FishBrain

when I first started picking, I would dry ALL of them. Just to get rid of the little worms that live in the older ones.
Now I just par boil them and freeze into meal size portions. or if there are only a few, they get eaten that night. we usually make a cream sauce with them but they are good anyway you decide to cook them.
OH I cant wait!!!!!!

yes they are good, now i want some too, i havent had any for a couple years at least! We used to cut the up, cut the tops in half and the stems to check for the little BUGgers.
So to dehydate them, can I use my Counter top one that does the jerky and fruit and all that stuff? If so how long does a guy do it for or how do i tell when they are shrunk enough?

[ACKLEY ABE]

Originally Posted by flyfish82

Edible mushrooms of Alberta poster, from the Alberta mycological society:

(click on the top bar of the image to see full size)

Link: Mushroom poster

Great chart. Thks. Didn't see Fairy Ring mushrooms on there though. They are a great little mushroom. A bit of a nutty flavor. Easy to dehydrate and store. Devonian Centre outside of Edmonton is a great place for mushroom info. Don't know if he's still there but used to be a fellow named Dick Abbott there that knows more about mushrooms than I thought possible.

[FishBrain]

Originally Posted by CeeZee

yes they are good, now i want some too, i havent had any for a couple years at least! We used to cut the up, cut the tops in half and the stems to check for the little BUGgers.
So to dehydate them, can I use my Counter top one that does the jerky and fruit and all that stuff? If so how long does a guy do it for or how do i tell when they are shrunk enough?

We would just string them on a thread, kinda like Christmas popcorn, then hang them in the windows. (that way the worms fall onto the sill not the carpet) hang for a week or so. You can tell when they are fully dried if you squeeze them. They will be real hard.
Then simply put into a ziplock and a cupboard. take out the amount you need and boil them till they are soft again, cut and cook the way desired.

[TheClash]

hmm have never collected wild mushrooms, any recomendations for areas down here in the south/southwest of alberta?? lethbridge/magrath/waterton/pass area??


will have to pick up a book i guess. i could see how soe wild mushrooms sauteed with some butter, salt, pepper, garlic would go great with some grouse.....fresh ..out in the forest.....hmmm..i like the sounds of that

[bessiedog]

I've been out to my three haunts a few times now.

Nothing yet. Drumming grouse. Ticked up moose. Silly turkeys.

no morels yet. A bit or warm weather would really help. We do have the moisture!

bd

[Redfrog]

Never tried the morels, but have eaten the shaggy manes and puffballs. I have found some puffballs the size of a soccer ball in B.C. here they don't seem to be much bigger than a golf ball.