What can you say about this weather we’ve been having other than welcome to Iowa! Its spring and things happen in the spring regardless of the cold. The bass and crappie fishing has been great across the Cedar Valley and should remain good until a few days after the full moon of June which is when our area will be in full swing summer time patterns.
One of the things that happen in the spring has nothing to do with fishing - it’s SHROOM’N. Hunting morel mushrooms is a lot of fun, easy and deliciously rewarding. There were a bunch of morels up the last few days of April and the first week of May. Then this cold snap hit, we should have a second batch popping up right now!
Just heading out to the woods and walking around looking at the ground will produce you a few mushrooms, but there are some things to look for that can greatly up your odds of finding a nice bunch. Before you start out for a day of shroom’n make sure that you’re very familiar with exactly what a morel looks like. The internet or public library will be able to show you what to look for. Morel mushrooms can be anywhere but prefer dense wooded areas. The dense areas hold moisture and provide shade, which is needed to grow these tasty fungi.
First thing to do as you step into the woods is grab a stick, this will come in handy for helping to keep your balance since the terrain can be uneven and also to push back some of the under growth as you look for morels. Walk through the woods scanning the ground working your way from dead tree to dead tree. When you get close to a dead tree (preferably an elm or apple) slow down and look close - this is ideal for finding morels. When you do find one they are generally not alone. When you spot one be careful as you approach it - you may be stepping on others that are hidden thick in the under brush or weeds.
To pick the mushroom do not just pull it up, you may get a clump of dirt and moss that you don’t want in your bag. Instead pinch the morel at the base of the stem and it will come off easily and clean.
After you pick it put it in your mesh bag as you continue hunting. The mesh bag (like the bag that oranges come in at the grocery store) is important for several reasons. As you walk through the woods the spores will drop off of the mushrooms in your bag - seeding the area for next year. Any dirt or bugs that might have come up with it will also drop out of the bag and if you’re out hunting for several hours your mushrooms will stay much fresher.
After you’ve hunted up a nice batch of morels and plan to eat them within two days of picking then clean them by cutting in half the long way and rinse in water or soak them for a couple of hours in salt water.
If you don’t plan to eat them in the first 48 hours then do not wash them. Brush off any dirt or bugs which are mostly just ants, and put them in a colander. Cover them with several paper towels, drip a few drops of water on the towels and put them in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
For extended storage time do not wash them. Just gently brush them off, cut them in half the long way, lay them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze them. After they’re frozen bag and keep them frozen until ready to use. Dehydrating morels has become very popular and they re-hydrate as fresh as the day you picked them and keep for years. There are books filled with ways to cook morels. The more traditional way is my favorite, fried in butter with out breading - don’t tell my doctor! Until next time keep your lure wet!
