Spring Mushroom thread!!!!

[Drewski Canuck]

Rain last week really set the stage for a good Morel Mushroom season, at least in the Edmonton area. Still a bit dry up north, but lets hope that changes.

In the burn areas west of Edmonton we should see the fire morels showing up. We definitely had enough fires in the Lodgepole Edson area last year.


Post the results of your forays! Usually, May Long weekend is the kick off to the season.

Drewski

[Twisted Canuck]

I know a guy who found some morels right next to an Oilers hat some fan threw away in disgust...

There's as many mushrooms there as Boesser scored in the first period looks like.

[TBark]

Nothing in the usual spots in the Valleyview area. No morels, nor verpas.
And even some drizzle rain early this am.

Maybe in a day or 2, will see.

TBark

[KGB]

I have seen a dozen posts on a FB page - people are picking the morels like crazy! West and North of Edmonton.
On a same note- I was trying to find a link to the fire burn map that somebody posted last year. Wanna go next week and hit the last year burns…

[Twisted Canuck]

I can get you maps. Will leave at the usual dead drop. You know which Swiss acount to wire funds to. Tell no one.

[bearb8er]

Nothing in my areas in central ab as of yesterday. Still a bit early for here.

[KGB]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

I can get you maps. Will leave at the usual dead drop. You know which Swiss acount to wire funds to. Tell no one.

Don’t be greedy buddy! Remember- I know where you live….

[TBark]

Scored some good morels over the past few days.
Nice size too, makes the 4 Lt ice cream pail look like a cup.

TBark

[Smoky buck]

Picked about 6lbs of morels so far over a couple short trips. Might go one more time and call it good for the year on morels

[calgarychef]

I just came back from the Hinton area. I got about 4 gallons, the best picking I’ve ever had although I know others do much better. It was a fun trip!

[Twisted Canuck]

Interesting article about morels. I guess the moral to the story is don't eat morels from China raw?

https://nationalpost.com/life/food/m...usrooms-deadly

[KGB]

My dog got sick from eating carrots from China….

[Twisted Canuck]

If you're buying carrots from China, that's a problem.

[walking buffalo]

Life's bumps and death's trumps kept out of the mushroom patch until yesterday.

With Spring having a head start this year I was worried my Golden morel spot would have peaked before I got there.

Nope.
Right on Nature's usually appointed schedule.

Very few older ones, no too old ones, a decent amount of new ones and a bunch that were fully formed but still under the leaves. 4-5 pounds came home with me.

Going back in a week for the Motherload of Gold.

[Smoky buck]

Picked enough morels on to some oysters now


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[KGB]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Picked enough morels on to some oysters now


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I have seen these but never tasted them. How do you cook those? How do they taste?

[KGB]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

If you're buying carrots from China, that's a problem.

I never thought that we get carrots from China! I guess I never paid attention to the packages before, always thought that we get them locally or the USA or Mexico.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by KGB

I have seen these but never tasted them. How do you cook those? How do they taste?

Fantastic!
One of my favorites.
If I had to choose,
I'll pass up a hundred aspen boletes for a few Oysters.

Taste like a fresh clean mushroom.
Firm texture, slightly and nicely chewy.
When freshly picked some have a sight Anise aroma, and some have a bit of Apricot flavor.
When dried, this changes to Almond.

Easy to clean.
Tap out the little black beetles in the field.
I pull the shroom into strips by pulling from the cap edge to the stem.
If there are any worms they crawl out quickly with a bit of sun.

They store Very well.

One of the shrooms I make sure to pick and store a bunch for the year.


And they are plentiful, widespread, easy to identify and find.
They grow in late spring to early summer, with the odd one showing up later.
Look for mature Aspen.
They will be growing on Dead Aspen and Poplar that still has its bark.
Standing and fallen.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by KGB

I have seen these but never tasted them. How do you cook those? How do they taste?

They are good only downside is worms like them too so extra effort inspecting and cleaning. Young ones this is less of an issue

I have used them is sauce, soups, rice, pasta, and simple pan fried in butter

Still fairly inexperienced when it comes to picking mushrooms and have only tried a few species but oysters would be up there with morels with a better texture in my opinion

Going to head out shortly to pick shortly. One advantage to all my scouting for deer once I started to understand some of the edible mushroom species I already knew where to look

[stob]

funniest thing i have seen in the backwoods lately was way back in a burn area my son and i witnessed an old beater truck driven by a younger girl leading a convoy of 6 spotless brand new SUV's filled with old ladies pass by us , most in bonnets... going mushroom picking ... good on them

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by stob

funniest thing i have seen in the backwoods lately was way back in a burn area my son and i witnessed an old beater truck driven by a younger girl leading a convoy of 6 spotless brand new SUV's filled with old ladies pass by us , most in bonnets... going mushroom picking ... good on them

When I lived in B.C. I had a customer that did mushroom picking tours/education courses. It seems more common on the south coast

[calgarychef]

I did a road trip to Edson and then on to fox creek. I got 4 gallons of morels but the fuel bill was a bit tough to swallow. Like Walking Buffalo I really like oyster mushrooms, maybe even more than morels.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

They are good only downside is worms like them too so extra effort inspecting and cleaning. Young ones this is less of an issue

I have used them is sauce, soups, rice, pasta, and simple pan fried in butter

Still fairly inexperienced when it comes to picking mushrooms and have only tried a few species but oysters would be up there with morels with a better texture in my opinion

Going to head out shortly to pick shortly. One advantage to all my scouting for deer once I started to understand some of the edible mushroom species I already knew where to look

Pulling them apart as I described makes cleaning easy.
Fortunately the worms start growing and eating near the stem so often a shroom that has worms there could be untouched for most part.

If you know it's bugless... enjoy.


Otherwise, Pull from cap edge to stem in about 3/8" strips.

If they are clean of worms they are ready to cook.

If not, place the strips to dry, and the worms will quickly crawl out.


For peace of mind... there are thousands of unseen worms in most morels, they're just too small to see. Enjoy!

[KGB]

Thanks guys for the info! I will definitely keep my eyes open for any oysters out there now!

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Pulling them apart as I described makes cleaning easy.
Fortunately the worms start growing and eating near the stem so often a shroom that has worms there could be untouched for most part.

If you know it's bugless... enjoy.


Otherwise, Pull from cap edge to stem in about 3/8" strips.

If they are clean of worms they are ready to cook.

If not, place the strips to dry, and the worms will quickly crawl out.


For peace of mind... there are thousands of unseen worms in most morels, they're just too small to see. Enjoy!

There is a % of bugs allowed in the food in the store too so can’t really get away from it lol

We just strip, soak and dehydrate oysters as it seems to take care of the issue

Found a decent amount of oysters today but left a lot of young ones behind that we will come back too