Morels at Last

Morel mushrooms are a favorite of many during the spring of the year. Sometime, named as the best and KING of all the wild mushrooms. Locations of these tasty fungi are a tightly held secret down south, passed down from generation to generation. For many years I have tried to find Morels in Scotland, with no luck. However my luck changed last week when a lovely guest of Highland Holiday Cottages and fellow mircophile told me of a spot just a few miles south of the Cairngorms National Park boundary.

Morels are the wild mushrooms that we can find and pick in April and May. The season is brief. Usually the fungus only appears for about 3-4 weeks. The mushrooms’ growth depends upon spring rains and warm temperatures. We certainly have had the moisture but the weather has warm up overt the last few days, so I was hoping to find my FIRST Scottish morels this year.

And Yes Yes Yes…I found them (see below), I do normally reveal the location, but as I was told by someone, I will have to keep it a secret for now. If I find any other locations I will plot them on my not so Secret Fungi Map on my web site http://www.highlandholidaycottages.com/

The safe morels are those that have the hollow stem. Not like the False Morel as detailed in an earlier blog. The tops all look like a sponge, very “holey” cones. They can be kept as picked (not washed) in the refrigerator 1-2 days, three days at the very most for safety’s sake.

Do not soak in water. They are best if you use a mushroom brush; brush them before cooking. If you feel you must put water on them, do a quick rinse. I have dried these ones and plan to cook something next week……

Remember Morel must be cooked before you eat them……

I BIG BIG thanks to you know who…….come up and stay with us in late August and I will share some great highland fungi spots with you…….the truffle hunt continues !!!!