Trevor Delaney
Sports Editor
For most people who spend time in the outdoors, the elusive morel mushroom remains an enigma of mythic proportions. Even the most experienced outdoorsmen can be completely lost when it comes to finding these fantastic fungi. You might walk right past a morel, or a dozen of them, and never see anything at all. While the best-kept secrets of morel hunters are guarded better than the most exclusive fishing spots, I will share with you some tips to help you find your very first patch of these edible beauties.
Prized in French cooking and fine dining worldwide, morel mushrooms of the genus Morchella are found right here in Idaho. Yes, these exotic culinary delights are found just outside the city in Pocatello, hiding amongst the undergrowth of the forested hills and mountains. Anywhere that trees grow is a good place to start your search, the more trees the better. Resembling somewhat a cross between a sea sponge and a honeycomb, these fungal delicacies are perfectly adapted to blend into the forest floor. Coming in a range of colors from blonde to grey to black, the Morchella genus spans a range of genetic variation across the various geographic locales and habitats that it occupies. Stick to the trees, stick to water, and you’ll start to find them.
Once you see one morel in the wild, your brain becomes trained to be able to spot the characteristic morel pattern and shape amongst the grass and leaf litter. While there are several key look-alikes, these can be easily distinguished from true morels by the discerning forager. The first of these imposters known commonly as “false morels” are members of the Verpa genus. While actually closely related to morels, the verpas can be distinguished by a cottony white fluff found inside the stipe (on a plant, this would be the stem or stalk). The caps of verpas are also not fully connected to the stipe, as can be seen, if the specimen is cut in half to view how the cap connects to the stipe. In a true morel, the cap is fully connected from the top of the cap to the bottom, rather than merely at the top with members of the genus verpa. While verpas are not necessarily considered a “choice” edible, they can be eaten as long as they are well cooked, the same as true morels.
The most important “false morel” to know about comes from the genus Gyromitra, comprising several species that are commonly called “false morels”. These can be distinguished because their cap isn’t “honeycombed” like morels, it is more folded and wrinkly. The inside of the Gyromitra species also contains multiple chambers, whereas a morel is hollow inside. Some members of the genus Gyromitra are known to contain high amounts of a chemical called gyromitrin, a potent toxin and carcinogen that converts to monomethylhydrazine in the body (a chemical more commonly used as rocket fuel). When ingested in acute amounts, gyromitrin acts as a toxin and severely damages the liver as well as the kidneys. The North American Mycological Association (NAMA) reported on 27 cases over 30 years, nine developed liver injuries, with three instances of acute kidney injury attributed to consuming raw or undercooked Gyromitra species. When consumed over time, studies with mice confirmed that gyromitrin from Gyromitra fungi caused tumors to form in the lungs, blood vessels, nasal passages and stomach. While this is a gruesome fate for the mice involved in the study, it is an important piece of evidence to help us discern that humans should not be consuming something so potentially dangerous.
These fungal pretenders look somewhat like morels, once you get the hang of it they are easily discernible from one another. Remember to fully cook all fungi in order to break down the chitin making up the mushroom’s cell wall, which can cause an upset stomach in some people if not fully cooked. Remember to let someone else know where you are going before heading outside and maintain a game plan for any potential mishaps along the way. Many of the places where you will find morels are outside of cell service, making it even more important to have a safety plan in place. Wearing bright colors such as “hunter’s orange” can help to make sure that you stay safe while foraging, with turkey and bear season in full swing this time of year. Even if you don’t find any mushrooms on your first foraging foray, a bad day spent out in the mountains is still better than a good day in the city.
