A seasonsed shroomer, Drew Phipps, sells morel mushrooms at the Roanoke Farmers’ Market. Foraging in the forest with his father since age five, Drew uses his nose to choose what mushrooms to pick. He regularly picks up to twenty-seven varieties of fungi. Although he has found more types, he tends to pick what he enjoys. Wouldn’t you?
What are morel mushrooms? Highly-prized wild mushrooms with hollow stems and caps, they look like little oblong holey sponges. They are not farmed for commercial use as other mushroom types, although some people have tried to grow them. Thus, experienced mushroom hunters gather them in the forests. They know how to pick mushrooms safely.
Morel mushrooms tend to grow in many parts of the United States. Visit the Great Morel to view pictures taken in northern Indiana this spring and see how quickly they grow. Once they appear on the forest floor, morel mushrooms live from several days to two weeks. Thriving depends on the weather: “a combination of perfect ground temperatures, the perfect amount of precipitation, warm days and cool evenings.” Regarding this spring, Drew commented, “This year has been such an unusual and wet spring that the canopy of the trees appeared rapidly, blocking the ground below which changes the ground’s temperature.” The result? “Less mushrooms.”
Preparing morel mushrooms starts with a salt brine bath. Soaking morels for a few hours cleans and removes any “little critters” hiding in the spongy holes. Next, slice thin lengthwise. Cooking? Drew’s recommendation: Fry in butter or with a little spinach. Yummy! I imagine they would be great on top of pasta, eggs, or steak.
Good for you. One cup of morel mushrooms offers several health benefits, including few calories, high in iron and phosphorus (to help form strong bones), and contains Vitamin D and antioxidants.
So next time you’re at the Roanoke Farmers Market, look for Drew to get your mushroom “delicacies.”
Where: Shady Spring Farm at the Roanoke Farmers’ Market, Market Square SE, Roanoke, VA
Roanoke Farmers’ Market hours and information:
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., 7 days a week except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
Availability Calendar: check out seasonal produce
Jennifer Fenrich of Shining Readers, LLC is a children’s author and freelance writer. With over fifteen years as a reading teacher, she advocates children’s literacy and helps all children “shine.” Jennifer loves spending time with family, writing, and exploring the outdoors.
