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During the years we had a home in Lime Rock, 1969 to 1983 my family gathered there to celebrate May celebrations, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Armand's birthday and Tony's birthday. Then we created another annual festivity which we observed with the same joyous dedication as any of the other holidays. One Sunday in May we set aside for hunting the secretive morel (Marchella esculenta). The small inconspicuous brown mushroom with a honeycombed cap captures the very essense of the forest. Morel Day started at breakfast when every participant in the hunt was given a territory for foraging. We set out with baskets, up the mountain, along the riverbank and in the wetland along Salmon Kill. Mushroom hunters spread out in the moist woods for a game of hide and seek The mushrooms might be at the foot of a forest tree or in a burnt field or along a scenic riverbank. It was a challenging game, rewarded by some of the best eating the woods can provide.

Morels have become a luxury item in gourmet shops, but expensive packaged morels do not have the smell or taste of the forest.The aficionado eats the delicacy soon after capturing the prize; he will not immerse the morel in water but brush it gently. The mushroom plunged into water loses its distinctive fragrance. Some consider the loss of fragrance a necessary evil. I compromise by trimming stems, and gently patting morels with a damp cloth. Any found at the roadside I immerse in cold water, gently shake off excess water, drain on paper toweling, and let air dry.

They taste best when they are eaten directly from forest or field. They can be stored in a paper bag, never plastic, in the refrigerator for up to two days. Just wipe them clean and dry. Do not wash before storing because added moisture speeds decay.

In Sunny Mediterranean countires it is customary to thread wild mushrooms, unsliced, on carpet thread and hang them in the sun to dry. It takes a long time, the mushrooms have to be brought in each evening before the dew settles. I don't think we can do it in our climate, there is just too much humidity.

Mushrooms, brushed and trimmed, can be dried in a slow oven spread onto a cookie sheet. The color darkens, but the taste is good. You can air-dry mushrooms in a well-ventilated room, out of direct sunshine. It takes time. Trim and brush off any dirt. Slice them into 1/2-inch pieces. Spread them so that they do not touch, and wait for them to dry. Check every day to see whether they are completely dry. A scintilla of moisture will grow mold. It is worth the effort because dried mushrooms, like dried herbs, have intense flavor. Freezing does not intensify flavor, but if you have an abundance and want to save some for later, clean the morels. If they are large, slice them lengthwise and saute them, whole or cut, in unsalted butter over low heat for about 5 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes then put them in freezer bags. Press out as much air as possible, label and date the bags. To use after freezing, thaw completely, and drain. They recover natural flavor after thawing.

My happiest memories of morels are pre-breakfast walks when we brought back our prizes: a handful of morels, a few wild leeks which we wiped dry and chopped into scrambled eggs. The very thought makes me salivate.

Creamed morels on toast or pasta are worthy of a really elegant sauce, but can hold their own with fewer calories. I give the original recipe which is exquisite over pasta, and then make some recommendations for reducing the high-fat items.

Morels in Cream

Clean and cut morels in quarters, place in a heavy pan with about a tablespoon of water, cover tightly, and "sweat" them over low heat. This will draw out liquid and intensify the flavor. Drain the morels, and set aside.

In the same pan, melt butter over low heat, add morels, raise heat to moderate, and toss until they are completely coated with butter. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the Armagnac. Cover, reduce heat and cook very slowly for 20 minutes.

Combine egg yolks and cream in a small bowl, blend thoroughly. Remove mushrooms from heat and gradually add eggs and milk. Return to low heat and stir misture until it thickens- do not let it come to a boil. Serve over toast or pasta.

A butter substitute like Country Morning has as much fat as butter but is 60 % corn oil margarine, so that it is neutral in terms of cholesterol. It has a distinct butter flavor, important to a delicate sauce. Milk or yogurt can take the place of heavy cream and two beaten egg whites give the sauce body but not the smooth texture found in the yolks. A cup of chicken broth, thickened with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch is another alternative. It eliminates the cream and milk. Be sure to cook the broth and cornstarch for a few minutes with the morels to avoid a raw flour taste. This sauce is particularly good on grilled lamb or veal.

Stuffed morels come to the table upright, surrounded by green vegetables, like dwarf trees in a forest. Stuffed with forcemeat, a mousse of seafood, or pureed vegetables it can be the main course and main topic of conversation. The stuffing should not overwhelm the delicate taste of the morels. Here is a milk bread and cheese stuffing.

Choose 12 large morels, cut the stems, and reserve them for sauce or soup. Swish a little water into the hollow, stand them upright and let them drain.

All material on this page is copyrighted 2000-2007 by Violet Oppenheimer unless otherwise stated. None of this material may be reproduced for commercial use without permission. Please contact her son and webmaster William Silvert for further information. This page was last updated on 11-Sep-2007.