Hunting May Morels

The morning dawned overcast, wet, and gloomy on the day we hunted morels. This adventure began with my friend and former teacher, Pat Brock and his wife Mary Lou. Pat was willing to show me the hunting grounds of certain Eureka! no matter the decade. Arriving at these secret places involved a trek up long, windy gravel roads towards the summit. The Ochoco National Forest was shrouded in fog, where the mountain views would be spectacular if not for the cloud cover. Finding morels was another bucket list endeavor—something I’ve never done before. I was to discover that this particular fungus camouflaged itself to blend perfectly with the colors of the forest floor. So perfectly, in fact, that I stared at the same spot Pat pointed to and didn’t see the cone-shaped hood until he reached down to pluck it from its stem.

I enjoyed the simplicity of the hunt. No need for a gun; just maybe a pocketknife and waterproof shoes. One must walk slowly, carefully. Slow enough to hear heavy plops of raindrops fallen from the pines. I often stopped to let my rookie eyes rove for the gems hiding in plain sight. The reward of finding these ugly buggers is worth the effort. Why? Because they’re wild. They’re rare. You won’t find them on the grocery store shelf. No shelf life for the mighty Morel. Besides the buttery, nutty flavor and pleasant texture, morels are also nutrient dense. They’re exceptionally high (for a plant) in iron, vitamin D, copper, zinc, and B vitamins. They’re antioxidant rich, and excellent food for liver health and immune support. They pack a punch to help our aging cells. Do we need more reasons to get off the couch?

Returned from the hunt, our handful of delicacies were soaked in saltwater to draw out impurities, then drained, chopped, and sautéed in butter. Served with scrambled eggs and bacon—a breakfast of champions was enjoyed by all. Worth it!