Morel Mushroom, #1.

1. 
   

This is the first lesson on picking Morels after a forest Fire,  designed for learning pickers, pickers who haven't learned, and pickers that have gold fever.  The focus will be on how to pick, what to leave behind, proper handling, drying, and maintaining the highest quality.

     How to pick. A sharp thin blade, and a sharpening stone.  When we pick for the commercial market, we pick prime morels only, clean cut stems, short, no bugs, no molds and no sand. Repeat, No Sand.  Short uniform stems look nicer, dry faster, and  the forest dirt, ash and molds, that start at the base of the 

mushroom, are cut off.  Morels are brittle when fresh, and little chips break off their caps easily.  This means they should be picked with light fingers and handled like eggs.   Carried in a solid container, a bucket with a lid, you can pick mushrooms that are wet but you don't want them full of water.  Spread in the air on a screen, or gently pour into a basket.  After picking keep out of the rain. 

     Next lesson will be on drying.