Morel Mushroom Hunting

With the passage of winter comes wet soggy ground, which are perfect conditions for mushroom growth. In our area there is one mushroom that creates a mad dash to collect it: the Morel.

This beauty was growing in our raspberry patch.

This mushroom is one of the greats! Morel mushrooms can be hard to find and have a short window of time for harvesting. The work is worth it, they are very flavorful and thus used in many tasty gourmet recipes.

If you know where to look, you can find them for free! Just think that this delicacy could be growing in your area, just waiting for the picking. Here are a few helpful tips for you to succeed on your mushroom hunt.

Be Safe
Be aware that morels contain small amounts of hydrazine toxin that is removed through cooking.
Do not eat morel mushrooms raw, ever.

Always be 100% certain of the edible type of mushroom you pick as they often have look alikes that can be poisonous. When in doubt, throw it out - do not eat.

ForagingGuide.com is a very helpful site with background on Morel mushrooms and best times of year to go looking, and what to look for.

Know the Morel's characteristics
Morels are very distinctive mushrooms that have a honeycomb-like upper portion with ridges with pits between them. The coloring range from yellow to gray-black in color, depending on the variety you find. Here in Southeastern Wisconsin, we have mostly yellow or black morels.

The best places to find Morels
Morels are commonly found under deciduous trees (trees that have leaves). If the tree is dead or dying it is all the better for morel hunting. Trees to look for are ash, oak, cottonwoods or old apple trees. These are not strict rules on where to find morels. Keep your eyes open when hunting, we had 2 morels growing on southern (sunny) side of our house right out in the grass.

Harvesting
Gently hold the base of the mushroom and twist off the ground. Or you can cut the mushroom at the ground level. Note that you do not want to take the roots. You will not want to eat the soil covered root and by leaving the root behind, some people believe that more morels will grow there in the future. And keep your spot a secret so others don't beat you to the goods next season!

Happy Hunting!

Dying Easter Eggs With Food Coloring

Spring is finally here and Easter is coming! And that means it's time to dye the eggs! This is a fun activity for the whole family, although, be sure to provide some guidance with the little ones around the dye.

Fun Fact:
The egg symbolizes new life and our rebirth in the spring time, just like through the sacrifice of Jesus giving us a new life through God's forgiveness of all our sins. But why dye the egg? In history eggs would be dyed red to represent the blood Christ shed for us. The egg can also represent the tomb where Jesus was laid after his crucifixion. The hard shell can be removed like the sealed tomb was opened on Easter morning.

The following is a traditional account of how my family dyes Easter eggs. 

Egg Dye Made With Food Coloring
(This recipe yields one cup of colored dye.)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
liquid food coloring
hard-boiled eggs

In a small cup (we have always used coffee mugs), mix together water at room temperature, vinegar and several drops of food coloring. I used about 20 drops of color in each mug, but you can adjust this however you like for a deeper or lighter color.

Prepare several different colors in this way.

Carefully place one egg in each cup of food coloring. After a few seconds, roll the egg to ensure the it's completely covered with dye equally on all sides. Watch the eggs, then carefully remove them when they reach the desired shade. Use a spoon to remove the egg and place it in an egg carton or on a paper towel to dry.

For extra decoration:
Decorate the eggs with crayons prior to dying.
Decorate the eggs with small stickers.