Although we may still see a frost or two, spring has finally sprung here in northern Idaho. Our most favorite thing to do this time of year is forage for morel mushrooms!
I’m thrilled to share our morel excitement with you (and I hope it’s contagious) plus give you ideas for eating and preserving morels — but let’s get two items of caution out of the way first. 
Two Warnings
First, I am not trying to scare you off foraging but rather to make sure you’re aware of the vital importance of proper identification!
Many plants and mushrooms have an “evil twin” — a look-alike that’s either toxic, poisonous or deadly. So it’s very important to forage with care and knowledge, and to be absolutely sure in your identification. You can do this through informative books or perhaps online or local classes. However, my best recommendation is to begin foraging with someone knowledgeable. No matter what, you want to be absolutely certain you’re finding the benevolent (the right) version of each plant.
And second, be sure to forage edibles away from roadways. Often, sprays or toxins are used on roadways and these may also land on the wild plants nearby. Stearing clear of these traffic areas will net you fresh, pure, and healthy wild edibles.
And with those warnings out of the way, a wonderful bounty awaits!
The Joy of the Hunt
Not only do we get to feast on tasty morels at the end of the day, we also enjoy the hunt — very much. It’s addicting and our eyes actually get sore focusing on the forest floor. Who wants to leave even one behind? On a good day, a little friendly family competition inevitably develops — to see who can get the most.
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