Morels

A morel is noticeably different from a normal mushroom; instead of a cap, it has an upright fruit body, distinctively pitted and resembling a honeycomb or sponge. This is hollow inside, as is the stem. Only a few morels exceed 10 cm (4") in height, but the same species may grow to a larger size in America than in Europe. Most morels are ochre or brown in colour with a paler stem; but the black morel is taller and darker. They all grow in the spring in both fields and woods, reputedly preferring sites where there is ash from a fire. It is said that peasant women in Germany had to be restrained during the 18th century from lighting heath fires in order to encourage morels to grow; their activity had resulted in forests being burned down. (A similar tale is told of Provence.)