Morel

Black Morel (Morchella angusticeps or Morchella elata) Yellow Morel or Golden Morel (Morchella esculenta). While Mosael (Morchella deliciosa); also called Morille

Morels bring out spring madness: mycophiles mislead old friends to guard a secret woodland cache of the precious fungus, or pay wild prices in the marketplace to take them home; or spend hours waiting in line at restaurants that offer this fleeting delight. Like chanterelles, these celebrated mushrooms defy all efforts at cultivation in captivity. Thin-fleshed, spongy, colored dark brown, yellow, or off-white, shaped like a rounded hollow Christmas tree, the pitted cap can be as small as a wild strawberry or as large as a lamb chop. The flavor of morels varies; it may suggest warm autumn leaves, hazelnuts, or even nutmeg. As with truffles and caviar, tasting is believing. Until recently, morels were obtainable only if you had a mushroom hunter for a pal. Now they are gathered in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, Wisconsin, Michigan, and some areas of the East Coast.