Mina found wild morels in Leeds

Mina Said-Allsopp is my foraging heroine – she knows just about everything there is to know about all things to do with wild food. Of course, it goes without saying that she has found wild morels! (In a supermarket car park in Leeds, West Yorkshire, of all places...)

Here, she shares with us her story of finding them in Leeds for the first time:

I found my first wild morels last year, in 2011, after spending years dreaming and searching for them. They were growing in the wood chip around the parking lot of a local supermarket.

I was so unbelievably excited that I could barely control my urge to do a wild dance around them. The only thing that stopped me wasn’t people thinking I was crazy, but me being afraid that if they looked at me too long they would notice the morels!

I returned to the spot several times over the next three weeks and picked a few more each time. I never used a basket (in case people looked in it and saw my little treasures) but put them into paper bags. It was the most clandestine foraging I have ever done!

“ It had been quite dry before I found the mushrooms, but they only came up when the rain started. Apparently they grow much bigger and faster if they get plenty of moisture, so the biggest ones I found were clustered around where the rainwater drained off onto the woodchip. ”

The find was a total surprise and all the more awesome for it. We go to that supermarket quite often and I spotted them while walking past the flower beds.

I dried the lot of them. This is apparently supposed to intensify the flavour so I thought it would be a good idea. I didn’t want to take the slightest risk that they would go funky while I was still trying to think of a recipe. They were way too precious for that!

I used them to make a roast chicken. I sautéed some onions, garlics and herbs and added in the rehydrated, chopped mushrooms, the water I’d soaked them in and some fresh breadcrumbs. Then I separated the skin from the meat of the chicken and stuffed the space with the mixture before roasting it in the oven. It was just divine.

Next time I shall leave the chicken to soak up the flavour of the mushrooms a bit longer before chucking it in the oven, but even with the few minutes it had it still tasted amazing.

Morel season is still not quite over (early May) and there are people still finding them around the country. Leeds soil is not the right stuff to find wild morels growing in the woods so my top tip is to keep an eye on wood chip.

Here's some more tantalising images... 

Finding wild morel mushrooms (in London)

My wonderful friend Emma posted this picture on my facebook wall recently – two of my favourite things – pizza and morels! She agreed to answer some questions about her experience of finding these wonderful springtime fungi.

When and where did you find your morel mushrooms?

North Essex, Hatfield Forest area, after a spring walk in the rain on Saturday 28th April. 

What was the weather like when you found them?

It had been raining A LOT and the day itself was particularly damp; we had to welcome the spring with wet feet and freezing fingertips.

Describe the area where you found the morels

They were on a verge of grass at the roadside, next to the forest and woodland area (Hatfield).

We also found Oxslips (similar to Cowslips, but longer stems and the colour of primrose) in the woodland, and gathered in a circle to dance in celebration of their existence! Some of the spring walkers were less impressed by this, especially the 12-year-olds who promptly bolted...

Had you expected to find the morels? Or was it totally unexpected?

I hadn't expected to find them (others may have). I wouldn't have known they were morels myself.

They were spotted by a friend of our spring walk guide (Bob Gilbert) who was looking out for mushrooms. He also found St George mushrooms, a blewit and a Giant puff ball.

I ran off after Oxslip dancing to find some more morels – I loved their creepy bodies and wonky hats.

How many did you find and what did you do with them?

I'd say we found about 8-10, some in worse condition than others! We took them home, identified them, and then they were whisked away!

Where and when can you find morels in the UK?

We'd all love to know precisely where and exactly when to find morels. 

In fact, it would be really nice if someone set up some kind of morel-finding app, so as soon as they appeared in your area, you'd get a text with specific location... a kind of X marks the spot.

But, alas! That is never going to happen.

Morels are notoriously elusive. That gives them their mystique and, if truth be told, makes us want them even more. It makes it even more special when you do find them.

The following is the best advice I can give for finding morels in the UK:

Morel (morchella esculenta)

When to look: spring – from the end of March to mid-May

Where to look: among herbs and grass in forests, where fires have occurred and on bark chippings and mulch beds in shrubberies and gardens

Semifree morel (mitrophora semilibera)

When to look: early spring – first few weeks of April

Where to look: in dense grass in woodlands and along paths in damp places

That's it! That's as much of a clue as you're getting. You really do need a lot of perseverance and a huge dash of luck to find these beauties.

If you do find them, well done and enjoy! I’d love to hear your story of how you found them, how long you’d been looking and what you did with them.

And it goes without saying, never ask a forager where they found their treasure.

Want to know more?

You might be interested in: what is a morel mushroom?

You might want to know more: how to identify morel mushrooms

How to identify morel mushrooms

There are two types of edible morel that you are likely to find in the UK – the morel (morchella esculenta) or semifree morel (mitrophora semilibera).

The morel (morchella esculenta)

morel mushroom

Cap: light brown-grey honeycomb-like, pitted head. Younger caps are darker than mature ones

Stem: pale yellow, with a mealy surface

Inside: when cut in half, the interior of a morel is hallow

Size: they vary in size, and the cap can grow from around 5cm-20cm

Spore print: cream to pale brown 

The semifree morel (mitrophora semilibera)

semifree morel mushroom

Cap: dark grey-brown cap, thinner flesh and a free cap rim (not attached)

Stem: a longer, paler stem than the morel

Inside: hallow

Size: smaller than the morel, with a cap growing to between 1cm-4cm

Spore print: cream

Warning

Do be aware that there is one deadly poisonous type of mushroom that can be confused with the morel – it is called the false morel (gyromitra esculenta), or sometimes the beefsteak morel.

Also, morels and semifree morels are (reportedly) delicious, but never eat them raw.

Want to know more: what is a morel mushroom?

What is a morel mushroom?



Common morel mushroom



For some people, spring means daffodils, longer days and daring to go out without an all-in-one body suit to protect against the cold.

But for the mushroom hunter, it means one thing, and one thing only: morels.

Morels are the holy grail of the wild mushroom world – they are a rare and distinctive variety of fungi, with their pitted, irregular honeycomb crowns and hallow hearts. They are beautiful and elusive.

Lady luck

For those who have been lucky enough to find them, I congratulate you (and envy you deeply)!

For three seasons now, I have been unable to walk (or cycle) past a bed of woodchip – heaving with the potential for spring-time morels – without slowing to a conspicuous halt, scanning the ground, trying not to attract attention.

I've spent afternoons in the woods, eyes trained on the ground.
I have searched in wood and bark chippings in my garden and my local park, by the edges of car parks, and by the side of the road – in all sorts of urban settings, after all, the rumour goes that morels are decidedly urban. 

But never once have I been lucky enough to see a gleaming morel (morchella esculenta) or semifree morel (mitrophora semilibera), there before my eyes like a mushroom mirage. But that doesn’t stop me looking.

Success

I’ve heard that people have had success finding morels in Leeds – Mina Allsopp, for example, has unwittingly taunted me with her facebook posts about the huge batch she found at an undisclosed location – the pictures made my heart race.

Of course I was thrilled for her, too – it was the first time she had found morels, and she has years of fungi-related experience on me. Her streak of luck gives me hope! 

Warning

Do be aware that there is one deadly poisonous type of mushroom that can be confused with the morel – it is called the false morel (gyromitra esculenta), or sometimes the beefsteak morel. It is deadly poisonous.

It has a very similar appearance to edible ones, with a dark brown head and pale stem, but the ridges on the cap are folded rather than pitted (see above image).

Also, morels and semifree morels are (reportedly) delicious, but never eat them raw. 

Want to know more: how to identify morel mushrooms

Let mushrooms into your life

I went to this fantastic event last night as part of Leeds Permaculture Network

It was a very interesting evening and I'm going to put up the notes I took on here a little later tonight...

What is the difference between a toadstool and a mushroom?

Ah, the spiky question: what is the difference between a toadstool and a mushroom?

According to who you talk to, there seems to be both a crucial difference and no difference at all!

 A toadstool – like those with deliriously beautiful red caps with the white polka dots (yes, we’re talking about you fly agaric) – may be the stuff of fairy tales, but if popular opinion is to be believed, a toadstool is largely defined as the type of fungi that can kill you.

It’s all surprisingly unscientific:  to some, an edible fungus is usually referred to as a mushroom, whereas an inedible one is typically referred to as a toadstool. This makes the terms somewhat problematic – open to a range of loose interpretations.

Well, I’ve got a little bit of news for you.

Technically, there is no scientific difference between a mushroom and a toadstool. All can be broadly described as the fruiting body of a fungus.

There are some mushrooms classed as toadstools that may not be toxic, or only mildly so, and many mushrooms can, of course, be deadly.

I'd love to know what you think. Feel free to leave a comment or feedback below

Foraging in winter

If you’re anything like me, going for a lovely walk in winter just isn’t half as much fun as when you’re not scanning the tall trunks of trees or poking around in the leaf litter, on the look out for the many types of edible wild fungi that make an appearance during the rest of the year.

The winter months – December, January and February – are a really testing time for wild fungi enthusiasts. It’s much harder work –  it’s darker, colder, wetter, and you’re spending your time in a barren, lifeless landscape - yes, that can be depressing. 

But of course, there are some types of wild fungi out there – see my post on the top five edible wild mushrooms to be found in winter. Really, there’s not a whole lot of fungi to be found until the end of March and the start of April. In my mind, the foraging season really begins on St George’s Day, with the promise of St George’s mushroom.

But before I get miserable and, I remind myself that there are a few things that can survive the cold temperatures. Winter chanterelles, for example, can happily survive the process of freezing and defrosting.

The oyster mushroom endures the winter, but it can be found throughout the year. They can be found on a logs and tree stumps – layers upon layers of beautiful and delicate oyster mushrooms. In winter, you should look for them especially after a frost – they can be found up to a week after.

Wood blewits and field blewits are practically indestructible and easily survive rain, frost and snow. No matter what the weather, you’re likely to find some.

Alternatively, you could just forget about finding mushrooms in the snow, and make a giant snow mushroom instead, as seen in this YouTube video (not as rude as it looks in the photo!)

What do you think? If you have any comments, please let me know below. I'd love some feedback from my readers!

Best edible wild mushrooms to find in winter

Best mushrooms to find in winter – December, January and February

What, surely there's no edible wild fungi that can be found in winter, I hear you scoff.

Sure, winter isn’t notorious for its bumper crop of fungi, but there are things a persistent forager can find in the cold, snowy winter months.

Here are the top five wild fungi to look out for in winter:

1. Winter chanterelles (Craterellus tubaeformis)

2. Velvet shanks (Flammulina velutipes)

3. Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus cornucopiae)

4. Jelly ears (Auricularia auricula-judae)

5. Wood blewit (Lepista nuda, Lepista saeva)

Happy winter foraging!

Ps - look out for my future posts on the best edible wild fungi to find in spring, summer and autumn 

And if you like what you're reading, please tweet me about it - you can find me on @SophieHaydock

Never forget for a moment...

... that some wild mushrooms can kill you. 

Deadly dinner party

With all the enthusiasm that comes with the promise of a new year of mushroom-hunting ahead, I noticed this tragic story in the British press at the start of January, and it gave me a little jolt.

A group of friends mistakenly ate some death cap (Amanita phalloides) wild mushrooms at a New Year’s Eve party in Sydney, Australia.

Two died and one is in a critical condition.

Words of warning

As fans of wild fungi, it’s important to never forget that you are dealing with something potentially fatal. It’s such a shame that two people had to lose their lives in this way.  

The fungi grow in autumn near oak trees in Canberra, where the dinner party was held.

Symptoms of death cap mushroom poisoning

The symptoms often do not appear until 10-16 hours after the mushrooms have been eaten.

The first symptoms are stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhoea, which might continue for a day or two. Then there is typically an easing of symptoms – but the poisons continue to attack the body while the unfortunate person who ate the deadly fungi is tricked into thinking they’re making a recovery.

This false 'recovery' period may last for two or three days and then the 'terminal phase of three to five days' starts with the re-occurrence of stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Without early medical intervention, coma and death occur between one and two weeks after eating the mushroom.

Death is caused by liver failure, often accompanied by kidney failure.

Don't make the same mistake

I interviewed a very lucky man (for the Guardian in 2010), who ate some destroying angel mushrooms and lived to tell the tale. You can read about his amazing and terrifying experience here.

The overall message is, enjoy the wondrous world of wild fungi, but never eat anything without rigorous identification. And please, despite all the effort you may have put in to finding your fungi, never let go of that willingness to throw everything in the bin if you have even a smidgin of doubt.

The year of the wild mushroom - 2012

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and are looking ahead to a happy 2012 - the "year of the dragon".

I say, forget about all the dragon smalarky, 2012 is all set to be the year of the wild mushroom!

I hope 2012 will be an absolutely fungulous year for wild-mushroom lovers everywhere - my new year's resolution is to fully indulge my wild fungi passion. And post on here more regularly!

And I've also got my sights set on stumbling across some wild morels this spring...