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Frank Slivinski is a certified Master Gardener for the Cooperative Extension Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and serves primarily the Page County area of the Shenandoah Valley. The home that he built years ago rests high atop a crest of the eastern split in the Massanutten Mountains on land that overlooks a bend in the Shenandoah River and cascades in seasonal glory through many acres of wilderness woods.
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Article reprinted with permission from the author.
"Nature's Bonus" © Frank Slivinski, 1996. All rights reserved.
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In and after bad weather, to shake off "cabin fever," I'm out in the woods seeking seasonal blooming plants. One day while out, I'll spot a "merkle" (Morel mushroom). This is nature's "bonus," one of the most tasty of the wild mushrooms, and perhaps the safest for the amateur to pick. They vary in color from tawny, which area residents call "white," to an ashen gray, which we call "black."
The name "merkle" is local and may be a corruption of Morel or the fact that they seem to appear overnight -- a "miracle." They are highly prized by many chefs, and I've seen them for sale dried in gourmet groceries from $200 to $300 per pound. I've heard several descriptions of their flavor, but to me when lightly battered, salted, peppered and fried in butter, they are reminiscent of baby fried oysters.
As with any mushroom hunt, it is best to be accompanied by someone familiar with the quarry while picking, so that no mistakes are made. To my knowledge there is only one other mushroom that may be mistaken for the Morel, but the difference is very distinct and when pointed out to the amateur, there should be no confusion. As with many other fungi, mushrooms generally have a symbiotic relationship with specific plants and eco-systems. So, for Morels, I look for Poplar, Ash and other plants that are found in rich, moist and well-drained "woodsy" soil.
Ask for advice in identifying them, go out and enjoy the woods, then bring back and cook your "bonus."
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