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bring walking stick to steady yourself on slopes
• look 3-10 feet away from you and zigzag through an area
• try to ‘blur’ your, eyes a little and try to recognize the shape and pitted surfacemerkle trance
• never pick old/soggy mushrooms (they start to smell bad-kinda like shellfish)
• cut in half to vacate bugs, morels are always hollow (false morels have a chambered cap)
• morels have to be cooked (till they reduce, exude juice)
• I like the simplest method of preparation: sauteed with butter, a little salt/pepper on toast
Minnesota is the only state with a state mushroom and you can guess what it is. Michigan is famous for its morel competitions and festivals. Here in Virginia and specifically Rappahannock I put on a small ‘Merkle Fest’ every year at my Smokehouse Winery here in the county. Regardless of your skills at hunting you are welcome to * come here for the festival and try some of what it’s all about.
I cook up morels every little while and have other morel goodies- (morel quiches from Apple Hill, morel sticks, jewelry etc). There will also be some of Rappahannock’s finest music- the ‘Merkles’ and friends including Addled Asa and Demented Dorothy. Timing of acts to be announced soon. Please come try some of the fine Mead (honey wine) produced here as well.
The festival is Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29 from roughly 1-6 p.m.
The Smokehouse Winery is located at 10 Ashby Road in Sperryville and can be reached at (540) 987-3194.
Happy Hunting*
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