Growing Mushroom

Mushroom spawn is simply some kind of food which has mycelium growing through it. To make your own spawn you firstly need your own mushroom spores. Next you will need to get a large jar and fill it up with the chosen grain (such as Rye grain). Usually one syringe can innoculate around 5 jars. One jar can turn into 10 if done properly!

Morels, like all fungi and mushrooms, have an extremely short shelf life once picked. However, there are a variety of ways to store morels for future use.

Once picked, morels should be washed, cleaned and refrigerated quickly if they are to be eaten or frozen for storage. Morels, like many wild fungi and mushrooms, go soggy very quickly if not properly handled or stored, due to the spore content within them. Do not pack them too tightly when picking or storing, as morels compact easily.

If you prefer a more thorough wash, either slit the morels in half lengthways before immersing, or puncture the narrow end to allow easier drainage after washing in the salty solution. This root-like mass, and the valleys of the morel honeycomb, tend to pick up small particles of dirt, sand and humus, contributing to a gritty, unpleasant texture with poorly cleaned morels.

Morels can be dehydrated, using a standard fruit dehydrator (available at Wal-Mart). To rehydrate morels, simply soak them for 1-2 hours in warm water or thin sauce.

Many campers use dried morels like chewing tobacco, letting the morels rehydrate between gums and cheek for a real time-delayed taste explosion.

To freeze morels, wash & drain them, then in a deep fry pan, melt butter, add pepper (or garlic, if desired) and the morels, and cook over medium low heat for up to 5-8 minutes. If using morels within 2-3 days of picking, wash thoroughly and drain until dry. Place loosely in a paper bag and store in the refrigerator, as you would with white button mushrooms.

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