Ah, morels. Just saying the word brings a smile to my face. They are so delicious and only available for such a short time period. For those of you asking yourself, “what the heck is a morel?, I’m going to tell you. They are wild mushrooms that grow abundantly here in the Midwest United States. Here in NW Illinois you can usually start to find them the last part of April until the 3rd week of May, possibly later. Mostly they grow near dead elm trees, and if you find one just at the right time, it is possible to pick several pounds under one.

There are usually two types found-grays and yellows (see pics). The grays show up first, followed by the yellows. Grays are a little smaller than the yellows, usually about 4-5″ tall, however they can get quite a bit bigger. Yellows can get up to 8-10″ or larger.

Places in Chicago are buying these at upwards of $40/ lb…you can see them on eBay generally selling for about $20-$25/lb. Most of them are restaurants, but people that have tried these before and are not sure where to look for them will pay these prices.

I had a pretty good year, as I LOVE hunting them and eating them. However, when the season is over, I do go through a little stretch of depression…that’s why I freeze some, so I can enjoy them throughout the year, and scout some new spots for next year!