Those Delicious Morels!
 
 

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May 21st, 2007
Morel Picking Update
for the Montmorency County area

  The picking season for Black Morels came suddenly early this month, delayed by the lack of rains in April.  A couple good soaking rains changed the tables wonderfully. There still are blacks found currently, but there will be some searching involved as the season is closing down already.  Reports of blacks being found are sporatic, yet the size in the yield is a reward for those still locating them. 

White and Gray Morels have been popping for a couple of weeks now and when found, there are commonly nice little clusters of good sized 'shrooms harvested.   I've heard of one report of a huge Yellow Morel found while out searching for the blacks.   So the picking is still in season and the sometimes hard searching is rewarding the persistent 'shroom pickers.

The mild weather with periodic rains should be a good recipe for continued morel picking. We're to have a couple of 80º days this week followed by some soaking rains that'll prime those lovely mushrooms to continue popping.

The black flies and mosquito's made it through the mild and brief winter so be prepared. Long sleeve shirts, long pants and full brim hats will help keep the biting nuisance down.  Dress accordingly so the memories of 'shroom picking are looked back with smiles and not dread.
 

MAKE SURE you know what you are picking!  Then, enjoy!!!

   click on image for larger view

Keep and eye out for remaining elk sheds during your Morel Mushroom search in April and May. Animals such as the porcupine and squirrels nibble on bones and antlers as a source of calcium. So they don't stay around for long out in the woods.  We aren't the only ones searching for those antlers. 

THE 1785 INN VENISON PATE with MOREL MUSHROOMS - there is cognac and sherry listed as partial ingredients in this recipe, so you non sherry or cognac drinkers,,, just find some friends who are,, invite em over for the dinner and send them home with the bottles as well as a happy tastebuds. The 1785 Inn, located in New Hampshire definately is not a place known for its hamburgers. This site has a house specialty recipe listed every month, check out the goodies like Aprils' Coffee Butter Crunch Pie

More Recipes found HERE in the Lycos Search engine results
 

the Great Morel    Links and info on our cherished treat

Drying Morels for Storage -    Using a large brown paper bag, rip or cut to lay out flat on a table.   Place fresh morels about on the brown paper bag surface being careful not to pile the mushrooms atop one another. Spread out evenly to begin the drying process.    Stir morels, flipping some over before bedtime  /    Repeat stirring/flipping processs of fresh morels about 3 times a day for 2 to 3 days (when shrinkage is apparrent to the bulk of the mushrooms)  //   Then stir/flip mushrooms twice a day for another 2-3 days or until significant shrinkage and drying has occurred.  //  When shrooms feel hardened and dry, place the lot into a large brown paper bag and leave open for several days, periodically shaking the bag as to assure even drying.   //  When the mushrooms are thoroughly dry,  fold up the brown paper bag and store in the pantry  or somewhere that doesn't recieve direct sunlight and/or moisture.  Under kitchen sink is not the place for storage.
   Be sure to use a Brown Paper Bag!.  White or other colored paper bags use bleach and/or dye's that could impact not only the flavor but leech into the mushroom.  Nobody wants to add nasty stuff to their diet.
Same goes for plastic containers.  Never store any mushroom or herb in a plastic container unless as frozen.  If you wish to store them in a glass container, make sure the container is protected from light and sealed properly.
     The dried morels can be re-hydrated by simply plopping them into a container of cold water.  Let 'em sit and soak up the water, periodically stirring them for about 15 minutes.  (feel the morels by gently squeezing them to assure they have softened up) 
   Drain the water good and then cut each in half or quartered. Place cut pieces into container of water, stir up with finger and drain.  Repeat if it makes you feel more comfortable.   After draining, dump onto a paper towel or clean dish cloth for a moment to capture any excess moisture from the rinsing.    They'll now be ready to enhance your cooking recipie's or simply saute' in butter or margarine, salt and serve! (do not saute' with high heat!)  Of course you can moderate the saute' process to suit your own dietary needs or desires.

Nothin' like some tasty morels to enhance your venison, beef or poultry dinner all year long!     Dried morels keep easily for up to a year or so and still retain that wonderful flavor that makes 'em so desired. 

Note:    As with many foods we eat, morels contain a small amount of natural strictnine.  It is not advised to devulge in huge quantities as this will just stockpile the strictnine in your body and thus get you to the point of feeling naucious or getting sick when eating the morel.  This usually takes years to get to that point though.     Don't cheat your tastebuds for the long term and eat 'em in moderation    If you've never eaten the morel, it is advised to try a light or modest portion the first time.  Your body will tell you if they don't agree with you. If you think you might be allergic to them, simply wet the inside of your forearm and briefly rub the morel on your skin.  If a rash develops, you are likely to be allergic to them and you'll know then what NOT to do.
 

Morel Mushroom Growing Kit - 
     CREATE A MOREL MUSHROOM GARDEN IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD 

 Grow Morel Mushrooms
 

Happy Morel Huntin',, 
'n Happy Eatin' !!

  Use this search engine 
to expand your knowledge

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It's pickin' season for
BLUEBERRIES!
(update 7/24/07)
~ ~ ~ Crazy weather this year brought blueberries to ripen early again.. A sort of repeat performace of last year.  We had an early warm up in May, a late frost in June along with near record high temps in early June along with pert 'near no rain.  All together is a recipe for not-so-happy fruit bearing plants.

This years crop in Montmorency County is not so bountiful for most locations. Picking is still rewarding, just a little tougher work to get 'em.   The unseasonable warm spells in late spring created early ripening by the first ranks of berries. They were  tiny but not so sweet.  Holding true the thought to wait until late season to pick for the sweetest berries.
    Berry bushes under the protection of shade faired best. The bushes out in the open bore little or no fruit.  Tip for this years conditions would be to do alot of leave flippin' to find the berries that made it through. There aren't many berries displayed atop the bushes. Most are yeilding small pea sized berries but the plumpies are still found. Just not alot of them in clusters like we'd really like to see. 

There are still a few green berries that will allow pickin' season in to early August,,,, when it's the 'normal' peak picking season.  There has been a few bouts of recent rains and more precipitation is in the forcast along with nice temps in the 80's.  This might resurect the current ripening berries to that sweetness we know and love. 
 

Because of a lighter crop of berries this year, be aware that the critters of the woods will be foraging more widely to get that grub in their tummie. Keep a keen eye and ear open for that 'just in case' situation.  There's alot of competition out there this year, but don't let that spoil the moment. There still is a tasty reward awaiting you out in our great north woods!

Come on out into the real world 
and tickle your tastebuds with Natures Candy!
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WHERE TO FIND THEM - WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE:

 

This region generally hosts a huge selection of BlueBerrie pickng grounds on Various State Land locations.  Generally you'll want to stay away from the hardwood forest lands because the soil just doesn't have the content of acid which they seem to thrive in.
Matured Jack Pines, Red Pines and Austrian Pines are the indicator species where underneath and around them you'll find the low bush blueberries covering the ground in a blanket of green. It's here where you will find some of natures tastiest candy!

HuckleBerries and BlueBerries grow together distinguished by their color and taste as well.
HUCKLEBERRIES are much darker in color,, almost black in appearance

BLUEBERRIES are a light 'sky blue' in appearance and the leaves of the bush are a tad lighter color of green than their cousin the huckleberrie.

CLEANING & STORAGE: 

Clean up your berries berries by dumping them in a large pot of cold water. Most the stems, leaves and even the green berries will float, making it easy to scoop out the nasties. Then pour into a large collander and allow to drain thoroughly. 

Another method for cleaning the berries is an old indian method submitted in our guestbook by Runing Moon.  Simply lay out a wool blanket and pour the berries on it. Carefully lift one end and lightly shake it to roll the happy berries down into the collection pan. This will separate the twigs, leaves and sand as they stick to the wool of the blanket.

If you don't wish to traditionally can them, they do hold much of their flavor if frozen properly. Place cleaned berries into plastic butter containers. Just be sure to 'push' the excess air out by pressing in the center of the lid while closing it up tight. Storing the berries in zip lock baggies can be risky, as they seem to be vulnerable to freezer burn during long-term storage.

If all the water has been drained, the berries will not stick to one another, thus making it easy to scoop out the frozen berries at your desire all through the winter. Nothing like enjoying the sweet tastes of summer during Christmas breakfast in the middle of our cold winter months!  Yummmmmmm!!!

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While out picking, respect the source of your tastebud delights 
as not to damage the bushes or the remaining green 
 unripened fruits. 
 

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Be it blueberrie muffins, pankcakes, over cereal or ice-cream or just by themselves!  They're just plain  Mmmm MMmmm Good!!! 
Sssshhhhh,,,, they're good FOR you too!

Check out some recipe's and 'food for thought' below. 

Recent happenings had me searching through the data base of this internet when low and behold, I discovered that these tasty little treats are much more better than just in the tastebuds. Blueberries are called what is an 'antitoxidant', a sort of oxygen delivery vehicle.Note: Cancer loves sugar, and hates oxygen!.  Fruits and vegetables are the good stuff we need to heal up, clean and wipe up the crud we seem to accumilate in our modern diets of chemicals, dyes and who knows what else they stick in our food & snacks. These findings aren't new by any means of the word except to that of my own personal data base in my noggin'.  Its been this way for all of the plants and herbs that grow here and around the world.   It is just up to us to learn to use them as they were intended by our Maker.  Enjoy  the Links I've got here for you.  From yummie recipe's to scientific information on the importance of these sort of fruits in our diet to combat and prevail over cancer, prevent and or inhibit symptoms passed off to aging such as motor-skill loss and memory.  We need as much help as we can get since these and so many other 'animals' out there such as depression, anxiety and stress that are constantly gnawing at our lives.  Eat smart, live good, and savour every smile that comes from that delightful feeling when you relish the  tastes of Natures Candy. BLUEBERRIES HELP YOU KICK BUTT ON CANCER AND OTHER AILMENTS Antioxidant Capacity and  Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables Blueberries, the Leader of the Pack by Ronald L. Prior, Ph.D.  USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts Fight the enemy with KNOWLEDGE!  Cancer Related  Links Alternative & Conventional Reference and support for victims and their loved ones Alternatives to  Pharmeceuticals (always check with your professional) Antioxidant Capacity, Vitamin C, Phenolics, and Anthocyanins after Fresh Storage of Small Fruits.   Wilhelmina Kalt, Charles F. Forney, Antonio Martin, and Ronald L. Prior.  The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 1999, 47,   4638-4644.

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NorthernWudzman's  Banana-Blueberry Pancakes! start with the batter, either from scratch or quick-fix (mix it a little drier than normal. The blueberries & banana will add moisture to it) add (1) over-ripe banana (smoosh it up first to a paste-like mush) add 1-2 drops pure vanilla extract (optional) mix it up real good then, add a bunch of blueberries (either frozen or fresh) - - STIR up until blueberries area dispursed evennly within the batter. Pour onto griddle or fryin' pan into various shapes and sizes. NorthernWudzman's  Blueberrie/Peach Dump Cake (Mock Blue Banana) Use a rectangular cake pan - ungreased Dump a can of sliced peaches including da' juice  Dump about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of sugar in, and mix it allll up. / spread out evenly Dump about a pint or two of huckleberries 'n blueberries on top and spread out evenly Sprinkle a box of white or yellow cake-mix evenly over da' berries. Cube up a stick of butter an toss 'em over the cakemix somewhat evenly Dump a bunch of crushed walnuts atop the cakemix 'n butter,, spread evenly  Bake at 350F for about an hour and 15 minutes 'then remove and allow to cooool Great as a hot topping over vanilla ice cream!!! Grab up a bunch of friends and become gluttons for the evening.  You'll have fun trying to convince them there isn't a bit of banana in the ingredients. NorthernWudzman's Cool Blueberry Treat Graham Crackers, Blueberries and Milk Just dump in a bowl with a tad of sugar and a couple dashes of cinnamon. Holy Smokes! Is this goooood!!! Sarah's  PineApple-Cherry Dump Cake same as the description above except replace the peaches with pineapple, and the blueberries with cherry pie filling.  Rich in natural blue antioxidants, Wild Blueberries deliver as much antioxidant power as five servings of other fruits and vegetables. Just 1/2 cup a day has more of what your body may  need to help fight cancer, heart disease and memory loss from aging. And remember, Frozen Wild Blueberries are healthy, delicious and easy to use right out of the freezer. Quoted from  5 easy ways to serve blueberries --- Mildred Trueman's Blueberry Bang Belly Page (Recipe's from New Brunswick Blueberrie territory! Yummmmmm!)   wildblueberries.com     More Recipe's >>>>

If you don't have a cabin, or friends to shack up with the following 
motels and lodges can accomodate you here in Atlanta

• Atlanta Motel   989-785-4509
• WinSans Motel    989-785-2337
• Timber Lodge    989-785-3339
• Elk View Cabins   989-785-4896

  This years goofy weather patterns really smoked any chance of a bumper crop this year.   Raspberries took some hard blows from early warm temps in May, late frost in June that was back-to-back with near record high temps in the 90's.  Oh yeah,,, a scare amount of rainfall to boot.

Alas,, Mother Nature perserveres and there still is some tasty treats out there to be harvested. There may not be easy picking,,, but none-the-less, they still are out there.

Blackberry blossoms were abundant this year. They at least had escaped the late frosts that the Juneberries, Blueberries and Raspberries had to deal with.  We've even had some nice periodic rains that should help 'em along. We'll see when they begin to ripen sometime in this coming August.

Ya might want to don some high boots and jeans to spare the unpleasant stab of a thorn that stuck it's way into your body.   That takes the fun out of pickin', but I suppose it's "always somethin' " my old friend Sarah used to say.  Indeed, so why let a few pokes and picks ruin' the moment.  The reward is plenty of tasty jams 'n pies to be cooked up.  Nothin' like a raspberry swirl to savour over at Christmas dinner.  You'll be sure to recall the memories of when you picked those very berries with a smile on your face and the taste of delumpcious raspberries on your tongue. 

JUNEBERRIES didn't do so hot this year.  The birds and squirrels faired best for pickin'.  .The berries weren't as plump as they could be, but are still fine for wines 'n pies 'n whatever tickles yur fancy.
 

*** note***  Always use care and respect when harvesting the variety of Natures' Candy from her store.  Respect Her, and She'll continue to Bless us!

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More Recipe's and Links!
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Berries with chocolate sauce (mf) 

White Chocolate and            Raspberry Swirl Fondue   recipe by the Global Gourmet

Raspberrie Cake   by Migros Türk 

Raspberrie Recipe's        at seattletimes.com