Treasure Hunting

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

Spring

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Who wouldn’t want to go on a treasure hunting adventure looking for an elusive prize? Every spring we can always go looking for hidden treasures, In this case they are known as Morel mushrooms. I remember going out into the Woods at my Aunt Sophie’s house. My cousins and I, paper bags in hand, went on the hunt. Sometimes the neighbor Pete and my uncle would even tag along. As we walked I can still remember the smells of the woods. Fallen trees and old leaves were the carpet under our feet for these journeys. Then, a squeal of joy from the first one of us to find the prize. Somehow once someone saw the first one the rest would magically appear on the forest floor where just moments ago they were invisible. What fun we had walking through the forest, talking and cutting mushrooms on warm spring days. Occasionally we would even see a deer with her new fawn. After the hunt it was back home to clean and cook the mushrooms. They are absolutely awesome sautéed in butter and olive oil with a little salt and pepper. There is a short window each spring to go on these hunts and to savor the flavor of these delicious fungi.

If you do not have a woods to go looking for these treasures, fear not. If you are fortunate enough to live near New Buffalo, Michigan there is always a guy with a truck parked at Red Arrow Highway and Highway 12. In season he will be there with gigantic morel mushrooms on the hood of his truck. Of course the flavor is the same, but being in the woods on a warm spring day can be the greater prize. The beauty of nature coming to life, birds singing, and the sun shining through the trees is what makes life satisfying.

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