Like a Fungi Phoenix, Morel Mushrooms Rise From the Ashes
The bumper crop is a welcome, if bittersweet, byproduct of last year’s devastating fires.
-
CategoryFarm + Table
In the ashes of coniferous trees devastated by the fires of late 2017, the precious and tasty Morel mushroom springs forward in abundance. California chefs and fungi fanatics are foraging the delicious little wonders in quantities not seen in years.
According to Eater San Francisco, “Morels, whose scientific name is Morchella, are so highly valued because they’re foraged, not farmed: Their symbiotic relationship with trees is tough to replicate on a commercial scale. As to why they fruit after fires, Kabir Peay, an assistant professor of biology at Stanford, calls that phenomenon “a little bit of a mycological mystery.”
“Fungi will often reproduce either when things are really good, or really bad,” says Peay. “In a lot of cases when their resources are all used up, they’ll create new mushrooms to move on… to find new resources to eat.”
Read more about the Morels’ amazing year and where to find them here.
Friday Finds: Warm & Toasty
California curated boutique spirits, handmade goods and CBD products formulated for self-care.
The Oldest Operating Hotel in Palm Springs Offers a Glimpse of Desert Life Before the Mid-Century Makeover
It’s easy to miss Casa Cody while walking through the Historic Tennis Club neighborhood a couple blocks west of the main drag in downtown Palm Springs. Hidden behind walls of colorful bougainvillea and citrus trees, the tranquil compound could be mistaken for a private home. Well, that’s because it was … In the early 1900s, […]
Exploring the Alchemy of the Senses
French born, California Winemaker Jean-Charles Boisset puts his passion for the grape to the page.
