Morels

=What is a morel ? =

Morels are edible mushrooms in the Morchellaceae family. It has a fleshy but hollow stem and cap, made up of small, irregular cavities and folds. Brown in color and rubbery in texture, morels measure 5 to 15 cm.

Morels can sometimes be confused with other mushrooms such as gyromitres, conical verpes or morillons. It’s therefore important to point out that picking wild edible mushrooms is a complex process, requiring a certain amount of knowledge to avoid dangerous confusions.

When it comes to cooking, morels are considered one of the most delicious mushrooms, prized by gourmets. Its taste is unique, with earthy, nutty and slightly smoky aromas. The texture of this mushroom is also appreciated, as it is both firm and tender, making it an ideal ingredient for many dishes. In quiche, sauté or sauce, morels are the perfect ingredient for a tasty recipe.

Caution: Although delicious, morels are poisonous raw or if undercooked. To avoid any danger, cook in boiling water at 100°C for 15 minutes, draining the cooking water, or pan-fry for 20 to 30 minutes to reach a core temperature of 70°C.

=Where is morel harvested ? =

Morels thrive in moist, sunny areas. It also likes recently burnt areas and organic-rich soils. Morels are generally found in woods, coniferous forests or edges, mainly after good spring rains.

Morels are found in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere during April and May. In the southern hemisphere, morels tend to grow between November and January.

In recent years, it has become more and more common to cultivate this mushroom, contributing to a regular harvest. This method also makes it possible to monitor growing conditions, thus promoting the high quality of the morels produced.

At Gelpass, we offer cultivated morels from China or wild morels mainly from Turkey or China.

=How are morels preserved and packaged ? =

These mushrooms are selected and processed at our production site in Saint-Viance (19). They are deep-frozen raw, without additives, treatments or preservatives, in order to preserve their rich flavor.

Our frozen morels are packaged in 5 or 10kg bulk. They can be stored at -18° and have a guaranteed shelf-life of 12 months.

In our CPS range, we can supply dried morels in 5kg bulk.

To find out more about our dried and frozen morels, click here.