My Dad was a hunter of many things, including my favorite of all…the morel mushroom. And since many of my Iowa friends are now posting photos of their 2017 woodland finds I decided to re-share the saga of my dad and his superior skill of finding those “needle in a haystack” delicate springtime treats…those rare mushrooms. Or as Dad put it, “Mushroons”.
Dad tried to turn me into a mushroom hunter too, but I could NEVER find them.
I remember one special day when Dad took me for a walk in the beautiful wooded rolling hills near our farm…and since morels only appear after several consecutive days of warm weather, Dad knew his window of opportunity was upon him.
It was an early spring day in Southeast Iowa…a perfect day for that walk in the woods. The smell of the rich, black soil, the spring wildflowers beginning to emerge, and the sounds of the birds and rustling leaves in that woodland on that special day spent with my Dad still ring in my ears sixty years later! We walked for what, to me, (a five year old) seemed like HOURS to one of Dad’s “secret mushroon spots.” Now you must understand the mentality of true mushroom hunters. They NEVER divulge the locations of their finds! And Dad was no exception. Only HE could find his way back to that “honey hole” of morels.
Suddenly he asked me to stop walking…and to stand still. And to look ALL around.
I did as he requested, and I saw…NOTHING.
He even told me WHERE to look. Which direction, how far.
And we played that game every child knows. He told me, “You’re getting warmer…you’re getting colder…”
So after a few minutes, I begged him to just SHOW ME. And he quickly used his forked tree branch walking stick to point to FIVE mushrooms…poking through the soft earth just feet from where I was standing!
We placed those treasures in the plastic grocery bag Dad always carried in his back pocket, and we gathered all the other ones we could find that day. Then back home to the kitchen we went to enjoy the bountiful harvest.
Dad was NOT a cook. He only cooked a few things…but the things he DID cook he was REALLY good at!
Steak fried in a cast iron skillet. Fried potatoes with onions. And MUSHROOMS.
So in honor of Dad, the mushroom hunter…I’m sharing my recipe for Dad’s famous “Mushroon Sandwich.”
- Butter
- Morel Mushrooms
- White Bread
- Salt
- Place freshly harvested morel mushrooms in a bowl and cover with salted water.
- Allow to soak for a few minutes, and swirl to remove dirt and foreign material hiding inside.
- Drain well on paper towels
- Cut large mushrooms in half lengthwise
- Heat a skillet and add enough butter to cover the bottom of the skillet.
- Place a single layer of mushrooms in the pan.
- Sprinkle with salt, and allow to brown on that side.
- WHile musrooms are cooking, butter two sliced of white bread and set aside.
- Flip mushrooms and brown on the other side.
- Remove from the skillet and place directly onto a slice of bread.
- And another small sprinkle of salt.
- Top with the other slice of bread.
- ENJOY!!!
- If you can't find morel mushrooms, you can make a mushroom sandwich with sliced portobellos. It's not the same...but still delicious. And, believe it or not, simple white bread is an important part of this "dish" since the mushrooms are (and should be) the star of the show!
It seems vey plain– are those mushrooms very tasty? I would want to add something to the sandwich.
Hi Linda!I understand your reason to question Dad’s simple “recipe”. But this is a true case where Less IS More! Morel mushrooms are EXTREMELY rare. Check the prices online and I think you’ll see what I mean. (Today I saw dried morels selling for $25 per OUNCE!) The flavor is absolutely amazing, and you want to taste the mushrooms…not extra ingredients. Trust me…and trust Dad on this one! And Happy Hunting!!!
Oh how I would love some “mushroons” Saw a fellow the other day that was going and told him I would BUY he replied he already had other orders. Haven’t seen any yet.
I never could find them either but sure know how to fix them.
See you in May.
Love, Jan
LOL! Thanks for writing Jan. And if you find one of the “hunters” who has a sack full of morels with no place to drop them off…please let ME know! -:) I could sure use one of Dad’s “mushroon” sandwiches right about NOW! 🙂
XOXO
Meemaw
Our family dipped the “clean” morels in eggs and rolled in cracker crumbs! They are so rich and delicious! ? ?
Sounds like you spent some time in the woods too! Nothing like the smell of morels frying in a butter bath…As my dad said “They’re Good Eatin”)!
What a wonderful heritage. A beautiful story and I am sure the mushrooms were very very special. Thanks so much for this great memory.
Thanks Marye! It is so wonderful to relive my childhood through my stories. (And I can still smell those mushrooms frying in that bath of butter as Dad stood guard over that skillet!) It’s always amazing to me how the smell of foods can trigger such wonderful childhood memories!
Thanks for your comment!
XOXO
Meemaw