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.
Who Serves Up the Best Tacos in Los Angeles?
A few experts weigh in on a deliciously controversial topic.
She’s (Pretty) Radical, Smart and Bitchin’
Cindy Whitehead is on a mission to empower the next generation of female skaters to share their stories with the world.
This High-Speed Train Will Take You From California to Las Vegas in About 75 Minutes
It’s the U.S.’s first privately funded passenger rail system in more than 100 years.
