Morel Mushroom

The reason? They 're only grown in the wild.

• Morel mushrooms, or just morels, are a type of wild mushroom with an earthy, nutty flavor.
• They have a meaty texture, unlike the more slimy texture of other mushroom varieties.
• These mushrooms are a highly desired ingredient among chefs and mushroom enthusiasts.

Morels vary greatly in size and appearance. Their shape can range from oblong to bulbous, and their color from blonde to gray. They are easy to distinguish by their exterior, which resembles a honeycomb. The inside of a morel is white and hollow.

Although there have been efforts to cultivate morels, they 're extremely difficult to farm, meaning they must be foraged and harvested from where they naturally grow.

Why Are Morel Mushrooms So Expensive?
So here 's the catch when it comes to morel mushrooms: they 're expensive. Really expensive. There 's a few reasons for this :

• They 're hard to cultivate. But you already know this. For this reason they are mostly foraged from the wild, meaning your morels were hand-picked by someone who traveled a great distance to harvest them.
• They have a short growing season. Morels are spring mushrooms that can be found between March and June, depending on climate, weather, and elevation.
• They 're highly perishable. Because morels are hollow, they don 't hold up well in transport, so getting them to the market can be difficult.

Health Benefits of Morels
In addition to their luxurious taste and texture, morels are loaded with all kinds of vitamins and minerals. They will generally contain significant quantities of iron, copper, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin D, folate, niacin, riboflavin and a decent dose of potassium, magnesium, calcium, selenium, thiamine, vitamins E and B6. The fresher the mushrooms, the better the nutrient content.