Mushroom picking is not a hobby for the careless or for the uninformed. There are things growing in the woods that can kill a person who doesn't know the difference between an edible and a poisonous mushroom.

Having said that, I was surprised when my family let me serve them their first morels. I had done my research, but even I was skeptical about that first bite.

I'm happy to report we all survived and I would be out trying to find more if I didn't have this article to write.

Morels are a wild mushroom that pop their heads out of the loamy earth only in the early spring. Although most species of mushrooms are found in very distinct habitats, the morel can be found in forests of spruce, cottonwood, Douglas fir, maple, beech or poplar trees. They can be found singly or even better, in large groups (it's like winning the lottery when you find the odd big patch).

Morels are particularly fond of areas that have burned the previous year and seem to prefer soil that has been saturated from floods, snowmelts, swamps and rain so wear waterproof rubber or hiking boots when you go. Click to see a morel hidden among leaves.