Morchella Snyderi: A “Natural” Morel Found In Northern California
Morchella Snyderi is a species of edible fungus that falls into the Morchellaceae family. You’ll find these mushrooms in non-burned forests of western North America, including California. The fruit bodies of Morchella Snyderi can grow up to 5.5 inches in height. This morel is between yellow and tan when they are younger, but get darker in color as they mature.
The ridged and pitted caps of Morchella Snyderi are common characteristics of morels. With maturity, even the stems start to become pitted. Morels are some of the most sought after wild edible mushrooms out there. This is because they are relatively rare and are difficult to cultivate. Plus, their famous earthy and nutty flavor leaves many people wanting more.
Since morels are quite expensive to purchase, foraging for them is even more appealing. Morchella Snyderi grow on their own, scattered, or, if you’re lucky, in large groups. The best place to look for them is on the ground beneath conifers.
Morels are famously difficult to spot because their colors help them blend in with the ground beneath. As with other types of morels, Morchella Snyderi mushrooms are famous for their flavor and meaty texture. This makes them excellent mushrooms for eating.
Morels should not be consumed raw. Since Morchella Snyderi mushrooms are pitted, it’s best to soak them a few times in warm salt water. This helps clean out the pits and gets them ready for eating. It’s also recommended to chop of the bottoms of these mushrooms because they are usually covered in dirt or debris.
A lot of morels grow in burned forest. Morchella Snyderi mushrooms, on the other hand, do not. That’s why they are considered one of Northern California’s “natural” morels. If you’ve never gone mushroom foraging, the Morchella Snyderi is a great one to start with. They are one of the best-tasting wild mushrooms around, the only difficulty you might run into is finding them!
There are a lot of ways to enjoy wild morel mushrooms. Their meaty texture and famous flavor is great for a mushroom cream sauce, which can be added to pasta and other dishes. See the recipe below for Morchella Snyderi cream sauce:
Morchella Snyderi Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
• Half a pound of Morchella Snyderi mushrooms, cleaned and halved lengthwise
• 3 cups of preferred broth
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• Finely chopped shallots to taste
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• ½ teaspoon of fresh thyme
• 1 cup of heavy cream
Directions
1. Clean Morchella Snyderi mushrooms and cut them lengthwise.
2. Using a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
3. Add the chopped shallots and cook for 3-5 minutes while stirring gently.
4. Sprinkle the flour in and stir it until it is combined with the shallots.
5. Add the cup of broth slowly and stir until the mixture is smooth, then reduce to low heat.
6. Let it cook fo about 7 minutes with occasional stirring.
7. Add in the thyme, salt, and pepper.
8. Slowly add in the heavy cream while whisking for about 7 more minutes until the mixture thickens.
9. Add in the Morchella Snyderi. Cook and stir the mixture until it is heated through.
Once your Morchella Snyderi sauce has been made, you can add it to some cooked hot pasta. Morels offer so many different cooking possibilities for mushroom enthusiasts to explore!
Want to find your own? We have mushroom foraging classes all season in Marin, Sonoma, and the Santa Cruz Mountains.