Morchella

 The morels are a genus, Morchella sp., of highly prized edible fungi found in forests throughout the world. Their forms are made distinctive by their honeycombed caps, and cannot be mistaken for any other mushroom, save for the toxic “false morels” of the genera Verpa and Gyromitra (paradoxically, and ironically, some species of the false morels can be eaten after lengthy cooking).

Morels, themselves, are poisonous when raw, as the fruiting bodies contain hydrazine, a neurotoxic chemical that can cause gastrointestinal irritation when ingested in small quantities. The processes of cooking and drying remove hydrazine, or degrade it to harmless levels. Cooking or consuming morels with alcohol may cause gastritis or enhance intoxication.

In French and American cuisines, morels are beloved for their delicious, lightly nutty flavor, and their versatility in cooking. In addition to the morel’s flavor, the hollowness of the fruiting bodies readily inspires many chefs to stuff them, or chop them in order to accentuate the morel’s textures. In Chinese cuisine, morels are almost unknown, as they used almost exclusively by either chefs heavily influenced by Western Haute cuisines, or by mushroom collectors.

In Western herbalism, the morel is very rarely used, if at all, due to its status as a very prestigious, very expensive food item, and due to the threat of its toxicity if prepared improperly. At best, morels are used in Western herbalism as a source for rare amino acids. In China, the morel is more often seen in Chinese medicine (though still fairly rare), where it is used to benefit and nourish the gastrointestinal tract, regulate qi, and resolve phlegm.