Which Morels Can you Eat? (and are there ones you can’t?)

‘True morels’, that is all morchella genus are edible and incredible when cooked. Morels are not to be eaten raw or consumed in large quantities because they contain a mildly toxic substance, which is destroyed in cooking. It is possible for some people to have an allergic reaction to morels. As with all new food, if you are consuming it for the first time a moderate amount is recommended.

There are also ‘false morels,’ which is a term referring to morel look alikes such as the verpa genus and the more distant gyromitrae genus. A skilled mushroom picker could confidently distinguish them as clearly as a cucumbers vs zucchini. Slicing the specimens in half reveals a lot of helpful information.

• hollow, oblong like interior that sits on top of a hollow stem is morchella

• relatively longer stem that holds a cotton-like tissue and is attached interiorly to the ceiling of the cap is verpa

• a stem that is enveloped by a series of brain-like folds and with an exterior that is less honeycomb like and more wrinkle like is gyromitra

There is ongoing concern and debate about the edibility of ‘false morels’. Verpas are more commonly considered safe, although must be properly prepared. There have been toxic reactions and fatalities reported on gyrometrae, which have great regional variation, but they are considered a delicacy in some countries where they are consumed widely with no ill effect. Again, proper preparation is essential. We certainly don’t advise experimentation and after two decades in the mushroom industry, we still stick morchella.