oysters are very amazing with bioremediation,tumor control, adaptability to substrates,pasteurization instead of steril- ization,speed of inoculation to harvest,possible yields per sq. ft.and just the novelty of the darn activity. the spent substrate is good animal fodder. i compost it with bags of grounds from starbucks. i never got past the trial stage of fruitng on grounds-i didnt like the smell or the mess. straw is cleaner and smells good. ive had no first hand ex- periance with logs. i say try it but it will take awhile to permeate a big log thus longer to fruiting. also the wood may not be as nutricious as straw innoculated at 15-20% grain spawn. i get ostreatus spawn on sawdust from fungi perfecti,djmor spawn on grain from northwest mycological consultants in oregon. ive also been happy with mushroom people on the farm in tn. once i get a bag of spawn i trans- fer it out a few times on grain. this way i have it on hand and can afford to innoculate heavily.you must read ggandmm.

I was just looking at a Fungi Perfecti catalog about the wood chips inoculated with mushroom spawn in the garden. Has anyone tried this successfully? I once tried getting the inoculated plugs, drilled holes in hardwood, and tried to grow mushrooms but didn't succeed. I suppose the wood was not kept damp enough. Or maybe there needs to be connection with soil. Can some shiitake mushrooms from the grocery store be blended in water and poured over wood chips to inoculate them?

Morel season is getting close up here and we are hopeing this year will be extra good since we had so much snow. Guess we will see. First of all, they should hang in there for a couple of days, but don't wait too long. Don't wash until ready to use. They can be dried if there's too many to use up right away. I don't like to soak them much more than a minute. They absorb water which can make them too mushy... We always fry the first we find...like Linda says...they are wonderful. Here's a few recipes. Sautd Morels with Cream 15-20 fresh morels or reconstituted dried, cut in half if large 1 large shallot chopped fine 1 large clove garlic chopped fine 2 TBS butter (best with unsalted) 2 TBS olive oil 3/4 cup chicken stock 1 cup heavy cream salt & fresh ground pepper to taste Put olive oil in heated pan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots, stir and sauté until softened but not brown. Add butter until melted then add morels. Stir and cook until mushrooms start to brown, about 4 min. Add chicken stock and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add cream and cook on low until reduced and thickened. Classically served on toast, but the best on grilled New York Strip steaks. We made this soup at the Deli and it was one of our BEST EVER special items that we ever did. Cream of Morel Soup A heavenly soup that will make you want to get back to the woods and feed some more black flies. Ingredients: 3/4 LB fresh morels (more or less to taste and your hunting success) chopped 1 large leek (use everything below the green leaves) 3 medium to small russet potatoes 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 TBS butter or mild vegetable oil salt and pepper to taste 2 cups water 1\) Chop off dark green leek leaves and roots. Slice the stem lengthwise and rinse under cold water making sure to remove all grit trapped between layers. Peel and halve potatoes. Add both to soup pot with the water. Boil moderately until quite tender. 20\-30 min. 2\) Heat medium pan over a medium flame. Add butter , morels and a few dashes of salt. Cook morels gently for ~ 15 minutes, making sure they do not dry out. Add a few dashes of wine at a time to keep moist. When nearly done add wine, turn up flame and continue cooking until liquid is almost gone. Add chicken stock and stir until blended. 3\) When potatoes and leeks are tender, remove from heat and blend until smooth. Return to pot. 4\) Add morel mix to potato/leek mixture and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. After about 5\-10 minutes, add cream and salt and pepper to taste. Courtesy of (I have no idea whose recipe) \- located in Petoskey, Michigan ...found on the internet. Morel Risotto Serves 5-6 14 oz. beef broth 4 tbsp. butter 1 medium onion 1 clove garlic 2 cups of Arborio rice 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup white wine or cooking wine Saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms (last) in the butter, add rice and cook for a few minutes. Combine beef broth and water to make 6 cups and boil. Stir in mushrooms and slowly add broth mixture until all liquid is absorbed. Cook about 20-25 minutes. Morel Quiche 2 Tbsp. butter 8 oz. morel 6 oz. cheese (Swiss) 3 eggs or egg substitute 1 c cream or light cream 1/2 cup 1% or low fat milk 1 \- 8" to 9" pastry crust Bake in 375 degree oven for 40\-45 minutes. Pastry crust can be purchased or made. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Morel Stuffing 1 cup chicken broth 1/3 cup butter 8 cups dried bread crumbs 2 medium onions celery if desired 1 clove garlic, crushed fresh parsley, sage and thyme to taste \- if using dried, 1 tsp. each will do. You may use a variety of mushrooms, add nuts or other fresh herbs if you desire. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wild Morel and Fresh Sage Soup Olive oil 2 carrots, sliced into circles garlic to taste 1 medium onion 1 Tbsp. each fresh parsley and sage (dried\-1 tsp.) 3 1/2 cups chicken broth 3 Tbsp. white wine (or cooking wine) Saute veggies and cook down for about 45 minutes. Saute mushrooms and add last. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Angel Hair Pasta with Morels and Asparagus Makes 4 servings 1 lb. fresh angel hair pasta 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup sliced green onions (white portion only) 2 cups diagonally sliced fresh asparagus (2\-inch pieces) 1 1/2 quarts fresh morel mushrooms, halved and cleaned 6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives 1/2 tsp. black pepper Kosher salt to taste In dutch oven or large saucepan, cook pasta to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; place in large serving bowl and keep warm. In a large skillet on medium high heat add olive oil and onions; saute for 30 seconds. Add asparagus and saute for 1 minute. Stir in morels and cook 1\-2 minutes or until softened. Drain asparagus\-mushroom mixture reserving juices. Add the mixture to the pasta and return juices to skillet. Cook to reduce by 3/4. Add butter, stirring constantly, until melted. Remove from heat; stir into pasta mixture with chives, pepper and salt. Garnish with chives if desired and serve. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Morel Sauce Makes 2 cups 1 ounce dried Morels 2 tsp. soy sauce 2 cups water 4 Tbsp. finely chopped shallots 2 tsp. minced fresh savory 3 Tbsp. butter 1 1/2 Tbsp. flour 3/4 cup sour cream Place Morels, soy sauce, and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes. Remove Morels, keeping liquid. Chop Morels finely. Saute shallots, savory, and Morels in butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour and then liquid from reconstituted Morels. Add salt and pepper to taste. Finally add sour cream and heat, but do not boil. Serve over beef, pork, veal, vegetables or noodles. You may substitute Porcini or Chanterelle mushrooms. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chicken Breasts and Morels Serves 4 as a main course Chicken and morels are beautifully matched, especially when served over pasta and accompanied with a dry white wine. 2 dozen fresh morels, sliced, or 2 ounces dried morels and 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup flour 4 single chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and pounded flat 5 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons oil 2 tablespoons brandy 1/4 cup beef broth 1/4 cup heavy cream (use the reserved cream if you have used dried morels) 1/2 teaspoon green peppercorns, crushed 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Salt and pepper If using dried morels, simmer them in the cream until soft, about 15 minutes. Do not allow to boil. Reserve the cream. Flour the chicken breasts lightly. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a sauté pan or skillet, and sauté the chicken quickly, about 3 minutes on each side, then remove to a heated pan. Deglaze the pan with brandy. Pour this over the chicken breasts. Place them in a preheated 250º oven while you prepare the sauce. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the same pan. Add the morels and cook until they become semi\-dry. Add the beef broth and cream and let it cook down into a sauce. Add the peppercorns, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Place the chicken breasts on a warm platter and cover with the sauce just before serving. \-\-Louise Freedman ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ROASTED PRAWNS with Morels and Morel Butter This recipe calls for giant 4 1/2\- to 5\-ounce prawns, which can be ordered from some specialty fish markets. If unavailable, substitute 24 large prawns. Ingredients 8 ounces fresh morel mushrooms or 2 ounces dried morel mushrooms\* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided 3/4 cup chopped divided 1 minced 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh 6 4 1/2\- to 5\-ounce uncooked giant prawns or 24 large prawns Directions Finely chop enough fresh morels or reconstituted morels to measure 1/2 cup (packed); reserve remaining morels. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup shallots and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add chopped morels and thyme; sauté 2 minutes. If using dried morels, add reserved soaking liquid to skillet, leaving any sediment behind. Increase heat; boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Transfer morel mixture to small bowl; cool. Mix remaining 7 tablespoons butter into morel mixture. Season lightly with salt and pepper. (Morel butter can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Using scissors, cut along back shell of each prawn all the way up to tail, exposing vein; pull out vein. Turn prawns over. Using small sharp knife and starting just below tail end, butterfly each prawn by cutting 1/4\-inch\-deep slit to opposite end. Place prawns, shell side down, on rimmed baking sheet. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill.) Preheat oven to 500°F. Melt 2 tablespoons morel butter in heavy large skillet over medium\-high heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup shallots; sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Add remaining whole fresh morels or reconstituted morels and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, spread 1 teaspoon morel butter over each giant prawn (or 1/4 teaspoon over each of 24 large prawns). Roast just until prawns are opaque in center, about 7 minutes for giant prawns or 4 minutes for large prawns. Top prawns with remaining morel butter, dividing equally. Return to oven just long enough to melt butter slightly, about 10 seconds. Transfer prawns to plates. Serve sautéed morels alongside. \*If using dried morels: Bring 3 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add dried morels. Remove from heat. Cover; let steep 1 hour. Using slotted spoon, transfer morels to bowl. Reserve soaking liquid. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I also do some other things with Morels but have no recipe, I just wing it~~~~ These are both served as appetizers Strudel with Morels and Brie... a basic morel filling with chunks of Brie (use leeks in the filling, if desired) Mini Quiche with Morels... Cream cheese pastry and basic quiche filling with chopped morels. Nancy

I found some morels on my property last year and made this. Now I am hoping to find some more so I can make it again...yes, it is THAT GOOD! Braised Chicken Thighs with Morels and Ramps in a White Wine Cream Sauce By Ramona Padovano Source: Marxfoods.com Serves 4-6 8 chicken thighs with bone and skin 2 Tablespoons olive oil 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter 8-10 morel mushrooms 1 bunch ramps, about a dozen, trimmed at each end and rough chopped (could sub scallions) 1 1/3 cup dry white wine 1 cup low sodium chicken broth 1 teaspoon dried marjoram 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 cup half and half or light cream Salt and pepper to taste Flour for dredging Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat a large dutch oven over high heat. Generously salt and pepper chicken thighs on both sides. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess. Add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to heated dutch oven. When the oil begins to shimmer, add chicken to the pan. Do not overcrowd the pan. Allow chicken to brown for 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a platter. Reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon butter to the dutch oven. Add morels and ramps. Sautee for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sautee for an additional minute. Transfer vegetables to the chicken platter. Increase heat to high and deglaze with white wine. Reduce to a strong simmer and allow wine to reduce by a third. Add chicke stock, thyme and marjoram. Return chicken and vegetables to braising vessel. Place dutch oven in lower third of the oven. Braise for 90 minutes. Remove chicken from the dutch oven, skim fat as needed with a large spoon, and add cream. Serve chicken with sauce over top. Linda