Foraging for fungi

Earthy and meaty, morel mushrooms are commonly considered more delicious than their brethren, even by those eaters who don’t normally enjoy mushrooms. And these fungi aren’t farmed on a mass scale, so you know that your morel was likely handpicked. Mushroomers forage for them in open pastures, searching for the telltale bulbous cap with a honeycomb texture. For first timers, it might be helpful to explore with an experienced guide, and Sacramento Area Mushroomers (sacmush.com) offers some info. Regardless, beware of “false morels,” lookalike mushrooms that can be toxic—unless, a la Phantom Thread, you’re into that sort of thing.