Morel, Morchella, Morchella Esculenta

Mycorrhizal

Habitat: Forests, orchards, yards, gardens and sometimes in recently burned areas.

Soil Preference: Preference for limestone base (alkaline) but also found in acid soils.

Tree Associations: Pine, Elm, Tulip, Sassafras, Beech, Ash, Sycamore, and Hickory.

Fruiting Season: Spring, February to July.

Preservation Techniques

Flash Frozen:

Running under cold water or putting them in a bucket to soak for a few minutes

Spread on a baking tray and placed into a freezer

After freezing, they keep very well with the frozen glaze for a long time in airtight plastic containers. However, when thawed they can sometimes turn slightly mushy, so they are best frozen after steaming or frying.

Due to their natural porosity, morels may contain trace amounts of soil which cannot be easily washed out. Any visible soil should be removed with a brush, after cutting the body in half lengthwise, if needed. Mushroom hunters sometimes recommend soaking morels in a bowl of salt water briefly prior to cooking, although many chefs would disagree.

Drying:

Good for long-term storage and any insect larvae which might be present in the fruit bodies usually drop out during the drying process.

Dried morels can then be reconstituted by soaking for 10–20 minutes in warm water or milk, and the soaking liquid can be used as stock.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morchella