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I have been able to photograph for Las Fotos de los Lectores de La Vanguardia these specimens of murgoles, spring mushrooms that, despite the scarcity of water and the drought this year in Catalonia, have been seen, although there are very few of them.
They are also known as morchella, morels, cagarrias or morels. They are edible mushrooms, characterized by having reticulated-looking ascocarps. They are highly appreciated by French and Spanish gourmets.
Morels cannot be eaten raw due to their toxicity. Although it is considered an excellent food, it is prudent to cook it, throw away the water and add it already cooked to stews. Thus, some toxic principles that it carries are eliminated, although in small quantities.
Toxicities are also destroyed if they are allowed to dry by climbing and hanging them, with the advantage that in this way the mushroom improves its exquisite aroma.
It appears in very different places in spring, but especially in open places, cleared or burned forests and disturbed lands, and it does not usually appear in the same places from one year to the next.
Preferably we will find it under alders, poplars, elms and ash trees, but also in meadows and sandy pine forests. It is found from the coast to the Pyrenees.
