On The Hunt For The Elusive Morel Mushroom In Ohio's Appalachian Country
It's early spring in southeastern Ohio. Foodies and opportunists are starting to scour the trails for morels. But finding the tiny, wrinkled gems requires perfect weather, patience and a little luck.
Even now, 10 years later, park ranger Andrea Moore remembers the familiar smell in the air that told her it was going to be a good hunt — a damp, sweet smell. It was a mix of rotting bark with an undercurrent of rebirth as trees begin to grow new leaves, while dead ones still litter the terrain.
There were other signs, too. The ground was moist, squishing as she walked, unusual for this late in the season. Trekking 7-miles deep into the forest to reach the spot their scout claimed was ripe for hunting, she felt a
