Morel of the Story: Mushroom hunters are our friends

My tastesbuds are so happy right now thanks to morel mushroom season!

Thankfully, I have a pal in Bistro 101's Mark Valaskey. He and I bonded after I had the chance to feature him in Madison Magazine's Sip and Savor. I think it's because we had the same camo phone case... but I digress.​

​Anyway, Mark promised to take me mushroom hunting this season but when he called I couldn't make it! However, I'm so glad he took Susan Siman -- she had never eaten a morel! She did an awesome story with him on Live at 4. They found a treasure trove of morels!!

PHOTO: Susan Siman and Mark Valaskey (Susan Siman FB page)

Mark was so kind to send morels to me! Susan brought them into the newsroom and I squealed! I am not kidding when I say I love them. My dad used to go morel hunting every year when I was a kid and I always looked forward to my mom rolling them in flour and putting them in the frying pan.

Mark says he'll be serving morels as an appetizer at Bistro 101 until they're all gone. In the meantime, you can also catch morels at the Muscoda mushroom festival! That is happening May 14th - 15th. 

With the morels Mark gave me, I made a creamy morel linguine for my husband Jim. Click through the slideshow to see the recipe!