Too bad we don’t give out prizes, because you would qualify for something! Morels are indeed mushrooms, special mushrooms with an unusual shape. Instead of a cap, they have upright cone-shaped bodies, 2 to 4 inches high, which are distinctively pitted and resemble sponges.

Morels have resisted efforts at cultivation, and are generally available fresh only from April to June. They are also available (but hard to find) canned, and more widely available . The little bit of toxic acid they contain is destroyed by cooking, so they are not, not, not eaten raw. They are delicious and not inexpensive.