The Morel — A History of Culinary Luxury

Morels have been prized in European cuisine for centuries.

In ancient Rome, the cookbook Apicius contains recipes for fungi farnei, traditionally identified as morels, prepared with ingredients such as garum, pepper, wine and oil.

Their reputation as a luxury ingredient continued into the great kitchens of 18th-century France. In Les Soupers de la Cour (1749), a cookbook devoted to the cuisine of “the best tables,” one recipe is simply titled “Morilles au Prince” — Morels for the Prince. The same work also records dried morels being kept for use beyond their short growing season.

Morels Today

Still one of the world's most coveted culinary mushrooms, morels are prized for their distinctive flavour, short spring season and scarcity.

These mushrooms have traditionally been wild-foraged… however, sophisticated techniques have been developed by mycologists around the world, and the morel can now be cultivated. Mykes positions itself to be among the first mushroom growers within the U.K. to grow morel mushrooms for the 2027 spring season on the island of Jersey. Please reach out through our contact form for enquiries and pre-orders of our fresh, local morel mushrooms.