Spring has sprung, which means it’s officially morel season. These relatively rare 'shrooms are one of the most highly prized foods in the world, and for good reason: It’s all but impossible to cultivate them, and therefore they must be foraged and found in the wild. But morels are well worth the effort—or premium price tag—as their uniquely smoky, buttery, nutty, and even sometimes sweet flavor is unparalleled.

Fortunately, foraging for these specific 'shrooms is fairly safe because they have a distinctive look. If you come across fungi with cone-shaped caps featuring sponge-like crevices, odds are good they’re morels. However, there is a mushhroom known as a false morel. This imposter is more red than brown, with a more shriveled-looking cap. Of course, if there’s any uncertainty in identifying your found treasures, it’s best to avoid eating them. (Better safe than sorry!)

If you’re not one for digging in the dirt and are instead planning to shop for morels, you’ll likely find one of a few main varieties at your local farmers’ market: Chinese morels; orchard morels from California; blonde morels from Oregon and Northern California; Turkish morels; and burn morels, which appear after forest fires and are the most common variety.

However you acquire them, it’s best to use morels within a few days of forage or purchase. Our friends at FreshCap suggest cutting the mushrooms in half and then soaking them in cool salt water to clean them. If you’re not ready to cook the fungi right away, you can store them loose in the refrigerator, but best to avoid any airtight bags or containers.

When you are ready to prepare your morels, options abound. Here are a few of our favorite recipes.