2017-07-12 Igor Novitsky

Those who studied well at school remember that mushrooms are a separate group of living organisms that do not belong to either plants or animals. Although there are many varieties of mushrooms, the average person associates the term “mushrooms” almost exclusively with wild mushrooms. Among them there are many edible species that form an important part of the Russian culinary tradition.

Nutritional value of edible mushrooms

Mushrooms are neither plants nor animals, and therefore their taste has nothing in common with either plant foods or meat. Edible mushrooms have their own unique taste, which is called “mushroom”. By nutritional value they are more closely related to meat than to plants. Mushrooms are rich in protein, carbohydrates and various microelements. They also contain special enzymes that promote digestion and better absorption of nutrients.

If we do not take into account the general taxonomic classification of all mushrooms in general, then the unified world classification edible mushrooms does not exist. This is due not only to differences in culinary traditions among different peoples, but also to the climatic characteristics of individual countries that influence species composition mushrooms in a specific region. In addition, the names of edible mushrooms usually combine several individual species with different external characteristics, which also complicates the classification.

In Russia, they mainly use the Soviet scale of nutritional value for edible mushrooms, according to which all types are divided into four categories:

1. The first category includes types of edible mushrooms that have maximum value and a rich, rich taste. For example, boletus, yellow milk mushroom, real saffron milk cap.
2. The second category includes slightly less tasty mushrooms with significantly less nutritional value - boletus, boletus, champignons.
3. The third category includes edible mushrooms Russia with mediocre taste and mediocre nutritional value - green flywheel, russula, honey fungus.
4. The fourth category is mushrooms with minimal nutritional value and questionable taste. These are, for example, variegated moss mushroom, puffball, oyster mushroom.

• Edible mushrooms. They do not require mandatory temperature treatment and are theoretically suitable for consumption even in raw form without any risk.
• Conditionally edible mushrooms. This category includes mushrooms that are not suitable for consumption raw due to toxins or unpleasant taste, but are edible after special processing (boiling, soaking, drying, etc.) This also includes mushrooms that are edible only at a young age, or that can cause poisoning in combination with other products (for example, dung mushroom should not be consumed with alcohol).
• Inedible mushrooms. They are completely safe for the human body, but due to poor taste, hard pulp or other reasons, they are not of culinary interest. Often in other countries they are described as edible mushrooms or conditionally edible.
• Poisonous mushrooms. This group includes those types of mushrooms from which it is impossible to remove toxins at home, and therefore their consumption as food is extremely dangerous.

For Russians, mushrooms are not only tasty dish, always relevant as on festive table, and in weekdays. Mushroom hunting is also a favorite leisure activity for many people. fresh air. Unfortunately, most city dwellers and even many villagers have forgotten the centuries-old experience of their ancestors and are completely unable to determine which mushrooms are edible and which are not. That is why every year dozens and even hundreds of inexperienced mushroom pickers throughout Russia die from poisoning by poisonous mushrooms, mistaking them for edible ones.

It’s worth noting right away that there are no single universal rules on how to distinguish edible mushrooms from their poisonous counterparts. Each type of mushroom has its own patterns, which often do not apply to other species. For this reason, you should adhere to the general rules of conduct recommended by experts.

So, if, looking at a fly agaric, you are not entirely sure whether the mushroom in front of you is edible, then before you go on a “quiet hunt”, listen to the following recommendations:

• If possible, take an experienced mushroom picker with you to supervise the mushroom picking process. Alternatively, the “trophies” can be shown to him for control after returning from the forest.
• Study as thoroughly as possible one or two (no more!) types of the most common edible mushrooms in your region. Moreover, it is advisable to find out what edible mushrooms look like by seeing them in person, and not on a monitor screen. Memorize well their differences from all possible doubles. When you go to the forest, collect only these mushrooms that you are familiar with and no others.
• Do not take mushrooms that cause you the slightest doubt about their species.
• Having discovered a “family” of mushrooms, take a closer look at the largest specimens. Firstly, it is easier to determine the species from them, and secondly, if they are wormy, then the mushrooms are edible. There are no worms in deadly poisonous mushrooms. True, they can easily end up in falsely edible mushrooms with an average level of toxicity.
• Until you gain experience, collect only tubular mushrooms - porcini, boletus, boletus, boletus. There are very few poisonous mushrooms in this group, which cannot be said about the lamellar varieties of edible mushrooms.
• Never taste raw mushrooms. He won't tell you anything, but if you come across a poisonous mushroom, you can easily get poisoned.

The most common mushrooms are edible and inedible

Porcini, or boletus - best representative a group of definitely edible mushrooms of the first nutritional category. Although it has a fairly characteristic appearance by which it is easily recognized, the boletus has an inedible twin - the gall mushroom or mustard. Edible porcini mushrooms can be identified by their thick cylindrical stem and reddish-brown cap. The flesh of the boletus always remains white, while the gall mushroom is distinguished by the fact that when broken, its flesh acquires a pink tint, and the mushroom itself is very bitter.

Red boletus is also a very popular edible forest mushroom among Russians. They have a dense brown-red cap. They can be easily distinguished from other mushrooms by their pulp, which quickly turns blue at the cut site. Despite the name, they can grow not only next to aspens, but also with other deciduous trees (never next to conifers). But for safety, it is better to collect such mushrooms only under aspen and poplar trees. However, it is quite difficult to confuse boletus with other mushrooms, since it does not have false doubles.

Maslyata are very loved and popular in Russia. They can be recognized by the yellow color of the stem, and the cap is covered with a sticky brown skin that can be easily removed with a knife. Under the cap is a characteristic tubular structure. As a rule, when they talk about edible tubular mushrooms, they mean butter mushrooms. Adult mushrooms are almost always rich in worms, which is also a good sign.

Chanterelles have a rather unusual appearance, which makes them easy to identify among other edible mushrooms in the forest. However, they have a very similar double, which you identify by a more saturated orange hue (the edible mushroom is lighter), a hollow stalk (the real one is dense and solid) and white discharge on the broken cap.

Honey mushrooms are edible mushrooms known for their characteristic rich taste. Since in fact, several types of mushrooms are called honey mushrooms at once, it is sometimes difficult to give them a single description. For safety, it is recommended to collect only those honey mushrooms that grow exclusively in the roots, on stumps and on fallen trunks. They have ocher-colored caps with scales on them and a white ring on the stem. False honey mushrooms are also several types of mushrooms. Honey mushrooms should be avoided if they grow on the ground; their cap is yellow or brownish-red and lacks scales. While the cap of real honey mushrooms is equipped with whitish plates, those of false honey mushrooms are olive, dark gray or brownish. Also, there is no ring on the leg of the honey fungus.

Russulas are widespread edible mushrooms in the middle zone. This name is used for several species at once, the differences of which from inedible relatives lie in the presence of easily removable skin on the caps.

We have already noted earlier that, for safety, a novice mushroom picker should limit himself to a detailed study of one or two edible mushrooms, for which he goes into the forest. But information about edible mushrooms is not all you need to know. You should also read the description of the main most common poisonous mushrooms, which you will probably encounter during a “quiet hunt”.

Of the one and a half hundred poisonous mushrooms found in Russia, only a few species are deadly poisonous. The rest cause either food poisoning or lead to disorders nervous system. But since this can hardly be considered a mitigating circumstance, every mushroom picker should know how to distinguish edible mushrooms from inedible ones. And this is impossible without good knowledge actually poisonous mushrooms.

Statistics show that most often Russians are poisoned by toadstool. This is one of the most poisonous and at the same time most widespread mushrooms in the country. Inexperienced mushroom pickers mistake it for champignons, russula and other edible lamellar mushrooms. The toadstool can be recognized by the yellow-brown, dirty green, light olive and often snow-white (young mushrooms) color of the caps. Usually the center of the cap is a little darker and lighter at the edge. On the underside of the cap there are white soft plates. There is a ring on the leg.

False honey fungus can be found on the roots and stumps of trees, which is why beginners confuse it with real honey fungus and other edible mushrooms on trees. The mushroom causes food poisoning and is therefore not as dangerous as toadstool. It can be distinguished from real honey mushrooms by its color (not brown, but light orange or yellowish) and the absence of a ring on the stem (real honey mushrooms have it right under the cap).

Amanita mushrooms in our minds are synonymous with poisonous mushrooms. At the same time, an ordinary city dweller imagines a typical picture - a large fleshy mushroom with a bright red cap with white speckles and a white stem. In fact, only one of more than 600 species of fly agarics looks like this. By the way, the pale grebe formally also refers to fly agarics. So, in addition to the well-known red fly agaric and toadstool, you should also be wary of the green fly agaric, stinking fly agaric, panther fly agaric and white fly agaric. Externally, some of them are very similar to edible mushrooms in September. The probability of meeting them in the forest is quite high.

The satanic mushroom is found mainly in the south and Primorye. It is toxic, although it rarely causes death. The mushroom is quite large, has irregular shape a hat and a massive leg. The leg can have different shades of red. The color of the cap also varies: mushrooms with a white, dirty gray or olive cap are most often found. Sometimes it can be very similar to some edible mushrooms of the Primorsky Territory, in particular the boletus mushroom.

Thin mushroom is a harmful, although not deadly, mushroom. For a long time, experts did not have a consensus on whether the pig mushroom is edible or not. Only about 30 years ago it was finally removed from the list of edibles, as it was proven that it destroys the kidneys and causes food poisoning. It can be recognized by its fleshy, flattened cap with a curved edge. Young individuals have an olive-colored cap, while older individuals are gray-brown or rusty-brown. The stem is olive or gray-yellow and slightly lighter than the cap, or similar in color.

Edible mushrooms of Siberia, the Urals, the Russian North, in general, the entire taiga zone of our country. Taiga mushrooms, which we all love to hunt, because going for mushrooms is a quiet hunt that does not require shooting. Every autumn, crowds of people go to the taiga and collect boxes full of various edible mushrooms. Mushrooms are a very nutritious food, although due to some of their characteristics, not all nutrients can be absorbed by our body. Mushrooms contain many essential amino acids, but many of them are not absorbed due to their chitinous shells, which do not dissolve in gastric juice. However, not all mushrooms are like this. And even if sometimes we don’t get as much benefit as we would like, we still can’t resist such an autumn delicacy. So:

White mushrooms of Siberia

Or Volzhanka, as it is popularly called, prefers to grow in birch forests or mixed ones in well-lit areas among grass. It forms mycorrhiza with birch, mainly with aged trees. Sometimes found in wetter places. A good harvest of these mushrooms can be collected in the forests of the northern climate zone. Usually grows in groups, but single individuals are also found.
The most favorable period for hunting for tremors begins at the end of July and lasts until the first half of September, although you can find this mushroom in June and October. The appearance of this mushroom looks like this:

• The cap is funnel-shaped, with a well-pressed center; as the mushroom matures, it takes on a flatter shape. The edges are turned down, and the surface is covered with thick, dense fibers arranged in the shape of concentric circles. The edge of the cap is well pubescent. The color is pink-orange, slightly reddish; in the sun the skin fades and becomes pale pink or whitish. The diameter rarely exceeds 10 cm, however, there are specimens with large cap sizes (up to 15 cm);
• the leg is short, up to 6 cm high and up to 2 cm thick, in the shape of a cylinder tapering towards the base or smooth, covered with fluff. It is very dense, but in adult mushrooms a cavity forms inside it. There are sometimes small pits on the outside. Surface color is pinkish;
• the flesh is fragile (in young mushrooms it is denser), cream or white in color; when damaged, it abundantly secretes white milky juice, which has a pungent taste and emits a light resinous aroma. At a break, when in contact with air, its shade does not change;
• the plates are frequent and narrow, descending along the stalk, of a whitish hue. There are also small intermediate plates;
• The spores are white.

Russula

How many are there? The name is the same, but they differ greatly in color. Lots of variety. The cap of all russula is covered with a film, and this mushroom is distinguished by the color of the film. But no matter what color the cap is, the flesh of the russula, like a porcini mushroom, always remains sugar-white. This is the most important difference and sign of a delicate mushroom called russula. Another common name for the mushroom is bruise. It grows everywhere in the Urals and Siberia. Scaly or greenish russula (R. virescens), green russula (R. aeruginea) and their analogues have a dangerous poisonous counterpart - the toadstool. The fruiting period of these mushrooms coincides, they grow the same in mixed and deciduous forests, and even look similar in appearance with snow-white legs and plates, as well as grass-green or gray-green caps. Therefore, when collecting green-capped russula, they cannot be “tested on the tongue”, and “falsehood” cannot be determined by other typical characteristics of the toadstool. external signs- presence of a ring and a volva on the leg.

Gruzd

There is parchment, yellow, black, but this milk mushroom is dry. The cap is funnel-shaped on top, while the cap of the young mushroom is flat. The plates under the cap are frequent, the stem is dense, the same color as the cap; the pulp is brittle. Dry milk mushrooms have long been valued in Russian cuisine for their taste and aroma. One of the most popular edible mushrooms in Siberia, the Urals and the East European Plain. Dry milk mushrooms are common in coniferous and mixed forests. This species is called Russula delica, or podgrudok. In essence, it is a genus of russula. Real milk mushrooms are rare inhabitants of forests, they are much more difficult to find, they have a bitter milky juice. And the so-called dry milk mushrooms grow from July to October in birch groves, pine and coniferous forests, and their quantity can be simply incredible. It is very easy to detect these strong white creatures in the dry, dark soil of coniferous forests. The defenseless white color stands out against the dark background of the earth and fallen pine needles. But among the grass, the search becomes more complicated: you need to carefully look at each tubercle. Dry breast has a white smooth surface. In young fruiting bodies it has a slight bluish tint; the blue color is even more noticeable with reverse side mushroom. The diameter of the cap can reach 20 cm, while at first the shape is always convex with a small hole in the center, the edges are turned down. The older the dry milk mushroom (photo below), the more the cap opens, cracks in dry weather, rainy summer it is sure to be eaten away by slugs and flies. Over time, yellow and brown spots appear over the entire surface. Dry milk mushrooms - lamellar mushrooms, with white dense flesh, without a pronounced taste or smell

Chanterelle

The mushroom is edible; culinary experts undeservedly included it in the third category. The fox got its name because of its yellow color. The fungus is like an egg yolk, and when there are a lot of them, it’s like a living omelette frozen on the grass. Take a closer look at them and see how the delicate yellow folds of the plates fancifully branch out all the way to the ground along the tapering stem. The sinuous and raked edges of the corrugated caps are beautiful. deserve not only the attention of mushroom pickers, but also respect. Chanterelles are always growing large families, sometimes occupying entire clearings. When young, the mushrooms are convex, quite neat, aligned, sometimes arranged in rows. The more “older” ones have a high leg, an even cap, they are fleshy, dense - the joy of a mushroom picker. But the smell of chanterelles is especially pleasant; it is typical for this type of mushroom, and it certainly cannot be confused with any other. Some mushroom pickers, praising mushrooms, describe this smell as a mixture of steamed birch leaves and mint.

With age, only one thing changes in chanterelles: their elastic young body acquires a more rubbery structure, especially in dry weather, and becomes flabby in damp weather. Towards the end of summer, the cap of the mushroom takes the shape of a funnel, the edges of which often become uneven, as if torn.

Sometimes a mushroom picker wanders through the forest for a long time, especially if the weather is dry, looks at fallen trees, stirs up old leaves and suddenly comes out into a clearing strewn with chanterelles; even in dry times you can profit from these mushrooms by picking up quite a lot of them.

The first chanterelles, depending on the area, do not appear at the same time, some a little earlier, others a little later, but already now, at the beginning of July, they are definitely there in the forest. Heaps, stripes, circles are the favorite placement options for fox families. By the way, you can collect chanterelles not only in baskets, but also in buckets, bags, backpacks, this is the only type of non-fragile mushroom, and even the most productive species, in any area, especially if there is enough moisture in the soil, chanterelles make up about a quarter of all mushrooms of mixed forests.

Raincoat

- There is such a mushroom. It, unlike others, has a completely closed fruiting body, within which numerous spores are formed. There are no poisonous raincoats among them. If they are called that, it means they always appear after rain. Young fruiting bodies puffballs are edible. They are tasty and nutritious when fried, in broths and soups. When dried and cooked, they retain their white color. In terms of protein content, they are superior even to porcini mushrooms.

Valuy

Other names: bull, weeping mushroom And . This taiga mushroom is easy to recognize. The hat of young Valuevs is like a small slippery ball, and those of older ones spread out with a flat roof. Some mushroom pickers do not collect valui, because if they do it, the basket will fill up very quickly. But why disdain these edible mushrooms, although they belong to the third category? So, mushroom pickers need to know that the goby is very tasty in pickling, when there is only one there, i.e. without admixtures of other taiga mushrooms. Best time collecting values ​​when they are born in herds. And there is no need to be afraid of the acrid taste of raw mushroom; it completely disappears when pickled. But it is better to salt the valui in a hot way, i.e. Boil for 10 minutes before salting.

Champignon

Light gray mushroom. The most popular and widespread mushroom in the world. In nature they grow: in places with wet soil; on soil with a large amount of natural fertilizers; on lands rich in compost. In Russia, they can be found not far from human habitation, in the forest, in the meadow, in a forest clearing. The variety of species is so wide that it sometimes surprises even experienced mushroom pickers. The most common is the common meadow, which can be bought in any store and is successfully grown in a mushroom farm. All types of champignons are somewhat similar, but they also have noticeable differences. Meadow, or ordinary - mushroom white, having a rounded cap, the edges of which are curved inward and pressed against the stem. Its weight ranges from 10 to 150 g. Meadow champignon is unpretentious and is able to grow near people’s homes, especially in rural areas. The cap changes shape as the mushroom grows. It retains its convexity, but becomes increasingly flatter. The plates underneath are loose, thin and wide. They are pinkish in color and gradually acquire a brown tint. The color of the cap itself is white, with grayish scales in the middle. There are meadow species with white-pink or gray caps, the surface of which is soft and silky to the touch.

The stem of this mushroom is dense, fibrous, and quite wide. Its diameter reaches 1-3 cm. The height of the leg is 3-10 cm. It is smooth, widened at the base. While the mushroom is young, its cap is connected to the stem by a white blanket, but over time this connection disappears, and a thin white ring remains. It may persist or completely disappear with the growth of the fungus.

A distinctive feature is its pulp, or more precisely, its color. Dense, white, when scrapped it changes, becoming pinkish. These mushrooms have a rather strong and pleasant mushroom aroma. Not just edible, but very tasty, meadow champignons are used to prepare a wide variety of dishes and are even eaten raw. You can distinguish edible champignons from similar poisonous mushrooms by their plates. In champignons they are dark in color, while in poisonous mushrooms they are light, sometimes yellowish. According to their own dietary properties inferior in caloric content to many of the mushrooms presented above.

The forest areas of Russia are very rich in mushrooms, and residents do not miss the opportunity to take advantage of this gift of nature. Traditionally, they are fried, pickled or dried. But the danger lies in the fact that many poisonous species skillfully disguise themselves as edible mushrooms. This is why it is important to know the characteristics of the varieties that are approved for consumption.

Mushrooms are not only tasty, but also very healthy food. They contain substances such as salts, glycogen, carbohydrates, as well as vitamins of groups A, B, C, D. If the mushrooms are young, then they also contain many microelements: calcium, zinc, iron, iodine. Their intake has a beneficial effect on the body's metabolic processes, increasing appetite, functioning of the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.

In fact, there are no exact criteria by which one can distinguish safe mushrooms from poisonous ones. Only existing knowledge about the appearance, characteristics and names of each species can help in this matter.

Characteristics of edible mushrooms

General criteria for edible mushrooms include:

• No sharp bitter smell or taste;
• They are not characterized by very bright and catchy colors;
• Typically the inner flesh is light in color;
• Most often they do not have a ring on the stem.

But all these signs are only averaged, and may have exceptions. For example, one of the most poisonous representatives white toadstool also has no pungent odor at all and its flesh is light.

One more important point in this matter is the area of ​​growth. Usually edible species grow away from their dangerous doubles. Therefore, a proven harvest location can significantly reduce the risk of encountering poisonous mushrooms.

Common Misconceptions

There are many popular signs and non-standard ways of determining the safety of mushrooms. Here are the most common misconceptions:

• Silver spoon. It is believed that it should darken upon contact with an inedible mushroom;
• Onion and garlic. They are added to the mushroom broth and if they darken, it means there is a poisonous species in the pan. It is not true;
• Milk. Some people believe that when a mushroom that is dangerous to humans is placed in milk, it will definitely turn sour. Another myth;
• Worms and larvae. If they eat certain types of mushrooms, then they are edible. But in fact, some species edible by worms can harm human health.

And another common myth is that all young mushrooms are edible. But this is not true either. Many species are dangerous at any age.

Expanded list of edible mushrooms and their descriptions

In order to indicate the names of all edible mushrooms and give them descriptions, you will need a whole book, since there are a huge number of their varieties. But more often than not, people opt for the most famous, trustworthy species, leaving dubious representatives to professional mushroom pickers.

It is also known as boletus. This mushroom has earned popularity due to its nutritional value and aromatic taste. It is suitable for any type of processing: frying, boiling, drying, salting.

The porcini mushroom is characterized by a thick light stalk and a large tubular cap, whose diameter can reach 20 cm. Most often it has a brown, brown or red color. At the same time, it is completely heterogeneous: the edge is usually lighter than the center. As the mushroom ages, the lower part of the cap changes color from white to yellow-green. You can see a mesh pattern on the leg.

The inner pulp has a dense consistency and its taste resembles a nut. When cut, its color does not change.

Ryzhik

Very high in calories and nutritious. Great for pickling and salting. You can use other types of treatment, but it is better not to dry it. Characterized by a high degree of digestibility.

The main feature of saffron milk caps is their bright orange color. Moreover, the color is characteristic of all parts of the mushroom: the stem, cap and even the pulp. The cap is plate-shaped and has a depression in the center. The color is not uniform: the red color is diluted with dark gray spots. The plates are frequent. If you cut the mushroom, the flesh changes color to green or brown.

boletus

A common species, which, as the name suggests, prefers to grow near a cluster of birch trees. Ideal fried or boiled.

The boletus has a cylindrical light leg covered with dark scales. It feels quite fibrous to the touch. Inside there is light flesh with a dense consistency. It may turn slightly pink when cut. The hat is small, similar to a gray or brownish-brown pad. There are white tubes at the bottom.

Boletus

A beloved nutritious mushroom that grows in temperate zones.

It is not difficult to recognize it: its plump leg widens towards the bottom and is covered with many small scales. The cap is hemispherical, but over time it acquires a flatter shape. It can be red-brown or white-brown in color. The lower tubes are close to a dirty gray shade. When cut, the inner flesh changes color. It can turn blue, black, purple or red.

Butter

Small mushrooms that are most often used for pickling. They grow in the northern hemisphere.

Their cap is usually smooth and in rare cases fibrous. It is covered with a mucous film on top, so it may feel sticky to the touch. The leg is also mostly smooth, sometimes with a ring.

This type definitely requires pre-cleaning before cooking, but the skin usually comes off easily.

Chanterelles

One of the earliest spring representatives of mushrooms. Whole families grow up.

The hat is not standard view. Initially it is flat, but over time it takes the shape of a funnel with a depression in the center. All parts of the mushroom are colored light orange. The white pulp is dense in consistency, pleasant to the taste, but not at all nutritious.

Mosswort

A tasty mushroom that can be found in temperate latitudes. Its most common types are:

• Green. Characterized by a gray-olive cap, yellow fibrous stem and dense light flesh;
• Bolotny. Looks like a boletus. The color is predominantly yellow. When cut, the flesh turns blue;
• Yellow-brown. The yellow cap takes on a reddish tint with age. The leg is also yellow, but has a darker color at the base.

Suitable for all types of preparation and processing.

Russula

Quite large mushrooms growing in Siberia, Far East and the European part Russian Federation.

Hats can have different colors: yellow, red, green and even blue. It is believed that it is best to eat representatives with the least amount of red pigment. The cap itself is round with a small depression in the center. The plates are usually white, yellow or beige. The skin on the cap can be easily removed or come off only along the edge. The leg is not high, mostly white.

Honey mushrooms

Popular edible mushrooms that grow in large groups. They prefer to grow on tree trunks and stumps.

Their hats are usually not large, their diameter reaches 13 cm. In color they can be yellow, gray-yellow, beige-brown. The shape is most often flat, but in some species they are spherical. The leg is elastic, cylindrical, sometimes has a ring.

Raincoat

This species prefers coniferous and deciduous forests.

The body of the mushroom is white or gray-white in color, sometimes covered with small needles. It can reach a height of 10 cm. The inner flesh is initially white, but over time it begins to darken. It has a pronounced pleasant aroma. If the flesh of the mushroom has already darkened, then you should not eat it.

Ryadovka

It has a fleshy convex cap with a smooth surface. The inner pulp is denser with a pronounced odor. The leg is cylindrical, widening towards the bottom. It reaches a height of 8 cm. Depending on the species, the color of the mushroom can be purple, brown, gray-brown, ashy and sometimes purple.

You can recognize it by its cushion-shaped cap of brown or brown color. The surface is slightly rough to the touch. The lower tubes have a yellow tint, which turns blue when pressed. The same thing happens with the pulp. The stem is cylindrical and has a heterogeneous color: darker on top, lighter below.

Dubovik

A tubular edible mushroom that grows in sparse forests.

The cap is quite large, growing up to 20 cm in diameter. In structure and shape it is fleshy and hemispherical. The color is usually dark brown or yellow. Inner pulp lemon color, but when cut it turns significantly blue. The tall leg is thick, cylindrical, yellow color. It usually has a darker color towards the bottom.

Oyster mushrooms

It is characterized by a funnel-shaped cap, up to 23 cm in diameter. Depending on the type, the color can be light, closer to white, and gray. The surface is slightly matte to the touch and the edges are very thin. The light legs of oyster mushrooms are very short, rarely reaching 2.5 cm. The flesh is fleshy, light, with a pleasant aroma. The plates are wide, their color can vary from white to gray.

Champignon

Very popular edible mushrooms due to their pleasant taste and high nutritional value. Their description and characteristics are familiar not only to mushroom pickers.

These mushrooms are familiar to everyone for their white color with a slight grayish tint. The hat is spherical with a downward curved edge. The leg is not high, dense in structure.

They are most often used for cooking, but are used extremely rarely for pickling.

Conditionally edible mushrooms

The edibility of mushrooms in the forest may be conditional. This means that such species can be eaten only after a certain type of processing. Otherwise, they may harm human health.

Processing involves a thermal process. But if some types need to be boiled several times, then for others, soaking in water and frying is enough.

Such representatives of conditionally edible mushrooms include: true milk mushroom, green row, purple cobweb, winter honey fungus, common scale.

Top 10 most delicious mushrooms from the magazine "site"

Wandering through the forest in search of delicious mushrooms - what could be more wonderful on a sunny autumn day? But which mushrooms are the most delicious, and therefore the most desirable, in a mushroom picker’s basket? It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. Some people like fried mushrooms, some like pickled mushrooms, some like salted mushrooms. The main thing is to collect the gifts of the forest carefully, avoiding poisonous specimens, cook them correctly and with love, and then these dishes will turn out incredibly tasty. And now about which mushrooms are best to choose for your culinary masterpieces.

Porcini mushrooms (other names: boletus, ladybug) are considered the most delicious and valuable forest inhabitants. After drying and heat treatment, they do not turn brown or black, like many other mushrooms, retaining their beautiful white color, hence the name. Boletus mushrooms have a wonderful taste, bright aroma, and are valued for their high nutritional value and abundance of nutrients. Dishes made from them are especially popular in French, Italian and Russian cuisine. Properly cooked porcini mushrooms are a real delicacy. They are delicious boiled, stewed, fried and baked. Boletus mushrooms are frozen, dried, salted and pickled. Dried mushrooms make incredibly aromatic sauces, soups and casseroles.

Boletus mushrooms are excellent mushrooms. They are inferior to their close relatives, boletus mushrooms, only in that they darken with any treatment. True, this does not affect the taste. Of all the relatives (four species of these noble mushrooms are known), the most valuable and most delicious is the common boletus. It has all the advantages forest mushrooms: has an excellent taste and pleasant aroma, suitable for drying, good for pickling, ideal for frying. Gourmets do not like the hard legs of boletus mushrooms, but they adore the caps. Boletus mushrooms go best with buckwheat, lentils, pearl barley, potatoes and cabbage. Noble bouquets of aromas are obtained by combining them with other mushrooms - boletus, chanterelles and boletus.

Like boletus mushrooms, these mushrooms darken when cut, but in terms of taste they are equal to boletus mushrooms. Behind bright color caps, they are often called red mushrooms, and the first name is due to the fact that they grow near aspen trees. The uniqueness of these mushrooms is that they cannot be confused with any others; they are not like anyone else. All types of boletus - white, yellow-brown and red - are edible and have a similar taste. These mushrooms are used in cooking, frying, and pickling. True, they deteriorate very quickly, so they require immediate processing after collection. But boletuses are very pliable, forgive culinary mistakes, can be combined with a variety of products, and can be used to cook delicious snacks, salads and soups, they go well with potatoes, buckwheat, rice and cabbage.

Mushrooms that appear mainly on stumps (which owes their name) every year in the same places, grow in large colonies (having found one family, you can fill a basket to the top), and do not break during transportation - the desired prey of any mushroom picker. But honey mushrooms also have other advantages: these mushrooms are very healthy and incredibly tasty, especially when pickled. True, fried mushrooms also taste wonderful. In Rus', honey mushrooms have always been a desirable dish on the table. In old cookbooks you can find hundreds of recipes that contain these mushrooms. In addition to autumn honey mushrooms, there are other varieties - winter honey fungus, summer honey fungus and meadow honey fungus (clove mushroom); the latter has a very pleasant almond-like aroma.

Saffron milk caps (pine and spruce) are one of the most valuable and tasty mushrooms found in Russian forests. Such a kind, affectionate and gentle name was given to them for their beautiful color and wonderful taste. The bright orange milky juice that appears when the pulp is cut has an aroma that is reminiscent of the smell of pine nuts mixed with the aroma of pine bark. Even after salting, the bright orange color remains. Collecting these noble lamellar mushrooms is a pleasure, as they grow in large families. Ryzhiki do not lose their quality when dried; they are good in marinade, after pickling and fermentation. Fresh mushrooms make an incredibly tasty roast. And salted saffron milk caps can compete with the most delicious appetizers; their nutritional value is equal to that of beef.

Once upon a time, these mushrooms were considered a rare and expensive delicacy, an exquisite delicacy intended for the elite. Today champignons are the most common and popular mushrooms in the world, one of the first to be cultivated. Champignons are valued for their unpretentiousness, numerous beneficial features, excellent taste and aroma. They are used in a huge number of dishes, and gourmets enjoy eating champignons raw. The most delicious mushrooms are grilled and cooked in clay pots. Champignons make excellent sauces and gravies, delicious soups and soufflé. Baked goods also benefit from their presence - mushroom pies, pizza, pies. A wonderful dish is stuffed champignons, because the filling for the caps can be prepared from your favorite products.

Oyster mushrooms (as oyster mushrooms are called in the USA and Western Europe) can be found in any supermarket today. But in Southeast Asia, Canada and the USA, these mushrooms are considered an exquisite delicacy. In Asian countries, they are used to make sauces, savory snacks and stuffing for dumplings, served with rice, added to noodles, cooked in oil and marinated. Oyster mushrooms are unpretentious, their composition is similar to meat, their taste is very pleasant, with notes of anise, almonds and rye bread. Oyster mushrooms love onions and go well with zucchini, eggplant, carrots, potatoes and cabbage. If you cook vegetables and mushrooms separately and then combine them, you will get a very appetizing dish. Oyster mushrooms are good as a filling for puff pastries and homemade pizza. You can also make delicious borscht from these mushrooms.

Among forest mushrooms, the common chanterelle is one of the most popular. It is valued for the fact that it is almost never wormy and does not break at all. When cooking these mushrooms, similar in color to the color of fox fur (hence the name), it is recommended to cut them as finely as possible in order to get the maximum benefit from the finished dishes; Chanterelles are less digestible than other mushrooms. They can be prepared in different ways: boiled, pickled, dried, but the most delicious are fried chanterelles; there are countless recipes for this simple dish. Chanterelle sauces are amazingly tasty; they can be served with any side dishes - rice, potatoes, pasta, buckwheat and other cereals.

Butterflies are among the most common mushrooms throughout the northern hemisphere. These forest inhabitants owe their name to the oily cap. The British have a very funny name for the oiler – Slippery Jack. Granular oiler, late oiler and deciduous oiler are all edible. Young and small mushrooms are most often pickled. This cold appetizer in many homes it is associated with a cozy family feast, with the New Year and Christmas holidays. Each housewife has her own recipe for this delicacy. With pickled or salted boletus, the results are very delicious salads. These mushrooms are rarely dried; after such treatment they become brittle. Butternuts are delicious when fried; they are often added to main dishes to add a mushroom flavor.

10. Milk mushrooms
In the large family of these mushrooms, the most common types are white, black and yellow milk mushrooms. A glorious prey for every mushroom picker is white milk mushrooms. When salted, they acquire an original bluish tint, and the taste of these mushrooms is simply finger-licking! There are many recipes in Russian cuisine using milk mushrooms. Ever since Kievan Rus this mushroom was considered a valuable commercial product. Milk mushrooms are added to salads with sauerkraut, herring, peas, they prepare okroshka, soup, goulash, and roast. Any gourmet will be captivated by milk mushrooms baked with poultry. These mushrooms also make incomparable pickles. No less popular are milk mushrooms marinated with spices - bay leaf, cloves, allspice.

To understand which mushrooms are the most delicious, you need to cook them - in the oven, on the grill and in a frying pan, with vegetables, meat and fish, with spices, herbs and sour cream. Any mushrooms are a limitless field for culinary experiments. And special dishes are only those in which a piece of the soul of their creator lives. Happy cooking and delicious mushrooms!

You don't have to wait until late summer to harvest edible mushrooms. Many delicious species inhabit the forest from June, and especially early ones - from spring. Knowing the types of some edible mushrooms will help distinguish them from dangerous ones.

Mushrooms that appear the earliest, when properly prepared, are no less tasty than those collected in summer and autumn. The main thing is to distinguish them from poisonous species, which also grow immediately after the snow melts.

Morels

They appear in areas well warmed by the sun's rays. Their cap is dotted with folds and indentations, which gives the morel a wrinkled appearance. The mushroom has several common varieties, so the shape of the cap may vary: be pear-shaped, elongated, conical.

Podabrikosovik

Scientific name: roseoplate thyroid. It has a brown stem and cap. The diameter of the latter ranges from 1 to 10 cm. The pleasant-tasting white pulp is traditionally used in canning. Grows in gardens and wild apricot groves.

Podabrikosovik

Oyster mushrooms

They grow in a suspended state on stumps, attached to them with a thin stalk. The color of the cap, which often grows up to 30 cm in diameter, varies from snow-white to brown. Oyster mushrooms usually form whole flocks, which makes them easier to collect.

Meadow mushrooms

These are thin lamellar mushrooms, appearing in May in clearings and forest edges in the form of “witch’s rings.” The diameter of the chestnut cap is very small: less than 4 cm.

Meadow mushrooms

Champignon

These valuable inhabitants forests appear in mid-May in regions with warm climates, choosing well-lit open spaces. The spherical cap is painted white, and the leg may have beige shades. Widely used in cooking, including for preparing gourmet dishes.

Gallery: edible mushrooms (25 photos)

boletus

They appear everywhere at the end of May. This is a cap mushroom that loves the sun. Boletus mushrooms usually grow in “families” around trees. Their hemispherical cap can be either white or dark brown, depending on the age of the find. It is important to distinguish between boletus and gall mushroom: the latter has a pungent, bitter taste and a pink layer of spores, while boletus mushrooms have gray spores.

boletus

Butter

Appear simultaneously with boletus mushrooms, but they prefer pine forests. A distinctive feature of the oiler is its brown cap covered with a sticky film.

How to pick mushrooms (video)

Summer edible mushrooms

In summer, spring mushrooms also grow and are joined by new ones. Avid lovers of quiet hunting have been going into the forest since June, and in August, which is the peak of fruiting, everyone else joins them.

Porcini

The first place in the list of summer species is, of course, white. This is a very valuable species because it not only has an excellent taste, but also healing properties: it contains substances that kill bacteria.

The appearance of “white” is difficult to confuse with others: A fleshy hat, colored in warm shades of brown, pink or even white, mounted on a plump stem. The pulp has a pleasant taste and aroma.

For its positive properties it is called the “king of mushrooms”. You can find “white” in forests with birch and pine trees, in open areas. But the mushroom itself prefers to remain in the shade, hiding under fallen trees or thick grass.

Porcini

Mosswort

Grows in forests that contain oak or pine trees. At first glance, the flywheel resembles an oil can, but the surface of its brown or olive cap is dry and has a velvety structure. Their diameter does not exceed 10 cm, but in a favorable environment this figure can become larger.

Russula

This is a small and very fragile mushroom that grows everywhere in large quantities. The color of the caps can be very diverse: yellow, pink, purple, white. White pulp, easily broken when pressed, sweet in taste. Russulas grow until late autumn, mainly in the lowlands of any forest, and are undemanding to soil. Despite the name, it is better to prepare russula: fry in breading, boil, add to soup and potatoes, or pickle for the winter.

Russula

Bitters

They grow in large “families” in well-moistened areas of mixed and coniferous forest. This lamellar mushroom does not exceed 10 cm in diameter. The cap of a young bitterling is almost flat, and over time it turns into a funnel-shaped one. Both the stem and the skin are brick-colored. The pulp, like that of russula, is fragile; if damaged, white juice may appear from it.

Chanterelles

These are mushrooms loved by many and make an excellent duo with potatoes when fried. They appear in June among moss in birch or pine forests.

Chanterelles grow in a dense carpet or are bright yellow in color (which is why they got their name). The funnel-shaped cap has a wavy edge. A pleasant feature of the mushroom is that it is almost always untouched by worms.

Varieties of edible mushrooms (video)

Edible autumn mushrooms

The beginning of September can be called the most productive time for picking mushrooms, when a wide variety of mushrooms grow in the forest. different types: starting with boletus mushrooms that appeared in May and ending with autumn mushrooms.

Honey mushrooms

Perhaps the most beloved inhabitants of the mushroom kingdom that appear in the fall are honey mushrooms (they are also called honey mushrooms). Some varieties begin to grow as early as late summer.

Honey mushrooms never grow alone: ​​they “attack” stumps, logs and even healthy trees in entire colonies. One family can have up to 100 pieces. Therefore, collecting them is easy and quick.

Honey mushrooms are cap mushrooms brown and red color. The diameter of the brown cap, darkening towards the middle, is from 2 to 10 cm. These are mushrooms that have a pleasant smell and taste, so they are used for cooking in almost any form. Miniature young mushrooms with legs marinated in spicy brine are especially tasty.

Rows

A large family, representatives of which grow in orderly rows in pine or mixed forests. Sometimes they can form ring-shaped colonies . They have many species, most of which are edible. But there are also poisonous rows.

These are medium-sized mushrooms (the average diameter is 5–13 cm), the caps of which are painted in various colors. Their shape changes over time: old specimens are usually almost flat, with a knob in the middle; young ones can be cone-shaped.

Wet

This is an edible species that is often confused with toadstools. Its cap is usually covered with mucus, but can also be dry. There are different types of mothweed, for example, spruce and pink.

How to distinguish edible mushrooms from inedible ones

The task of a lover of quiet hunting is not only to find mushrooms, but also to distinguish edible from inedible and even poisonous ones. Knowledge and practical experience help with this. The easiest way to avoid mistakes is to know the characteristics of the species. But there are still general rules that allow you to determine how safe a mushroom is for health.

Edible mushrooms

They have the following properties:

• pleasant “edible” smell;
• the bottom of the cap is covered with a tubular layer;
• they were chosen by bugs or worms;
• the skin of the cap is characteristic in color for its species.

There are general rules to determine how safe a mushroom is for health.

Inedible mushrooms

If there is any doubt about the suitability of a find for consumption, then it is better to leave it when the mushroom:

• has an unusual or bright color;
• it emits a sharp and unpleasant odor;
• there are no pests on the surface;
• the cut takes on an unnatural color;
• there is no tubular layer under the cap.

The variety of species does not allow us to derive an axiom on how to determine by appearance– is the mushroom dangerous or not? They successfully disguise themselves as each other and are almost indistinguishable. Therefore, the main rule of all mushroom pickers is: “If you’re not sure, don’t take it.”

The main rule of all mushroom pickers is: If you’re not sure, don’t take it.

Which mushrooms appear first?

Small poisonous mushrooms are usually the first to emerge from the ground. They are thin, fragile and unremarkable; They grow literally everywhere: in forests, parks and on lawns along with the first grass.

The very first edible morels will appear a little later, from about mid-April in the middle zone.

The importance of edible mushrooms in human nutrition

Mushrooms are widely used in cooking. Their taste and smell are determined by extractive and aromatic substances. The product is used mainly after heat treatment: as an addition to vegetable and meat dishes, salads and snacks. Dried caps and legs are added to soups to give them a characteristic taste and aroma. Another common method of preparation is canning, in which spicy spices and plants are added.