The first category of edible mushrooms is not very numerous. Along with white, such a revered mushroom as camelina belongs to it. Any mushroom picker first of all pays his attention to this โhighest testโ of the kingdom of mushrooms. The wonderful taste of camelina has long been famous in many countries of the world, and its beneficial properties are actively used in medicine.
General characteristics
Gingerbread (Lactarius deliciosus) belongs to the russula family, the genus Lactarius, which is characterized by a well-formed fruiting body consisting of a cap and a leg. The pulp is fragile, when pressed, milky juice is released.
Ryzhik is an edible mushroom of the first category. In appearance, the mushroom is capped, lamellar.
The mycelium of many soil cap fungi comes into contact with the roots of plants, in our case, woody ones, and this results in a natural root fungus complex, or mycorrhiza. The fungus borrows organic substances and vitamins from the tree, and itself transports water with dissolved minerals to it. Ryzhik creates mycorrhiza with spruce and pine, and this cooperation is beneficial to both of them.
Description
To determine which particular forest dweller is in front of you, you must first of all pay attention to the cap: its shape and size, the nature of the surface (smooth, scaly, slimy, dry, fibrous, etc.), its color and possible changes when dry, pressing.
The cap of the saffron milk cap grows to the size of a saucer with a diameter of 17 cm, its shape is flat or depressed in the middle, the edges are turned down. In the future, it takes the form of a funnel. The color is from red to light orange, also bluish green with dark circles and green spots. The skin is smooth in appearance, moist, sticky to the touch.
Also, to recognize the type of mushroom, the features of the pulp should be distinguished:
- its consistency;
- Colour;
- smell;
- taste;
- structure.
The flesh of the product is dense, fleshy, orange, later acquires a green tint. Juice flows out of the pulp when pressed, therefore these mushrooms are attributed to the genus Lactarius. Milky juice is orange-yellow, sweet in taste, has a resinous smell, turns green in the air.
The plates are attached to the stem, notched, yellow-orange. When pressed, they begin to turn green.
The leg is up to 2 cm thick and 9 cm long, even, hollow, brittle, has a cylindrical shape, the color is the same as the cap.
Raznovydnost
There are two types of saffron milk caps:
- Pine (red) in the coniferous forest are visible from afar. They are orange-red, almost carrot-colored. A hat with a diameter of 3-15 cm with a depression in the middle in the form of a funnel, there are concentric circles. The cap is smooth, slimy, its lower part consists of plates. Pine mushrooms grow in young pine plantations, in larch plantings, and are found in rare pine forests. They prefer sandy soils.
- Spruce mushrooms (spruce forests) are of the same shape and size as pine, but its cap is thinner, and the color can be either red or bluish-green. The leg is of the same color as the cap or has a lighter tone. They grow in groups in young spruce forests, sometimes in clearings of pine forests.
Mushroom picking by calendar
If there is any space for a quiet mushroom hunt, it is here. The CIS countries in this respect are perhaps the richest of all on the planet both in terms of the amount of growing forest products and in the diversity of species. They grow mainly on humus-rich forest, forest-steppe and steppe soils.
According to popular beliefs, we owe the massive appearance of mushrooms to warm days, not heavy rains, which deeply moisturize the soil. If the air temperature fluctuates sharply, this does not contribute to the appearance of the crop. Let’s cite as an example a proverb about affection for tree species, as well as a popular sign of the appearance of a forest delicacy:
- “Ryzhiks bloom generously there, where there are spruces, pines, firs, cedars.”
- “The first fog of summer is a sure mushroom omen.”
The lifespan of mushrooms is different. The mycelium usually lives for several years, and the fruiting bodies exist from 3 to 15 days. Periods of mass appearance of mushrooms come in waves, the first collection stretches for 10-15 days. July gives a generous harvest of saffron milk caps. Their growth coincides with the earing of rye. Such a valuable species as camelina makes up about 3% of the total collection of all mushrooms.
Then a relative calm ensues. Now the yield of saffron milk caps will depend on the amount of precipitation. If warm rains took place at the end of July, then from mid-August to the end of September they will bear fruit in large quantities. The most abundant and last layer of fruiting of saffron milk caps in the year coincides with the harvesting of spikes.
The folk wisdom about mushrooms says the truth: “To live near the forest – not to be hungry.”
Mushroom memo:
- mushrooms need to be cut with a knife or twisted;
- do not pick mushrooms unknown to you;
- do not cut mushrooms growing along roads and near industrial areas.
The nutritional value
In terms of nutritional value, mushrooms resemble a mixture of vegetables, fish and meat, so the name “forest meat” can rightfully be applied to them. It is known that the mushroom cap contains much more protein and fat than the stem, while the fiber content, on the contrary, is less.
The extraordinary mushroom aroma cannot be compared with anything. Its beauty lies in the fact that mushrooms contain a large number of enzymes that stimulate the appetite, as well as extractive substances that promote the digestion and assimilation of food.
In this case, the energy value (caloric content) of 100 grams of the product is 22,3 kcal.
An interesting fact about salted mushrooms: in terms of calorie content, this dish surpasses beef and chicken by more than 75, chicken eggs – by 40, whole cow’s milk – by 15 calories.
Ryzhiks are considered champions in calorie content and digestibility, three to four times overlapping fruits and vegetables. Like other mushrooms, mushrooms are rich in vitamins B and PP. The large presence of phosphorus in the composition brings them closer to fish in this indicator. The presence in them of such valuable trace elements as copper, iodine, manganese, zinc makes them an important product that has a beneficial effect on the metabolism in the cells of the human body. In terms of zinc content, a mushroom delicacy is almost close to plant products, they contain as much copper as is found in natural cocoa. In terms of the content of calcium salts, mushrooms are close to raisins and prunes.
Of course, the mushroom product should not be recommended as the only source of proteins that humans need. To do this, you would have to eat up to 2 kg of fresh mushrooms per day. Nutritionists say that the nutritional value of saffron milk caps is much higher when they are used as a seasoning in other dishes, crushed (fresh) or in powder (dried). Mushrooms that are not chopped are more difficult to digest and less digestible.
Useful Properties
Biologists isolate antibiotics from different types of mushrooms. Swedish scientists studied more than 57 cap mushrooms for antibiotic properties and concluded that 25 of them prevent the growth of pathogens, and 22 inhibit it.
An important fact is that the antibiotic lactarioviolin is isolated from the mushroom, which reduces the oxidation of fats, inhibits the development of pathogenic bacteria, including the causative agent of tuberculosis.
Beneficial effect on the human body:
- has anti-inflammatory effect;
- stimulates the intestines;
- accelerates recovery from lung diseases;
- antirheumatic agent;
- bactericidal, antioxidant agent.
ะัะพัะธะฒะพะฟะพะบะฐะทะฐะฝะธั
The high content of extractives and aromatic substances in camelina enhances the secretion of digestive juices. Mushroom dishes are not applicable in medical nutrition.
The abuse of mushroom delicacy is not recommended for people suffering from:
- chronic gastritis;
- an ulcer;
- diseases of the kidneys and liver;
- hypertension.
However, it is allowed to eat mushroom products for patients with diabetes mellitus, since the carbohydrates present in them do not increase blood sugar levels.
Ginger in cooking
The ancient Roman poet M. Marcial wrote “With silver and gold … it is easy to give up, but it is difficult to refuse a dish of mushrooms.” Among the Slavic peoples, mushrooms traditionally constituted an important part of the year-round diet and still remain a real decoration of the table. This type of mushroom is suitable for various processing methods. It is worth noting that you cannot use galvanized and pewter dishes.
Salted mushrooms are especially good. This extraordinarily tasty dish retains the resinous aroma and freshness of the forest. Earlier, during the harvest, these mushrooms were salted, without leaving the forest, in cedar barrels. They are irreplaceable as a snack, as a product for filling pies, they make rich soups, delicious hodgepodge and okroshka.
The mushrooms can be salted immediately without soaking them in cold water. They are washed or wiped, the legs are cut off, placed in rows in wooden tubs, ceramic jars or enameled buckets, each layer of mushrooms is sprinkled with coarse salt (for 1 kg of mushrooms, 50 g of salt). Cover with a cloth on top, put a plate on it and put oppression. In a month and a half, the delicacy is ready.
Small salted mushrooms were sent to France in special bottles, which were more expensive there than champagne.
Mushroom memo:
- you do not need to keep mushrooms in water for a long time;
- mushrooms are first pre-boiled to remove a specific bitter taste;
- it is better to cook on low heat;
- dried mushrooms cannot be stored in plastic bags.
Gingerbreads with cauliflower
Divide the heads of cauliflower into inflorescences and boil in salted water until soft, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and fry in oil. Fry the mushrooms separately, put them in a frying pan between the cabbage pieces, grate hard cheese on top and bake in the oven.
Conclusion
Ryzhik is one of the most valuable mushrooms belonging to the first edible category, undoubtedly a delicacy in terms of its taste and nutritional qualities. It is not without reason that it is popular both among our compatriots and far beyond the borders of our region.
Its nutritional properties, as well as ease of preparation, put the product on a par with such masters of the mushroom kingdom as porcini mushroom and real milk mushroom.
Usefulness in medicine, in cosmetology make this type even more significant.
Mushrooms are high-value products that nature itself creates. On the part of the person, it is necessary to take care of it, and the waves of the mushroom harvest will not keep you waiting.
