For millions of years, mankind has enjoyed mushrooms, which were originally an integral part of forests and wild untouched nature. Subsequently, some of their species were even classified as crops successfully grown at home. For several hundred years, people have successfully used them for medical purposes, for weight loss, and even used as mind-numbing substances. To date, much is known about the forest storehouses of protein: the beneficial properties of each individual specimen, taste, edible and inedible species, of which there are many.
The boletus mushroom deserves special attention in the numerous species list of mushrooms, because it grows in almost all corners of vast Russia, it is available to every fan: both the mushroom picker who collects generous autumn natural gifts, and the ordinary buyer who came to the hypermarket for a real delicacy for dinner. Therefore, for those who are seriously interested in mushroom hunting, simply classify themselves as connoisseurs of such a product, and, perhaps, have never heard of it, it would not be out of place to learn about individualfeatures and varieties of boletus. In the article, we tried to collect all the facts and interesting observations regarding the aforementioned mushroom.
Aspen mushroom: which mushroom proudly bears this name
There are several types of boletus in nature. It is red, yellow-brown, white, black-scaled and colored-legged. They also include redheads: oak, pine and spruce. They are all different, but their main distinguishing feature is their appearance. Aspen mushrooms are easily recognizable by their thick, stocky stem (usually white) and massive hat, which can have a different shade. The cap of boletus mushrooms, the photos of which are presented in the article, has a compact spherical shape. Sometimes she even barely frames the leg, and does not spread over it in the form of an umbrella. A representative of this type of fungus cannot be called small. Sometimes it grows up to 25 cm in height, and a human hand will not completely clasp its leg. It is worth saying that aspen mushrooms grow well not only in Russia, but also in North America.
Red boletus
Red boletus mushroom can rightly be called one of the most popular in Russia. This is quite natural, because it is found almost everywhere. Why was this name given to this mushroom? In fact, it explains the features of its growth. This name refers to a mushroom that grows mainly next to deciduous trees. Aspen among them is considered the main favorite of the fungus, but poplar, willow, beech, birch or oakalso do not go unnoticed. Even an inexperienced mushroom picker will see a red boletus among the fallen leaves, because it is given out by a hat that has a bright color. Usually red or almost burgundy. Sometimes there are boletus with a hat of red-brown or, for example, bright red color. Such a mushroom can be seen even from afar, and it is very convenient for a mushroom picker.
A feature of the red boletus mushroom is that it can grow both singly and in groups. By the way, "family" clearings are most often found in aspen forests. The fungus prefers to grow next to all sorts of ditches and small forest paths. This is completely understandable, because it is known that mushrooms love wet conditions, and in arid places they simply do not develop properly. Most often, this representative of the boletus can be found in the Caucasus, Siberia and the Far East. Experts recommend collecting them between June and October.
Cooking Methods
You can use the red boletus mushroom both boiled and fried. Many lovers prefer to pickle it, thereby preserving it for a long time. By the way, until now, any boletus is also relevant in dried form. During processing, the mushroom darkens. At the same time, in the case of pickling, it retains its original appearance. Some experts recommend cutting off the stems, as they are a little tough and contain little to no vitamins, which are abundant in the hat. But for some it's just a matter of taste preferences.
Yellow-brown boletus
A distinctive feature of the yellow-brown boletus is the color of its cap, which fully corresponds to the name - it is yellow-brown. Sometimes you can find such a boletus mushroom with a sandy-orange hat or with a very light sandy, almost yellow. It is quite wide in diameter (15-20 cm). It is better to look for yellow-brown boletus in birch and aspen forests, in ravines and lowlands. The yellow-brown boletus is often found in pine forests located in regions with a temperate climate. That is, like most mushrooms of this genus, it is widely distributed in Russia. This boletus almost always grows singly, and not like, for example, porcini mushrooms and boletus mushrooms. You can collect it from the beginning of summer until the very end of autumn.
Specialists recommend looking for fresher young mushrooms, because their flesh is much more tender and tastier. They are easy to recognize by the hat - it should be bright. Also, attention should be paid to the density of the mushroom itself: its leg should be firm and not have visible damage. For example, wormy eaten places or rot. In young mushrooms, dry skin is sometimes noticeable, which hangs from the edge of the cap. At the same time, the leg is covered with granular brown scales, which blacken with age. As for the very old boletus, they have a faded color and loose fibers. They can also be cut, but it is still better to use only their hats for food.
Pine redhead
The most noticeable part of the redhead is the hat, which has a bright dark crimson hue. Such a mushroom grows next to pine trees, mainly in damp lowlands, ravines. The most preferred climate for it is temperate. Pine redhead can be easily identified by the stem, which has small and pale brown scales. It should be noted that this mushroom is also popular in its own way, but it is much rarer than the aforementioned red boletus.
White boletus
As the name suggests, this mushroom differs from its other counterparts in its white cap. At the same time, with age, it changes color, becoming grayish-brown. White boletus mushroom is often found in moist coniferous forests. However, it can also be found in mixed forests and even in birch forests. During periods of severe drought, white aspen mushrooms "sit" exclusively next to aspens. In general, it grows almost everywhere. This mushroom pleases the mushroom pickers of the Moscow region, Siberia, as well as the Leningrad, Murmansk and Penza regions. Mushrooms grow from June to September.
The pulp of the white boletus is quite dense, at the cut point it first turns blue, and then turns black. Its leg is high creamy white, sometimes growing up to 20-25 cm. It is covered with light scales, which, despite their similarity with the main shade of the color of the mushroom leg, are visible to the naked eye. By the way, the white boletus mushroom and butterdish, the hat of which is also quite light,inexperienced mushroom pickers confuse. However, these are completely different mushrooms, not only in appearance, but also in taste. The butterdish is covered with characteristic mucus, and its cap in young specimens, although light, is not white.
Oak Redhead
The redhead mushroom can be easily distinguished by its coffee-brown cap. At the same time, it is heterogeneous, but covered with small scales of red-brown color. This mushroom prefers to grow at the foot of oak trees, so it is quite obvious where to look for it. The diameter of the cap of the oak redhead is usually from eight to fifteen cm. As for the stem, its maximum height can reach 15 cm, and its thickness can be 3 cm. This mushroom can be called medium in size among other types of boletus.
The growing area of the oak redhead is extensive. More often, of course, it is found in central Russia, because it prefers moderate climatic conditions. In a favorable year with sufficient rainfall, mushroom pickers can enjoy from mid-summer to late autumn.
Spruce redhead
As a rule, spruce redheads grow in small groups, and they can be found mainly in coniferous forests and in mixed plantings. Many experts believe that it is better to look for them under the fir trees, but recently this rule is not quite applicable to them. These mushrooms feel great under other trees, where there is enough moisture and leaf humus. You can distinguish a spruce redhead from others by a hat that hasbrownish chestnut color. The skin of this cap slightly hangs over the edge, and the leg has light brown scales and is slightly expanded closer to the base. These mushrooms are usually harvested from mid-July to the end of October.
The virtues of the boletus
In addition to the taste and the fact that boletus mushrooms can be picked almost from the beginning of summer until late autumn, they have several more advantages. For example, the mass distribution of aspen mushrooms in our country. It's nice to realize that on a quiet sunny autumn day you can go to the forest and cut into a basket of natural gifts for hodgepodge for free. Some more of the advantages of aspen mushrooms should be listed:
- It is known that almost any edible mushrooms: boletus, boletus, porcini, boletus, chanterelles, etc. - are very nutritious and good for he alth. They are low-calorie (only 22 kcal in boletus), but in terms of protein content they are equated to meat. The amino acids contained in mushrooms are absorbed by the human body by 70-80%. This is one of the best indicators, scientifically proven and undeniable. On top of that, boletus contains vitamins B1 and PP.
- You can collect such mushrooms up to several times per season, and when marinated, they are enjoyed all year round.
Proper preparation of boletus is the key to human he alth
It is believed that young mushrooms are more beneficial to he alth. They contain all vitamins and other substances as much as possible. On the other hand, many refer to them asheavy food, which should be consumed with caution. Scientists have their own opinion on this matter: the main rule for eating boletus is their proper preparation. Nutritionists insist that only boiled and fried mushrooms can be absorbed by the human body to the maximum, and only in this form they will not harm it.
