Habitats and benefits of white pine fungus

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

In a pine forest it is convenient to pick mushrooms and just take useful walks, breathing fresh air, essential oils of coniferous trees. On such a walk, you can hunt for several varieties of forest treats. Here there are butterflies, chanterelles, milk mushrooms, mushrooms. But the most valuable is the white one, which is also called the boletus, by definition of its habitat.

Habitats

Porcini mushrooms in a pine forest grow close to the trees. Sometimes they can be found along the edge of forest glades or in a spruce forest among needles. Most often they hide under gray, green moss or lichen, and in autumn under fallen leaves and branches.

Soil suitable for growth should be sandy or loamy, without excess moisture, as the fungus avoids dampness and waterlogging. Also, the boletus does not live on peat soil.

In rainy weather, the boletus chooses elevated places for growth, which are well warmed up by the sun. Dry weather, on the contrary, forces it to grow among abundant moss, grass and leaves.

Description and photo of white pine mushroom

Small individuals are lighter, with a milk leg. Adults have a darker hat, a beige leg. The color is also characterized by the structuresoil and air temperature. Pine white mushroom has a smooth brown cap, which can reach a diameter of up to thirty centimeters, and a short thick beige stalk, expanding to the bottom from the cap.

Mushrooms can reach large sizes, weighing up to one kilogram. Grow mainly in families of several pieces.

Borovik has one specific feature, by which it is easy to distinguish it from false inedible counterparts. The cut will never darken, it will remain light, even after processing. Probably, the name came precisely because of this feature.

Collection Features

You can look for white mushroom in a pine forest from June to October. Likes moderately warm rainy weather. He chooses dry glades, hillocks with good access to sunlight, but he himself hides in the shade of moss.

When you meet a boletus, you need to carefully examine the entire surrounding area, as they grow in groups. Therefore, there are probably a few more nearby.

Their frequent neighbors are fly agarics, morels, and also ants that build their homes near them.

When collecting a forest delicacy, it is better to carefully cut off with a knife at the root of the leg, or twist it, slightly rocking it. Such methods will not damage the mycelium.

Source of benefit

Borovik has not only specific taste qualities. It is a leader in the content of nutritional benefits, has a low calorie content compared to other typesmushrooms. It is an excellent source of protein, vitamins and amino acids. Contains iron, fluorine, manganese, zinc, potassium, and many other useful substances necessary for he alth.

Has antibacterial properties, prevents the formation of cholesterol in the vessels, is considered a prophylactic in the fight against cancer. Accelerates the production of gastric juice, improves appetite due to the specific taste, content of extracts and amino acids.

Young specimens have an advantage over old ones in terms of the content of nutrients.

Thus, white pine fungus is not only a tasty treat, but also an excellent source of nutrients.

In order for the use of this wonderful product to bring only benefits, it is necessary to eat it only after carefully processing before it.

Recycling Methods

Before you start processing forest treasures, you need to sort them out: throw away too old ones, damaged by insects or rodents.

Cep has no skin. To prepare it for further processing, it is enough to remove the remnants of moss, leaves and needles, cut off the base of the leg with the remnants of the soil. During subsequent heat treatment, you need to rinse them, while changing cold water several times, or under a running stream.

Next, you can start processing. You can store white pine mushrooms in any way possible.

Drying is the most popular type of processing for this species. This method preserves all useful and flavoringboletus properties. Before drying, mushrooms should not be washed so that they do not gain a lot of moisture. Thoroughly clean enough, then cut into thin slices.

You can dry mushrooms by any method: in the oven, in a special electric dryer or in the sun. Store dried mushrooms in a glass jar or bag. As a result of drying, mushrooms do not lose their properties, acquire a rich taste and aroma, which will be revealed during further cooking. Before using dried mushrooms in cooking, soak them in water or milk.

The mushrooms can also be frozen, fried, s alted or marinated as desired.

These simple rules will help lovers of quiet hunting to easily find the porcini mushroom in a pine forest. After all, it is a real treasure for a mushroom picker in terms of taste and nutritional properties.