Gorchak: what is this mushroom and can it be eaten?

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

This mushroom is quite common in the middle latitudes of our country, it is called the gall fungus, but its other name is popularly known as mustard.

What it is and what this mushroom looks like, experienced mushroom pickers probably know, but lovers should be careful, because bitter is often confused with white mushroom, boletus and boletus. There are many controversial versions about whether this mushroom is dangerous. But to the question of whether the gall mushroom is edible, one can unequivocally answer: no, since it has terrible bitterness and even a small piece of it can spoil the taste of the whole dish. Probably, because of this property, it was called bitter.

Bile mushroom (gorchak): description

This mushroom can be found in any area of our country from June to October. The gall fungus can grow both in groups and singly, most often found near coniferous forests, where trees are rare and there are manyfallen needles. There is an opinion about the mustard mushroom that it is a double of the porcini mushroom.

And this is actually true, because outwardly it is very similar to him: a thick, strong and fleshy leg, on top it is fibrous, dark brown or brown in color. From the inside, his hat looks like a sponge, covered with a porous dense layer on top. The spongy part has a pinkish tint and is very bitter in taste. Outside, the cap of the mushroom is covered with a thin film, it is dense and, as the mushroom grows, it can change its color from pale to dark brown.

How to distinguish bitter mushrooms from edible mushrooms?

What kind of mushroom is this and what does it look like, we have already figured it out, now let's try to find out the distinctive features of the mustard. How not to confuse it with porcini mushroom or boletus? Perhaps the most important difference between the gall fungus is the color of its cap on the inside. It is spongy and has a pink tint. If such a mushroom is cut off, then the leg will quickly darken and become brown in color. Another important feature that the gall fungus has is that no insects ever harm it. For novice mushroom pickers and amateurs, this makes mustard mushrooms very attractive.

The photos presented here confirm this. The gall mushroom is really beautiful, but you should not take it. After all, as already mentioned, even a small piece of mustard can ruin the whole dish.

Can you get poisoned with mustard?

Scientists disagree about bitter fungus. That it's inedible, butnot a poisonous mushroom - according to Russian biologists. In their opinion, the use of gall fungus in food is impossible only because of its bitter taste. Foreign scientists believe that the pulp of this fungus contains toxic substances that have a detrimental effect on liver cells. If, nevertheless, this fungus has entered the human body, then it can cause dizziness and weakness. After a few weeks, another sign of poisoning may appear - bile secretion. It is believed that after eating a gall fungus, even the development of cirrhosis of the liver is possible. If you come across this mushroom, consider whether you should take it and risk your he alth. Despite the fact that it is beautiful and looks just like a real porcini mushroom, even insects and animals are in no hurry to eat mustard, and probably not in vain.