What to do if milk mushrooms are bitter. How to remove bitterness from boiled milk mushrooms
Could there be anything tastier than salted milk mushrooms, which will become great snack with vodka or a delicious addition to any hot dish. And if the mushrooms are selected small, identical in size, then such mushrooms will not be ashamed to serve even for festive table. That is why every zealous housewife is simply obliged to pickle milk mushrooms for the winter.
How to collect milk mushrooms and distinguish them from other mushrooms
If you break a milk mushroom, a milky liquid will definitely come out of it.
Raw milk mushrooms are very bitter.
Milk mushrooms hide under the foliage.
Milk mushrooms, as a rule, grow in “families”; if you find one mushroom, look for more mushrooms nearby.
The caps of milk mushrooms are plate-like at the bottom.
The caps of young milk mushrooms bend inward, and the caps of old milk mushrooms form a “funnel” inside, the edges rise up towards the sun.
If the white milk mushrooms change color to gray-green, then these are real milk mushrooms. The color of the mushroom especially changes in the place where the milk was secreted.
After collecting milk mushrooms, your hands will be very bitter, like after hot pepper, so remember: when collecting milk mushrooms in the forest, you should not scratch your eyes, face and other unprotected parts of the body with your hands without thoroughly washing your hands. Take water with you so that you can at least rinse your hands in the forest after picking mushrooms. At home, be sure to wash your hands with vegetable oil and then with soap. Do this every time you change the water in the mushrooms and come into contact with the milk mushrooms. 
Secrets of salting milk mushrooms
You cannot salt or pickle very old mushrooms that have “rust” stains.
You cannot salt wormy mushrooms or mushrooms with insects.
Do not salt the mushrooms without soaking them, they will be very bitter, even if you boil them 2-3 times. Be sure to soak the milk mushrooms, changing the water to clean water every 3-4 hours. Many people recommend doing this for 2-3 days. But if it’s hot, the water with mushrooms quickly deteriorates and begins to smell and foam. Therefore, it is better to soak the mushrooms from a day to a day and a half, that is, 1 night and 2 days. To make the mushrooms lose their bitterness faster, you can soak them every 2 hours. Soaked milk mushrooms will lose their bitterness, and you will get an excellent snack.
It is better to salt milk mushrooms in an enamel bowl that does not have rust or cracks, in a ceramic barrel, wooden barrel or glass container.
After you remove a portion of mushrooms from the dish, rinse them and wash the rag and pressure each time.
Milk mushrooms can be salted and pickled, rolled into jars for the winter.
How to salt and pickle milk mushrooms 
Mushroom pickers recommend salting mushrooms with currant, cherry and horseradish leaves; others insist that salt and dry dill are enough for milk mushrooms. Which way you will salt is up to you. If there are no leaves, then follow all the cooking recommendations, removing the ingredients you don’t need, except salt.
Salted milk mushrooms according to the classic recipe
Ingredients:
Milk mushrooms – 5 kg,
Cherry leaves – 10 pcs.,
Horseradish leaves – 2 pcs.,
Currant leaves – 10 pcs.,
Dry dill caps (umbrellas) – 2-3 pcs.,
Coarse salt – 150 g. 
How to salt milk mushrooms:
Soak the mushrooms, changing the water to clean water, until the mushrooms no longer taste bitter. Place cherry, currant leaves and part of the dill on the bottom of the dish. Place mushrooms in one row, caps down. After the first round, salt the mushrooms, calculating so that for 1 kg. mushrooms you need 30 g of salt (1 tablespoon without top). Then continue adding mushrooms with salt, adding a little dry dill.
Cover the last layer with horseradish leaves and cover with a clean cloth on top. Place a plate of a suitable size and a little pressure, for example, you can wash (boil) a stone and place it on the plate. The dishes with mushrooms should be placed in a cold place (basement, cellar or refrigerator). The mushrooms will be ready to eat in 40 days.
Pickled milk mushrooms 
Salted milk mushrooms are considered the best snack, but now not everyone has a basement or cellar. Therefore, many began to pickle milk mushrooms. Those who have already tried this know that pickled milk mushrooms are no less tasty than salted ones. Pickled milk mushrooms have their advantages: they are easier to store, easier to roll, and they need to be boiled, which eliminates the risk of poisoning.
Ingredients:
Milk mushrooms – 4 kg,
Water – 2 liters,
Salt – 3 tbsp. spoons without top,
Peppercorns – 8-10 pcs.,
Cloves – 5 pcs.,
Dry dill – 2 umbrellas (can be replaced with dry seeds, no more than 1/2 teaspoon),
Vinegar 9% – 120 ml. 
How to pickle milk mushrooms:
Be sure to soak the milk mushrooms for a day, changing the water. Pour enough water into a large saucepan. Cook the mushrooms for 12-15 minutes. Then rinse them in a colander under running water. Prepare a marinade from all ingredients except vinegar and add mushrooms to it. Cook for 10 minutes, then pour in the vinegar, cook for another 5 minutes and roll into sterilized, clean jars.
Among mushroom pickers, the strong mushroom is held in special esteem - it is an enviable find, a real gift of the forest, which can displace both saffron milk caps and mushrooms in the basket. An incredibly thick mushroom aroma comes from dishes using it, as if the dense white pulp had absorbed all the aroma of the forest.
A bunch of different types milk mushroom hides under pine needles, fallen leaves, slightly lifting the loose wet ground. They are nourishing and tasty, thanks to their dense structure they “reach” the kitchen without loss, and in addition, they are very generous - on a good day you can pick up not just a few pieces, but several buckets of excellent mushrooms.
Main types of milk mushrooms
The most famous species with excellent taste. The cap is fleshy, at first spread out and then pressed in the center, with curved fringed edges, reaching a diameter of 20 cm. The skin is milky or yellow in color, sometimes with reddish spots, slimy in rainy or foggy weather.
The leg is smooth, up to 6 cm high, with frequent creamy-white plates descending on it. The pulp is tight, white, with acrid juice, turning yellow at the break. This is the best species for pickles, in which the fruiting bodies take on a light blue tint.
The cap is at first flat-rounded, with an elevation in the center, later concave, up to 30 cm in diameter, white, with reddish or purple streaks, slightly pubescent. The plates are dense, white with a pink tint, descending onto a dense stalk up to 8 cm high, which becomes narrower at the base. The pink tint of the plates is the main difference between this species and other laticifers.
The pulp is milky-white, with a fruity aroma; when crushed, it releases a caustic white liquid that does not darken in air.
A beautiful mushroom, with an appetizing golden cap up to 15 cm in diameter, concave in the center and fringed at the edges, slimy in the rain and glossy on a sunny day. The leg is strong, small, up to 5 cm tall, with a yellowish tint and patterned golden streaks or spots.
The often located plates are creamy and descend onto the stem. The pulp is juicy, a burning juice appears at the break, which then darkens. During collection and transportation, dark spots may appear at touch points.
The cap is spread out, then funnel-shaped with edges turned down, up to 12 cm in diameter. The skin is brown-orange, with a reddish tint, covered with brown spots. Yellowish plates descend on the stem of the same color.
The pulp is fleshy, creamy white, when broken it acquires a pink tint and releases a watery white liquid with a pungent taste and a slight mushroom odor. The mushroom is used for pickling and is considered conditionally edible.
Another name for oak milk mushroom is oak milk cap. If you are interested in learning more about saffron milk caps, read the article “”.
This dark mushroom is very tasty in pickles, acquiring a wine-like, reddish hue. The cap is rounded-flat, later sunken, up to 20 cm in diameter, brownish-yellow with an olive tint or dark green, the surface may be covered with concentric circles. The edges are curved, slightly fringed. The skin is slimy, especially in rainy weather.
A greenish sticky stalk up to 8 cm high, tight and full, becoming hollow towards the base, the surface is covered with dents. In the upper part, thinned plates of a yellowish-olive color descend on it. The white flesh is fleshy, greyish when crushed, releasing a milky liquid that turns purple when exposed to air. The cap is often dirty, the surface is covered with soil particles and debris, and it has to be scraped off before cooking.
White milk cap (dry milk mushroom) (Russula delica)
White cap is a tasty and aromatic type of russula, the cap is whitish-cream with brown streaks, up to 20 cm in diameter, rounded-convex and then concave. The plates are frequent, creamy-white, falling on a straight or slightly curved strong stem. The pulp is tight, creamy, with a subtle mushroom aroma and pungent taste.
The surface is usually covered with ingrown soil particles. In dry weather, dry fabrics can crack like parchment, which is why the padding gets its second name.
Places of distribution and time of collection
More often these mushrooms grow in large groups, families or, as mushroom pickers say, “flocks”, in late summer and autumn in deciduous or mixed forests.
Real milk mushroom- a common species, found quite often in light deciduous or mixed forests, among linden and birch trees. It inhabits small clearings and sometimes quite large colonies. Best soils for its development - with white clay, suitable close to the soil surface. Mushrooms are collected from July until frost. Connoisseurs especially value autumn harvests - the fruiting bodies are not so well stored, but also do not have an acrid bitterness.
Under thin aspen trees, according to its eloquent name, there is aspen mushroom, forming neat clearings, not far from one another, fused together in the form of chain links. It likes to settle near the root system of poplars of various types, often growing in poplar plantations and forest belts. The collection time is only two months long - August and September.
Bright yellow milk mushroom has taken a liking to spruce forests - under the thick paws of dark spruce trees grow small close groups of these mushrooms, less often it forms entire clearings. Harvesting occurs in late summer and early autumn.
Oak milk mushroom grows in numerous families in oak forests, prefers soft calcareous soils, and settles in abundance on the slopes of warm, sun-warmed hills. Tight greenish fruiting bodies of this species are found from late summer until frost.
Individually or in large groups, it lives in birch groves. black breast. It is collected by carefully cutting off the short stem during the period of mass offering - from mid-July to the end of summer.
Loader white grows singly or in clearings in oak groves, birch and mixed forests. The collection begins in mid-summer and lasts until September.
False milk mushrooms and doubles
Conditionally edible milk mushrooms and some similar species are not poisonous, but have an unpleasant taste. They are successfully used in cooking after preparatory treatment - prolonged soaking or boiling in lightly salted water.
Light mushrooms grow in clearings or rows in deciduous forests, rare among conifers, love dampness and dense shade. The cap is up to 20 cm in diameter, convex or flat, then concave, cream-colored, with a lighter shade along the edges; brown spots quickly appear at the site of damage.
The pulp is dense, but fragile; at the break, a viscous white liquid is released, the taste is acrid, with a taste of hot pepper. Eating is permissible in salted form and only after prolonged soaking with frequent changes of water. Dry powder from fruiting bodies is used as a spicy, hot seasoning.
Camphor milkweed often grows near conifers on damp, mossy soil and on decaying wood. The cap is 5–6 cm in diameter, convex, then concave, with a wavy edge, glossy, reddish-brown. The plates are pinkish, then brown, descending onto an even thin stalk up to 5 cm high, tuberous in shape at the bottom.
The pulp is brittle, loose, brick-brown, with a very strong, rather unpleasant smell of camphor or dry clover. At the break, a whitish juice is released that does not change color in air. The characteristic smell will prevent the mushroom from being confused with others, as well as being used as food.
In oak forests and birch forests from mid-summer to October you can find violin - a conditionally edible mushroom with a pungent taste that grows in large clearings. The white cap is fleshy, covered with villi, concave, later taking the shape of a funnel, with folded edges, up to 25 cm in diameter. The plates are creamy-white, sparse, descending onto a rounded stalk up to 8 cm high.
The pulp is white, fragile, and when broken it releases an acrid milky-white juice. The leg is almost completely buried in the ground, so only the violin caps are collected. Before cooking, they are soaked for a long time and then used for pickles.
In the dampness of conifers or mixed forests, as well as in birch forests, singly or in clearings, golden milkweed grows, classified as a conditionally edible mushroom. The fleshy cap is light yellow, darkens and turns purple where touched, the velvety edges are curved down. The shape is prostrate, then concave, the surface is sticky. The plates are yellowish, frequent, descending on a pale yellow high stalk.
The pulp is creamy-white, secretes a caustic milky liquid with a pleasant odor. Suitable for pickles and preparing marinades after soaking or cooking.
Beneficial features
Highly nutritious, fleshy mushrooms are rich in easily digestible proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Content protein in fruit bodies is high - up to 33 g per 100 g of dry matter; when boiled, they can be successfully used in dietary nutrition as a replacement for meat or fish.
Significantly represented B vitamins, carotene and ascorbic acid, positively influencing the functioning nervous system, immunity stability, work of hematopoietic organs.
Unique mushrooms of their kind contain the active form vitamin D, in this form it is found only in products of animal origin. This important element necessary for the prevention of osteoporosis, maintains healthy skin and hair, directly affects the absorption and balance of calcium and phosphorus.
Minerals present in mushroom tissues – sodium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus are in an accessible form, are quickly absorbed and replenish the content of these substances in the body.
Active substances were found in pepper milk antibacterial substances, inhibiting the tuberculosis bacillus, it is also known positive influence in the treatment of kidney diseases, in particular urolithiasis. These healing properties are widely used in folk medicine.
During the preparation of pickled pickles, during fermentation with the participation of lactic acid, special substances are produced that have an anti-inflammatory effect and lower cholesterol levels.
Contraindications
Mushroom dishes are too heavy food for people with impaired function of the pancreas, liver and gallbladder.
Constant excessive consumption of these products, saturated with a large number of active substances, can lead to sensitization of the body, increasing its sensitivity, and the manifestation of allergic reactions.
Consumption of improperly prepared fruiting bodies, especially conditionally edible species, will cause disruption of the gastrointestinal tract and excretory system.
People suffering from hypertension and kidney disease should carefully include spicy, salty and sour mushroom dishes in their diet, in small portions and only occasionally.
Children under seven years of age and pregnant women should not eat wild mushroom dishes.
The best recipes for preparing dishes and preparations
All milk mushrooms are suitable for food after soaking for two to three days, and the water is changed several times, adding fresh water. This is the only way to get rid of the bitter taste of pulp and acrid juice. Salted fruit bodies are not only exclusively delicious snack, this is an excellent preparation for first courses and stewing.
Pickled black milk mushrooms
For 5 kg of prepared mushrooms, take 200 g of salt, blackcurrant leaves, garlic, dill, black peppercorns and other herbs and spices to taste.
Pickles can be prepared using the cold method, and then the preparation will be more tasty, and using the hot, faster method.
Cold salting
The cleaned fruiting bodies are immersed in cold water for three days, which is replaced several times a day. After this, they are placed with their caps down in a vessel, sprinkling the rows with salt and spices, covered with a cloth and a load is placed. The shelf life of pickles is 30–45 days.
Hot salting
The mushrooms are boiled until tender and placed in a suitable container, sprinkled with salt, spices and pressed down with a weight, as in the previous case. With this method, the pickles are prepared for two weeks.
Canned pickles
For one liter jar of preserves, take 4 tablespoons of 5% vinegar, salt, black pepper, and several bay leaves. Prepare hot brine at the rate of 20 g of salt per 1 liter of water.
Mushrooms salted for 30–45 days are placed in a colander, inspected, removing damaged fruiting bodies, and washed with running water. As soon as the water has completely drained, the workpiece is placed in jars on a layer of spices, then vinegar and the prepared hot brine are poured. The preservation is placed for sterilization, keeping the liquid in the jars at a boil for at least one hour, then sealed.
Pickled milk mushrooms
For 5 kg of prepared mushrooms take 200 g of salt, 300 g of sugar, 400 g of sour milk.
The fruiting bodies are cut into pieces, dipped in hot water, salted to taste, boiled for two minutes and drained in a colander. Place it in a vessel in layers, add salt, add sugar, press down, releasing excess air, and pour in sour milk, covering the fermentation with a cloth, and place a weight on top.
At a temperature of 17–19°C, the product can be consumed after two weeks. For long-term storage, the workpiece is packaged in jars, filled with brine at the rate of 20 g of salt per 1 liter of water and sterilized for 40–50 minutes, after which it is sealed.
Favorite in folk cooking, milk mushrooms, thanks to their inimitable aroma, excellent taste properties, and undoubted nutritional value, deserve the closest attention of mushroom pickers. Obvious advantages - excellent productivity, lack of poisonous doubles and high transportability make this species one of the best trophies for lovers of “quiet hunting”.
More information about milk mushrooms and their distinctive features you will find out from the video.
Bitter milk mushroom popularly known as bitterweed, it is also called bitterling, red bitterling, and bitterweed. Found in groups and singly in coniferous or mixed (with pine, birch, spruce) forests. The growth period occurs at the end of June - end of October. Prefers damp places, edges of swamps, mossy litter.
The cap with slight pubescence from 3 to 10 cm in diameter first has a convex shape with a tubercle, then convex-spread with a small sharp tubercle, later funnel-shaped with thin straight edges. The surface is dry. matte, red-red-brown in color with a darker red-brown center and lighter edges. In wet weather it becomes shiny and sticky.
The plates are frequent, not wide, adherent or slightly descending. The color of the plates is first yellowish-cream, then red-brown with a whitish coating from fungal spores.
The leg has a length of 5-9 cm and a diameter of up to 2 cm. The shape is cylindrical, the structure is first dense and solid, then hollow. The color is the same as the hat. At the base, the leg is slightly thickened, slightly darker, and has white pubescence.
The pulp is dense, brittle, has a woody smell and bitter taste. In young individuals the flesh is whitish, in older individuals it is fawn or brownish. It produces abundant white milky juice, which is very caustic and bitter. The juice does not change color when exposed to air.
Consumed salted and pickled. Requires pre-soaking cold water followed by boiling for at least 15 minutes.
The medicinal qualities of the mushroom are due to the presence of a substance that can slow down the growth of pathogenic bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and subtilis).
Photos and pictures of bitter milk mushrooms (bitter mushrooms)
Milk mushrooms are representatives of the Russulaceae (Russula) family, a genus of milkweeds (which means that when broken fruiting body, which has increased fragility, milky juice flows out) and is of the order of lamellar. IN European countries all varieties of milk mushrooms are considered inedible due to their bitter taste, and some are classified as poisonous mushrooms, but in Rus' he has always been the “king” of mushrooms. They are classified as conditionally edible and inedible species.
Description of appearance
The cap in all species is fleshy, usually up to 7-10 cm in size, less often up to 20 cm. Initially, it is flat with a depressed center and curled shaggy edges. Later it takes the shape of a “funnel”. The skin of the mushroom is slimy and sticky, with rare exceptions. Therefore, it is often covered with needles, blades of grass and other natural debris. The leg is hollow inside, smooth. In some species it thickens towards the bottom.
In all types of milk mushrooms, white milky juice appears at the break; in the air, it instantly curls up and changes its color. For some varieties this is a characteristic feature by which they are identified. The juice usually tastes bitter or acrid. The greater the pungency, the more time it takes to pre-treat the mushrooms - soaking.
Nutritional value
Although milk mushrooms for the most part belong to conditionally edible mushrooms (before consumption they must undergo heat treatment or soaking; they are prohibited from being consumed fresh), in terms of nutritional value they are included in all 4 categories. The first one includes the real milk mushroom. To the second - oak milk mushrooms, turning blue, aspen and yellowing. The third category includes black milk mushrooms, and pepper and parchment milk mushrooms are included in the 4th category.
Nutritional value of milk mushrooms
In 100 g raw mushroom contains:
- protein - 1.8 g;
- fats - 0.8 g;
- carbohydrates - 1.1 g;
- fiber - 1.5;
- ash - 0.4 g;
- water - 88 g.
The energy value of 100 g of mushroom is only 18.8 kcal.
Mushrooms are rich in B vitamins - thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), ascorbic acid (C), and contain a small concentration of nicotinic acid (vitamin PP). But in terms of mineral composition, milk mushrooms occupy the last position among other mushrooms, since they practically do not contain macro- and microelements.
Where to find mushrooms?
Each milk mushroom has its own preferences for soils and forests, so their distribution area is large. They are collected throughout the European part of Russia, in the south of the country; mushroom pickers of the Volga region, Transbaikalia, Siberia, the Urals and Far East. In every locality, one or another milk mushroom is found; in some areas, milk mushroom is widely represented by various species. Some species live only in oak forests, others - in birch forests, coniferous or deciduous forests. But they all love well-moistened soils. Therefore, if you go into the forest, and there is dry or sandy soil, then you will not find milk mushrooms in it. On " quiet hunt» They usually go for milk mushrooms in July – September.
Varieties
There are several varieties of milk mushrooms, among them there are similar ones, so it is very important to correctly distinguish them from each other:
Most valuable representative of this family. In different regions it has its own name - milk mushroom raw or white, pravsky or wet, white milk. The title reflects main feature The mushroom is easy to recognize by its milky white cap, which resembles marble. And also an equally remarkable feature is the fluffy fringe, which is located along the edges of the cap.
Milk mushrooms can vary in size. In some, the cap reaches 25 cm in diameter, in others it grows up to 9 cm. The mushroom stands on a small, cylindrical and smooth stalk, which is painted white or yellowish. The pulp has a fruity odor; the milky juice turns yellow when exposed to air. He prefers to settle in birch groves, less often in mixed forests. Distributed throughout Russia, appears from early June to September, in the southern regions - August-September.
Parchment and pepper breast
They are very similar to each other in appearance. Both of them belong to conditionally edible, low-grade mushrooms. They can be easily distinguished by the “behavior” of the milky juice in the air. In the parchment mushroom it does not change its color, but in the pepper mushroom it instantly turns blue. In addition, when you cut a pepper milk mushroom, you can see the same metamorphosis with its flesh; it acquires a blue-blue color.
The caps of young mushrooms are flat, slightly convex, and over time they take the shape of a “funnel.” And its white color gradually disappears and gives way to a yellow tint. They are also distinguished by the height of the stem - in the parchment mushroom it is longer (10 cm versus 6 cm) and narrowed downwards.
These species appear at the same time in summer and autumn, preferring mixed forests. However, the peak collection occurs in August - September. Pepper mushroom is more often found in birch-oak groves on well-drained clay soils in the middle zone, parchment mushroom - in mixed forests and conifers.
Yellow milk mushroom
It grows in the northern regions and has a remarkable appearance. The local population also calls it a wave or a scraper. In search of it, they go to a fir forest or spruce forest; occasionally, with great luck, it is found in mixed forests. These bright yellow mushrooms with 10-centimeter caps are clearly visible under dark plant litter. However, there are also record-breaking giants whose caps grow to 28-30 cm.
The cap is covered with hairs and is very slimy. The leg is short, strong and the same color as the cap. When you press it, the flesh darkens. The milky sap reacts with air to become yellowish and smells slightly like fruit.
Canine or blue breast
This conditionally edible mushroom has not found much popularity among mushroom pickers. It is often classified as a toadstool and passed by. Perhaps due to the fact that milk mushrooms usually grow in families, but this variety prefers to grow in splendid isolation. You can find it in damp places under willows and birches. The yellow cap is covered with villi, and the milky juice turns purple or lilac when exposed to air. The mushroom lives up to its name when you press the flesh. At the point of pressure, a “bruise” appears on the white surface.
Milk mushroom is bluish
"Meteor dependent" edible mushroom. Weather greatly influence its taste. The velvety white funnel cap can be seen on calcareous soils in deciduous forests. The milky sap very quickly coagulates in air and turns green. The pulp also turns green when cut and smells pleasantly with a woody-honey aroma.
The marsh milk mushroom grows in groups, preferring lowlands and soils with high humidity. It is collected from the beginning of summer until the end of autumn. The reddish caps with a tubercle in the center fade over time to a yellow-brown color. The leg is long, covered with fluff. The milky sap turns yellow when exposed to air.
Red milkweed, milkweed or red milk mushroom
Unlike its “brothers,” the rubella has a dry orange-brown cap covered with cracks. The milky juice of this mushroom has a sweetish taste; when exposed to air, it quickly turns brown and becomes viscous, reminiscent of molasses. This rare view found in coniferous or deciduous forests from July to October.
This milk mushroom has furry, curled cap edges. It grows very densely. The surface of the cap is covered with a small amount of mucus. The older the mushroom, the more funnel-shaped it takes. The pulp has a strong pleasant aroma. Milky sap quickly turns yellow in air. Quite often this type of milk mushroom is confused with white milk mushroom, although it is much larger in size than its “double”, dry milk mushroom and violin. The latter are similar in appearance, but the former lacks milky sap and the latter lacks hairy edges.
Oak saffron milk cap
This mushroom grows in oak and hazel groves. Its cap has a rich yellow-orange color, with brown rings visible on the surface. The mushroom ripens in the soil and appears above the surface in mature form in September. That's why his hat is constantly covered with debris.
Poplar or aspen mushroom
Collected in July-September under poplars and aspens. This species is quite rare, but it is easily recognizable. The cap of a milk mushroom looks like a large deep plate (30 cm in diameter). After rain, water usually accumulates in it, forest dwellers They know this well and come to drink precisely from these mushrooms. On the gray-white cap you can easily see the pink watery rings. Characteristic feature poplar milk mushrooms are pale pink plates.
Gorkusha or bitter milk mushroom
This mushroom has a red-brown cap color (closer to a brick color), and it settles on acidic coniferous soils. The saturation of the color depends on the lighting of the place where it grows. In young mushrooms, the cap looks like a bell, but over time it becomes funnel-shaped. The pulp smells like tree resin. Mushrooms appear from mid-summer and delight mushroom pickers until mid-October. They fully correspond to their name - their flesh is hot and bitter.
Black milk mushroom
Appears in birch groves in August – September. It is also popularly known as nigella, chernukha or gypsy. But in fact, the cap is not black, but a rich olive or black-olive color. On the surface, if you look closely, you can see concentric zones.
Benefits of mushroom
Milk mushrooms are rich in protein, so they are often used by vegetarians. In addition, plant protein is better absorbed by the body. They remove waste, toxins, cholesterol from the body, and prevent blockage of blood vessels. Facilitate the progression of tuberculosis and urolithiasis.
Pepper milk has a negative effect on the development of tuberculosis bacillus, inhibiting it. An extract that has antifungal and antibacterial properties is made from this species.
Experts believe that when salting milk mushrooms, chemical compounds are formed that help fight inflammatory processes and sclerosis.
Mushroom harm
Milk mushrooms are not recommended for children, and their consumption by adults should be within reason. It is prohibited to eat raw milk mushrooms; they contain substances harmful to the human body and can cause poisoning. They should be used with caution by people with problems digestive system, liver and kidneys. They are contraindicated in patients suffering from diarrhea.
How to collect milk mushrooms?
Mushrooms love to hide under fallen leaves and pine needles. Therefore, when going on a “quiet” hunt, be sure to take a stick. It will be convenient for her to clear away natural debris. In addition, experienced mushroom pickers can find a place with mushrooms by smell, since milk mushrooms are fragrant from a distance. Mushrooms are looked for in short grass, the stem is carefully cut off with a knife. Having found one mushroom, be sure to thoroughly scan the area nearby.
Unfortunately, milk mushrooms have poisonous counterparts that are dangerous to humans. If there are doubts about the suitability of a mushroom for food, it is not cut off, but left in place. Black mushroom also contains toxic substances. But with proper heat treatment and soaking, the mushroom becomes harmless.
What mushrooms can milk mushrooms be confused with?
Confuse milk mushrooms, despite numerous varieties, difficult. But still, they have a couple of doubles, some of which can be poisoned.
- The first double is . It is significantly inferior in nutritional quality to real milk mushrooms, but is edible. It is easy for an attentive mushroom picker to distinguish between these two species. The violin has no fringe along the edge of the cap, the plates are denser and thicker, and in comparison with the color of the cap they are darker. If doubts still remain, then the behavior of the milky juice will dot the i’s. On a violin, when exposed to air, it does not change color immediately, but after a long time. When the juice dries up, it turns red; in milk mushrooms, the juice changes instantly.
The rest of the doubles are inedible mushrooms, which when consumed cause poisoning, as they accumulate a large number of toxins. Camphor and golden yellow milk mushrooms are similar to milk mushrooms. - Camphor milkweed V at a young age has a strong specific unpleasant odor, reminiscent of camphor, over time it is replaced by a light coconut aroma. The red cap grows up to 12 cm, the edge of the cap dries out, falls down and becomes covered with scales. The fungus grows on acidic coniferous soils and prefers rotting litter or wood.
- Yellow-golden milkweed grows under chestnuts and oaks. The convex cap gradually takes on a depressed shape. The cap is covered with dark spots, while milk mushrooms usually have rings. The milky sap quickly turns yellow in air. In some sources it is classified as a poisonous mushroom.
How to grow milk mushrooms yourself?
Milk mushrooms are grown at home in two ways.
