Blackberry white (whitish): photo and description, how to cook, medicinal properties, recipes

The white blackberry belongs to the Ezhovikovye family, the genus Gidnum. Sometimes it is called “white hedgehog”, where the stress in the first word falls on the last syllable. The mushroom belongs to the category of edible varieties, but its palatability is of low value. Despite this, mushroom pickers do not interfere with using it in cooking.

Description of the white hedgehog

A distinctive feature of the white blackberry is the presence of spines located on the inside of the cap

The fruiting body of the white blackberry consists of a pronounced cap and stem. The needles are short, white or pale pink in color. They have a conical shape, pointed at the ends, slightly descend on the leg. At a young age, elastic and densely spaced, in maturity they become brittle, which contributes to easy shedding. The pulp is dense, white. It has a slightly pronounced mushroom aroma, in some cases with a floral tint. Spores are ellipsoid, spore powder is colored white.

Cap Description

At the initial stage of maturation, the cap is slightly convex, with the edges turned down. Subsequently, it acquires a prostrate shape, with a concave center. The diameter of the cap reaches about 15-17 cm. The surface is dense, dry, velvety to the touch. The color varies from white to yellowish or grayish shades. On some specimens, blurry spots in similar tones can be found.

White blackberries are recommended to be eaten young, as the flesh of overripe specimens becomes very tough.

Description of the leg

The leg is dense, white, solid, the maximum height of which can reach 6 cm, and the width is 3 cm. There is no cavity inside even in adult specimens.

One of the main conditions for fruiting is soil rich in limestone.

Where and how to grow

Favorable time for growth is the period from July to October within a temperate climate. Forms mycorrhiza with almost all coniferous and deciduous trees. Preference is given to wet places and moss cover.

Widely distributed in Europe, North America and Asia. It is believed that in Our Country the white hedgehog appeared relatively recently. It is found in its southern part, in the temperate forest zone. It can grow both singly and in large groups under favorable conditions.

Twins and their differences

As a rule, you can meet white hedgehog in Our Country from early summer to mid-autumn.

It is rather difficult to confuse the white blackberry with other gifts of the forest due to the specific hymenophore. However, it has external similarities with other subspecies of this family. It is worth considering the main differences of each instance separately:

1. The hedgehog is yellow. The hat of this species is flat, irregularly shaped. The pulp is dense, white with a pleasant aroma. It can grow together with the caps of other mushrooms growing in the neighborhood. It grows in mixed and deciduous forests, prefers moss cover. The color varies from pale yellow to orange, depending on growing conditions. A faded old white blackberry is quite easy to confuse with a double, however, it will give out its inherent bitter taste, which yellow does not have even in adulthood.

   

2. The reddish-yellow hedgehog has a small hat, the size of which reaches about 5 cm in diameter. Irregular shape, reddish-reddish color with wavy and very thin edges. In drought, the surface of the hat fades. On the underside of the cap are needles of a reddish-yellow tone. The length of the leg is no more than 4 cm, painted in reddish shades. Its surface is covered with felt fluff. The pulp is fragile, of light shades, becomes hard with age, especially the legs. It is edible, but only eaten at a young age. Old specimens are very bitter, taste like a rubber cork.

   

Is the white hedgehog edible or not?

This specimen is edible, however, it is suitable for food only at a young age. This is due to the fact that overripe mushrooms become tough and start to taste bitter. Some sources mention the similarity of the species in question with chanterelles, not only in appearance, but also in taste. White blackberry can be used as food in fried, boiled, pickled form. Also this copy is great for drying.

How to cook porcini mushroom

The white hedgehog scares off many people with its unusual appearance. However, experienced mushroom pickers know that it is an edible and healthy mushroom, and therefore they are happy to eat it in fried, pickled, boiled form. In addition, this species is considered an excellent option for freezing or drying. But before cooking, it is necessary to pre-process the gifts of the forest. To do this, using a toothbrush, you need to remove the needle growths under the hat. After that, each copy is washed under running water.

Important! As you know, white blackberry is bitter only at an old age. You can eliminate an unpleasant taste as follows: pour overripe specimens with boiling water and leave for 15 minutes, then rinse under running water.

How to fry

The process of cooking fried white hedgehogs does not take much time. This will require the following ingredients:

• mushrooms – 600 g;
• one onion;
• vegetable oil;
• 1 clove of garlic.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Peel the onion, cut into half rings.
2. Garlic chopped.
3. Fry the prepared ingredients in hot sunflower oil.
4. Process the mushrooms, cut into medium pieces.
5. When the contents in the pan become golden, you can add the gifts of the forest.
6. Cook for 10-15 minutes over low heat.

   Important! Do not cut the mushrooms too finely, because under the influence of the temperature regime they can decrease significantly.

Before cooking white blackberry, it is recommended to cut the needle layer

How to pickle

Before pickling, white blackberries must be processed, for this it is enough to clean them of dirt and debris with a brush, and then rinse under running water. It is recommended to remove the needle layer, but it is not a prerequisite, as this will not affect the taste. You will need the following ingredients:

• mushrooms – 0,5 kg;
• onion – 1 pcs .;
• garlic – 1 clove;
• vinegar 5% – 2 tbsp. l;
• vegetable oil – 1 st. l .;
• bay leaf – 1;
• boiling water – 250 ml;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Chop garlic and onion, send to a prepared jar.
2. Add salt, pepper, vinegar and oil to a common bowl.
3. Pour the contents of 100 ml of boiling water.
4. Place the processed hedgehogs, put a bay leaf on top, then pour boiling water over it.
5. Roll up the jars with lids and gently turn over several times to shake the contents.
6. Place in the refrigerator upside down. After a day, pickled mushrooms can be eaten.

How to dry

Dried mushrooms are great as a preparation for soups, gravies, sauces, broths. Before drying, the gifts of the forest should not be washed, it is enough just to clean them of dirt and wipe them with a dry cloth. Then they need to be cut into slices of about 5 mm and laid on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Initially, the mushrooms are dried in an oven at a temperature of 45 degrees, when they are slightly dried, they are raised to 70. To prevent the specimens from burning, drying should be done with the door slightly ajar. The process takes at least 8 hours.

Readiness can be recognized by the elasticity of the mushroom: it should bend, but not break. White hedgehogs are stored in this form for about 2-3 years. In addition, dried mushrooms can be ground in a coffee grinder, resulting in a mixture that can be added to various dishes as a condiment.

How to freeze

Before freezing white hedgehogs, it is necessary to sort them out. First, it is important to remove all wormy and rotten specimens. Secondly, mushrooms should be cleaned of dirt, twigs and leaves. Hard and young white urchins are suitable for this purpose. It is not recommended to wash them, as they tend to take all the moisture into themselves. But if the mushrooms were still subject to water procedures, then after that they should be dried with a towel. Then dry specimens should be transferred in a thin layer to a special bag. You can store frozen white blackberries for up to a year at a temperature of -18 degrees.

Medicinal properties of white hedgehogs

White blackberry is considered not only a tasty mushroom, but also useful

The composition of the white hedgehog includes a lot of useful vitamins and trace elements that have a beneficial effect on the body, namely:

• normalize blood pressure, improve heartbeat;
• improve the functioning of the respiratory system;
• lower cholesterol;
• prevent the occurrence of malignant tumors;
• smooth the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases;
• have a therapeutic effect on the digestive tract.

Based on the foregoing, white blackberry is quite popular and is used in traditional medicine.

Is it possible to grow a white hedgehog at home

Growing a white hedgehog at home is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. They can be artificially bred both indoors and outdoors. Thus, white hedgehog can be grown in the country, but this option involves planting only from April to October, and breeding, for example, in a basement or barn, will allow you to harvest all year round.

The algorithm for growing white hedgehogs at home is as follows:

1. Prepare logs of hardwood trees 1 m long and about 20 cm wide in diameter. Branches can be removed, but the bark must be left.
2. Soak dry wood in water for 2 days, then leave it in a warm, ventilated room for the same time.
3. Drill holes in the prepared logs in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 10 cm, a length of 4 cm, and a width of 0,8 cm in diameter.
4. Put mushroom sticks into the resulting holes.
5. Wrap logs with polyethylene and leave in a warm place. It is important that they always remain moist, so watering should be done every 2-3 days.
6. After the white threads of mycelium become visible on the surface, the logs should be placed in cold water, and then placed vertically in a bright and warm room.

Conclusion

White hedgehog is an edible mushroom that has a positive effect on the body. However, it, like any other mushrooms, contains chitin, which is difficult to digest. In this regard, the use of forest products is not recommended for people with gastrointestinal problems, as well as small children, pregnant and lactating women.