Honey mushrooms

“Well, who doesn’t know what mushrooms look like?” you say. Really! Sometimes even scientists involved in the study of fungi find it difficult to determine their type. And mushrooms, by the way, are very different, unlike each other, and also deadly poisonous.

Such different mushrooms …

Honey mushrooms are one of the most common mushrooms in the world. From a scientific point of view, the group of mushrooms Agaric is the most “motley”. For non-biologists, these are mushrooms growing on stumps or trees (hence the name), but for scientists, this group is much wider. It includes mushrooms from the forest floor and growing in the grass.

But still, the majority of mushrooms are parasites that feed on dead and living wood and can cause serious damage to forests.

But there is another more exciting ability in these mushrooms – they belong to bioluminescent organisms. This means that mushrooms glow in the dark. But these greenish reflections are so weak that under normal conditions, even on a moonless night in the middle of the forest, it is almost imperceptible.

Different types of mushrooms can have different shapes and colors. Their smooth caps come in shades of red-brown to yellow-brown. In shape, there are small rounded, bell-shaped or flat. And the mushrooms themselves can appear either singly or in families, which sometimes consist of several dozen mushrooms.

Are mushrooms edible?

There are different opinions about edibility again. Some consider them unfit for human consumption, although mycologists say that among them there are both good and inedible. True, the people of science, having analyzed the nutritional value, attributed them to products of 3-4 categories. However, for many mushroom pickers, they remain the best for pickling. And it is precisely with honey agarics that lovers of “silent hunting” open the season, since these mushrooms appear in early spring, long before boletus, boletus, oil, porcini mushrooms or saffron mushrooms.

Beginning mushroom pickers, perhaps, had to hear about false mushrooms, which, although they resemble real ones, are poisonous. However, not everything is so simple: even researchers find it difficult to determine which category a particular specimen belongs to. These are such diverse and unique organisms that some do not even resemble mushrooms. But the most interesting thing is that some representatives of the species are able to change their appearance, depending on weather conditions or the characteristics of the wood they feed on. Experienced mushroom pickers and mycologists are ready for such transformations again, but for beginners it is difficult to determine edible and inedible only by typical external characteristics.

Inedible and conditionally edible mushrooms are considered to be “false”.

But the danger is that even conditionally edible ones have poisonous counterparts. If “false” ones are lost among the collected mushrooms, then after thorough soaking and proper preparation they will not cause poisoning. Twins are just as dangerous as pale grebes. But the dangers don’t end there. You can also get poisoned by real mushrooms, especially the old representatives of the “family”. Poorly washed or undercooked foods cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. In some, poisoning is accompanied by an increase in blood pressure, tachycardia, nosebleeds, and in severe cases, hemorrhages in the brain tissue.

Poisoning by other poisonous gifts of the forest manifests itself differently. The first signs are a sharp decrease in blood pressure, bradycardia, loss of consciousness. Further, within 4-6 hours after the use of a poisonous mushroom, vomiting, diarrhea, intestinal colic appear, which are poorly eliminated with medication. Most cases of poisoning with false mushrooms are fatal.

Types of edible mushrooms

So that the “silent hunt” does not end in trouble, you first have to learn as much as possible about mushrooms. But we hasten to reassure: this does not mean that novice mushroom pickers will have to become a mycologist. There is no need to study the characteristics of all mushrooms known to science and their counterparts, it is enough to focus on those that are found in local forests. And what are “found” – this will already be prompted by more experienced “hunters” for mushrooms. But the surest rule and the best advice: if in doubt, don’t take it! So, the most common and most recognizable mushrooms are winter, summer and autumn. We will talk about them in detail.

Winter honey agaric, or Flammulina velutipes

The fruiting of this species begins at the end of September, and if weather conditions allow, it will produce crops during the winter. You can find this mushroom on the remains of deciduous trees. Recognizable thanks to the smooth honey-brown cap (semi-spherical in young mushrooms and flat in old ones). At high humidity, the hat becomes slippery. The plates under it are creamy, like the pulp on the cut. But there should not be any scales or rings on the leg – this is a sign of poisonous twins.

Scientists attribute this mushroom to conditionally edible, and mushroom pickers – to the most delicious representatives of honey mushrooms. Some of them are grown in summer cottages or on the balcony. They say that homemade winter mushrooms are even tastier than forest mushrooms. Plus, it’s definitely safe.

Spring honey agaric, or Collybia dryophila

Appears in forests in spring or early summer. These mushrooms love rotten wood and forest floor. Spring mushrooms are recognized by their two-tone hat (dark in the center and light at the edges), there are no rings or scales on the stem. And although in the scientific literature it is called conditionally edible, mushroom pickers are happy with it and love it for its bright aroma and “meatiness”.

White slimy honey fungus, or Oudemansiella mucida

These are also spring-summer mushrooms. White slimy mushrooms “settle” on fallen trees, live beeches and maples, the trunks of which they can “stick around” to the very branches. They are creamy grey, sticky in all weathers, their stipe ringed but not scaled. Mushroom pickers and mycologists agree that it is a safe, tasty and fragrant mushroom.

Summer honey agaric, or Kuehneromyces mutabilis

It grows on birch stumps, and in mountainous regions – on the remains of coniferous trees, in August-October. Easily recognizable in rainy weather, when its 8 cm sticky hat attracts moisture and becomes two-tone (light brown in the center, dark brown or brown at the edges). In sunny weather, the mushrooms are monophonic, honey-yellow. The young have a convex hat, the old flat-convex. Distinctive features: leg with small scales and a ring, brown-cream plates under the cap.

Autumn mushroom, or Armillaria mellea

He loves damp forests, and in them “settles” on the stumps of oaks, pines, birches, aspens, elms, and also parasitizes on 200 species of trees and shrubs. This is a larger representative of honey mushrooms – the diameter of its cap reaches 15 cm. Autumn honey agaric is usually gray-yellow or yellow-brown in color, with a ring on the stem and small scales on the legs and hats. The plates of this species are yellowish or creamy brown. Mushroom pickers consider it second in taste and aroma after summer mushrooms.

Garlic

This is the so-called atypical representative of mushrooms, a characteristic feature of which is a pronounced garlic smell. It never grows on wood; it does not have the ring on the leg that is characteristic of honey agaric. Garlic grows on dry forest floor from late summer and autumn. This is a small mushroom, its cap is never more than 5 cm in diameter (in older representatives it is prostrate or even slightly inverted), and the stem is not thicker than half a centimeter. Garlic stalks range in color from brownish to white, and the tough stalks are brownish-black. Garlic is consumed fresh, they are good for salting, as well as for making seasonings from dried mushrooms.

Honey agaric meadow

It is also an atypical honey agaric growing among the grass in meadows, glades, pastures, in gardens, near roads. Usually meadow mushrooms appear in the first days of summer and bear fruit until October. But they grow in a very specific way – forming rows or circles in the grass, which the people called witch rings. This type of mushroom is recognized by the absence of a ring on the stem, by a small (up to 5 cm) hat, light at the edges and brown in the center, as well as by a pleasant taste and smell. It is thanks to these gastronomic characteristics that the small meadow mushroom is very popular among mushroom pickers.

Common false mushrooms

In the summer, inexperienced mushroom pickers sometimes confuse edible mushrooms with false ones – gray-lamellar and sulfur-yellow. The former are reminiscent of summer ones in many respects. They recognize the poisonous mushroom by the absence of a ring and scales, as well as by gray plates under a rusty-brown hat. Appear exclusively in coniferous forests in mid-July. Despite the fact that “false” appears in the name, gray-lamellar mushrooms can be consumed after careful heat treatment, although the older ones have a rotten taste.

Sulfur-yellow mushrooms appear in spring on rotting stumps of deciduous trees. Their rounded yellow-olive caps and yellow-green or purple-brown plates are a clear sign of toxicity. The taste and smell of the pulp is bitter.

Candoll’s false honey agaric can also be confused with summer mushrooms due to inexperience. Groups of these organisms “inhabit” stumps and living deciduous trees (mainly in the shade, from May to September). They are recognized by their almost white color, the absence of a ring on the stem and by grayish or dark brown plates. After prolonged soaking and several hours of cooking, they are quite acceptable as food.

An extremely dangerous twin of summer mushrooms is the bordered galerina. This mushroom is slightly smaller than the summer mushroom (hat up to 4 cm), the stem is not scaly, but fibrous, but otherwise it very much resembles an edible mushroom. Appears in various forests from June to October, most of all loves rotten coniferous stumps and ignores birch. According to the content of toxic substances, it is equivalent to pale grebe.

The thick-legged mushroom resembles an autumn mushroom, and some mushroom pickers consider both specimens to be a variety of the same species. The main signs of false autumn mushrooms: they “live” on the litter, bear fruit constantly, and not in waves, the lower part of their legs is thicker. But even if such a mushroom ended up in the basket, do not worry – it is edible. But it is advised to use only hats for food, as the legs are very tough.

Yellow-red honey agaric appears at the end of August on coniferous wood. It differs from the autumn edible “brother” in an excessively bright color, smaller sizes (caps up to 7 cm), the absence of a ring and the bitter taste of the pulp.

The brick-red mushroom that appears at the height of the autumn mushroom season is called poisonous. Identified by the red velvety hat, the absence of scales and the ring on the leg. It is more common in deciduous forests, where there is a lot of sun and fresh air, less often in pine forests.

A no less dangerous twin of garlic and meadow agaric is a whitish talker (a deadly mushroom). Its main feature is the grayish-white color of the cap, which, unlike meadow mushrooms, is flat.

The benefits and harms of mushrooms

Honey mushrooms are a low-calorie product: 100 grams contain no more than 22 kcal. But at the same time, mushrooms remain a good source of B, E, C vitamins, as well as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, sodium, copper, magnesium and zinc. Like other representatives of the mushroom family, mushrooms are rich in fiber and protein. Interestingly, the concentration of calcium and phosphorus in these small mushrooms is close to that in fish. A lot of mushrooms and iron, which makes them a product recommended for people with low hemoglobin.

Researchers have proven the antimicrobial and anti-cancer abilities of these mushrooms. They are useful for getting rid of hemolytic Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and as a healing food for thyroid dysfunctions. Phosphorus-rich mushrooms are useful for strengthening bones, improving teeth and adequate functioning of the central nervous system. Copper and zinc make the product important for the peripheral nervous system as well as maintaining spinal health. Some members of the mushroom family are high in vitamin A, which makes them beneficial for eyesight, maintaining skin elasticity, and strengthening hair. Thanks to vitamins E and C, these mushrooms have a beneficial effect on the immune and hormonal systems.

But for people with diseases of the digestive system, it is better to refuse this product. Another point that is important to know: mushrooms are not the best source of amino acids. The digestibility of proteins from mushrooms is several times lower than from porcini mushrooms. Even a healthy body does not absorb honey mushrooms well in combination with yeast dough. And when frying, the pulp of mushrooms absorbs fat very quickly and in large portions. Pickled or salted mushrooms loved by many can cause swelling, and large portions of autumn ones can cause diarrhea. Boiled mushrooms are considered the most useful.

How to grow winter mushrooms

This is perhaps the only mushroom that can be grown not only in the garden, but also on the balcony or windowsill.

The first way is to place the mycelium in a jar, which you put on the windowsill. Another method involves preparing a substrate from 3 parts of sawdust and 1 part of bran (as an option: mix sawdust and herbal supplements in the form of buckwheat husks, sunflower husks, etc. one to one). Pour such a substrate with water for 24 hours, squeeze it out and transfer it to 3-liter jars (half fill). Then sterilize the vessels with the substrate for 2 hours. Repeat the procedure the next day. When the contents of the jars have cooled to 25 degrees, close with nylon lids, in which to make holes (about 2 cm in diameter). Pour mycelium through them (about 7% of the mass of the substrate). Put the “seeded” jar for 30 days in a warm (not lower than 20-24 degrees), but a dark place. With the advent of the first “sprouts” transfer to the northern window sill, and then to the balcony (keep the temperature at least 10 degrees). When the mushrooms grow to the lid, open the jar and wrap a wide strip of cardboard around the neck. On the 10th day after the appearance of “shoots” you can harvest. Cut the mushrooms, remove the legs from the substrate and send the closed jar again to a dark and warm place. The next harvest will appear in 2 weeks. One jar can “give birth” to 1-2 kg of tasty, healthy and, most importantly, safe winter mushrooms.

Despite the fact that Europeans do not really like these mushrooms, they remain tasty and healthy. The main thing is to know which ones are edible and which ones you should stay away from. And what to cook from fragrant mushrooms – every housewife knows.

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