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In the mushroom “kingdom” mushrooms are recognized quite easily. The main sign that you met these fruiting bodies in the forest is their uncomplicated location. So, mushrooms grow in whole colonies on stumps, old clearings, deadwood or living wood. There are also types of mushrooms that grow simply in the grass in meadows, parks and gardens, forming the so-called “witch circles”.
For the most part, mushrooms are saprophytes and settle on dying trees. However, there are other species that parasitize healthy living plants, destroying them rather quickly. According to biologists, it is these fungi that are the cause of the death of forests. But for lovers of “silent hunting” such events are only at hand. In this case, there is an occasion to go into the forest in search of the next mushroom harvest.
Sometimes, having come to the place of collection, you can meet a whole “family” of old mushrooms. Many mushroom pickers in frustrated feelings leave such places without taking a single specimen into their basket. Often, overgrown mushrooms are thrown away, because their flesh is very tough, and their appearance does not cause appetite at all. In addition, everyone knows that fruiting bodies absorb radiation and salts of heavy metals like sponges, and mushrooms are no exception. Therefore, the older the fungus, the more harmful substances it absorbed from the atmosphere. However, for some mushroom pickers, meeting overgrown mushrooms is not a reason for sadness.
What to do with old mushrooms and photos of how they look
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Often, old mushrooms are very wormy and have a very unattractive appearance. In this case, such mushrooms really need to be thrown away. However, even among them there are whole and strong “burdocks”. What to do with old mushrooms in this case – take it to the basket or pass by? Very often, many beginner mushroom pickers ask a similar question. As already noted, some lovers of “silent hunting” do not shun overgrown mushrooms, but on the contrary, they gladly take them into their basket. However, first they make sure that the adult specimen meets the so-called “quality standards”. It should be free of any damage, black spots, and signs of worminess. In addition, the place of collection of such mushrooms should take place in an ecologically clean area – away from factories and industrial enterprises.
As experience shows, it is possible to collect old mushrooms, but not always. As mentioned above, each specimen must meet all the requirements for a strong and attractive mushroom. Unfortunately, most of the overgrown mushrooms do not fit this description, which is why mushroom pickers “say goodbye” to them so easily. However, when in front of you you see an adult mushroom that is quite worthy in terms of organoleptic properties, on which there are no traces of rot, worminess, mold and other damage, you can cut it off and put it in a basket.
Mushrooms grow and mature very quickly, so you don’t have time to look back as they have already outgrown. The following photos will show what old mushrooms look like. So, with age, the fruiting body changes color to darker shades. In addition, the size and shape of the hat become different. We offer you to visually familiarize yourself with the appearance of overgrown mushrooms using the example of a summer and autumn look. It is worth noting that adults can easily be confused with false species, so it is very important to know what they look like.
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Old autumn and summer mushrooms (with photo)
Autumn honey agaric is the most popular among other species. At a young age, it has a convex unopened hat, which eventually opens like an umbrella, becomes round and flat, reaching up to 13 cm in diameter. We offer to compare photos of old autumn mushrooms with their young “brothers”.
As you can see, the surface of a young mushroom is covered with many light scales, but with age they disappear and the cap becomes completely smooth. If you look under the cap of the “young” honey agaric, you can see that it is covered with a white film. An adult specimen loses this veil, leaving only “rags”. In addition, there is a ring on the stem of each edible mushroom, which almost completely disappears in old individuals.
The color of autumn mushrooms varies depending on the wood on which they grow. Older specimens will always be slightly darker than their smaller counterparts, including the color of the flesh itself. With age, it changes from a whitish flesh to a yellow tint, sometimes with dark spots. The aroma is pleasant mushroom, although in older individuals it is less expressive.
Summer honey agaric is one of the most recognizable species, especially in wet weather. Its smooth sticky hat, swelling with dampness, has a pronounced two-tone color. In the center you can see a light brown spot, and along the edges – a wide brown or brown strip. In young individuals, the hat is small, hemispherical in shape, 3-7 cm in diameter, which, as they grow older, grows and becomes flat-convex, up to 10 cm. The photo shows that the old edible mushrooms of this species may be completely left without the characteristic ring on the leg, which every young specimen has:
The cap plates of young mushrooms are cream-colored, which turn brown over time. In addition, old summer mushrooms often “sprinkle” the mushroom caps of the lower tier with a layer of brown spore powder.
In many species of overgrown mushrooms, caps are covered with a white coating resembling mold. Most likely, this is a spore powder, but to be sure, it is better to smell the mushroom. If it has a pleasant mushroom aroma, then there is nothing dangerous in the white bloom. However, if the fruiting body gives off mold, then it is better not to take it. Also pay special attention to the lower part of the cap of an adult honey agaric – if the plates are covered with mold and begin to turn black, it is strongly recommended to leave it in the forest.
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Is it possible to eat old overgrown mushrooms?
As you can see, the attitude towards such fruiting bodies is ambiguous. In this regard, a completely logical question arises about old overgrown mushrooms: is it possible to collect and eat them in the future? I must say that there are no specific frameworks or rules. Some experienced mushroom pickers confidently use such fruiting bodies to prepare various dishes. In their opinion, the caps of these mushrooms are quite edible and even very tasty, while the leg is too hard, so it’s really better to get rid of it.
Is it possible to cook old mushrooms and how to use such pickled mushrooms?
Some mushroom pickers have taken the practice of pickling old mushrooms – is it possible to do this? Yes, as long as they taste good. To do this, they must be soaked in salt water, cut into pieces and boiled for 20-30 minutes. And how can you use old pickled mushrooms? In addition to an independent snack, they are great as an additional or even main ingredient in various salads.
Is it possible to pickle old mushrooms and a recipe for fried mushrooms
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There are few recipes for making old mushrooms. Basically, these are mushroom caviar and pastes. As already noted, sometimes they are pickled or dried. However, it should be remembered that the legs of overgrown mushrooms should be removed, leaving only one hat. Is it possible to cook old mushrooms by frying them in a pan? I must say that this is a very popular type of mushroom harvest processing, and some lovers of “quiet hunting” use it with pleasure in their practice. To do this, they advise cutting the caps of overgrown mushrooms into small pieces and soaking in water for 1,5 hours, adding table salt to it. Then rinse them under the tap and boil 2 times for 15 minutes, each time changing the water. Then you can safely proceed to frying or stewing.
How else can you cook old mushrooms? It turns out that they can be dried and then added to first courses and sauces. However, in this case, mushrooms are not pre-boiled and not soaked in water. These 2 procedures should be carried out with dried fruiting bodies as needed.