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And although the hat of this mushroom is bright orange, “hunting” for it is not an easy task. Even experienced mushroom pickers call this forest dweller a mushroom of good luck. Can’t guess which one of them? This is a boletus. The basket of these red-hatted beauties is valued almost as much as porcini mushrooms, and they also have more than enough useful properties.
Why “boletus”?
The scientific name of this fungus is Leccinum aurantiacum. But in everyday life, he is known as a boletus, because attentive lovers of “silent hunting” have noticed: more often this handsome man is found under aspens. Although you should not be surprised if you are lucky enough to find it under spruces, pines, birches, oaks, in coniferous-deciduous forests and even on the edges or glades in groups or singly. True, there are representatives of some varieties that differ from their “brothers” from under the aspens.
This type of mushroom is common in Eurasia and North America, in temperate forests. They are found in shady thickets, on moist soil. These beauties love to hide among blueberries, ferns, in mosses and grass, although sometimes their bright hats are visible along forest paths.
The classic boletus is a mushroom that resembles a boletus, but with an orange-red cap (up to 20 cm in diameter), a stocky leg and dense flesh. It reaches its largest dimensions on the 10th day of growth, some specimens grow up to 2 kg. A distinctive feature of a young mushroom is a hemispherical cap, the edges of which are tightly pressed against the stem. The peel on the hat is not sticky, like butter, but dry, in some it is velvety. The club-shaped leg in adult boletus reaches 22 cm. It is easy to recognize by small black or brown scales. “Hunting” for boletus lasts from the beginning of summer until October.
Because of the bright hat, in the old days it was called by many other names: red mushroom, redhead, redhead, obabok, chelysh. Some suggest that the mushroom got its name also because the hat resembles bright autumn aspen leaves in color.
Varieties of boletus
And now – about varieties. As already mentioned, several species of Leccinum aurantiacum are known to science. Some of them are edible, and some can cause serious harm to a person. Although the latter are, of course, no longer real aspen mushrooms, but their false counterparts.
The first sign of boletus is a red-orange cap and a white leg with dark scales, like a boletus. But not uncommon – white boletus, which are found in spruce forests, and yellow-brown – “inhabitants” of mixed plantings. White-pink aspen mushrooms grow on wet soils of pine forests, and gray ones under poplars.
Another ability of aspen mushrooms is to change the color of the legs on the cut. Initially white flesh after damage changes color to pink, then dark blue or black. And it shouldn’t scare you. The fact is that the composition of the fungus contains components that are oxidized upon contact with air and enzymes. But such a reaction does not affect the nutritional characteristics and taste.
Have doubts about the edibility of the mushroom? It’s time to look under the hat.
All representatives of the boletaceae family (including aspen mushrooms) have a thick porous layer (up to 3 cm) under the hat. As a rule, it is light tones: white, with a yellow-brown or gray tint.
Classification by type
At first glance, it may seem that all boletus mushrooms are similar. But experienced mushroom pickers know that this is not so. And different species have their own distinctive features.
red boletus
This edible mushroom is found under deciduous trees: aspens, birches, beeches, poplars, willows, oaks. It is small – up to 15 cm in height and with a hat about 10 cm in diameter. The hats of these representatives are bright red or red-brown, the scales on the stem are gray-white. It grows in Europe, Siberia, the Far East and the Caucasus, in the tundra it is found under dwarf birches.
yellow-brown boletus
Other names are red-brown or multi-skinned obabok. A fairly large representative of the forests – it can reach a height of 25 cm, in a hat diameter – up to 15 cm. Hats are yellow-brown in shades or with a sandy-orange color, the legs are usually gray with frequent granular brown-black scales. This species is common in temperate forests. Mushrooms are found near birches, aspens, in pine and spruce-birch forests.
white boletus
A distinctive feature of young mushrooms is a white hat, which, however, reaches 25 cm in diameter with age and darkens to a gray-brown color. The leg is white, with the same scales. Few will be lucky enough to find such a mushroom. If desired, it should be sought on the moist soils of spruce-birch forests, under aspens. Geographically distributed in North America, Western Europe, Siberia, the Baltic countries, in some regions of Russia.
oak redhead
More than other varieties, it resembles boletus. Grows in the shade of oaks. It can be recognized by its coffee-brown hat with orange tints and reddish-brown scaled stem. These mushrooms are quite common in the northern hemisphere – in temperate forests.
Boletus with painted legs
This representative is less reminiscent of ordinary boletus than others. His hat is often flat and pink, uncharacteristic for redheads. The leg is covered with the same scales (or red). Distributed in the eastern regions of North America and Asia, in deciduous and coniferous forests.
Pine redhead
This is an edible mushroom with a dark crimson cap and a leg covered with brown scales. Its height and cap diameter rarely exceed 15 cm. “Hunt” follows it in the humid spruce and pine forests of Europe. Experienced mushroom pickers advise, first of all, to carefully examine the foothills of pines and bearberry thickets – the redhead hides there most often.
Black-scaled boletus
It is not difficult to recognize this mushroom. His hat is brick, dark red or orange, the leg is dotted with reddish scales. Distinctive feature: the white leg after damage quickly turns purple or gray-black.
spruce redhead
A small representative of the boletus family with a chestnut hat of a cylindrical leg with light brown scales. Rarely found alone. Mushroom pickers grow in all coniferous forests, but best of all under spruces. Sometimes found in mixed forests.
Seasonal classification
The fruiting season of boletus is very long. And summer representatives are somewhat different from their October “brothers”.
People noticed these features a very long time ago, and therefore divided the mushrooms into three seasonal groups.
Spikelets are aspen mushrooms that appear at the end of June and disappear at the end of the first decade of July. These are the very first mushrooms, which are usually few in number. In the indicated period, yellow-brown and white aspen mushrooms are found.
Zhnivniki – appear in mid-July and bear fruit until the end of August – early September. This is the “starry” time of red boletus, oak, black-scaled.
Deciduous mushrooms are the last mushrooms that appear in the second half of September. Until the first frosts, you can “hunt” redheads in pine and spruce forests with rich coniferous litter, which protects mushrooms from the cold.
false boletus
Besides the fact that boletus mushrooms are one of the most beautiful, tasty and healthy mushrooms, they are also one of the safest forest gifts.
Despite the impressive number of varieties, these mushrooms are practically not poisonous. But novice mushroom pickers still often wonder: what does a false boletus look like. However, the more experienced assure: in nature there are no false redheads. The only problem is that, due to inexperience, some people take a bitter fungus (a gall fungus) for a boletus. It is possible to determine the “false boletus” by the characteristic brown mesh on the stem (instead of scales), pink or brown spots on the cut, and a bitter taste, characteristic of bitterness.
Useful Properties
Mushrooms are called vegetarian meat.
And all because this type of product, and boletus is no exception, contains extremely rich reserves of proteins. Interestingly, the human body absorbs proteins from boletus almost completely – by 80%. Therefore, this mushroom is an unsurpassed source of amino acids and other nutrients important for the restoration of weakened organisms.
Boletus is a good source of fiber, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. They contain vitamins A, C, group B, as well as impressive reserves of iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium. Interestingly, aspen mushrooms contain B vitamins in almost the same amount as in cereals, and the reserves of vitamin B3 (nicotinic acid) are similar to the concentration in yeast or liver. Some studies prove the anti-cellulite properties of mushrooms.
In percentage terms, the composition of the boletus looks something like this:
- 90% – water;
- 4% – proteins;
- 2% – fiber;
- 1,5% – carbohydrates;
- 1% – fats;
- 1,5% – minerals and vitamins.
Boletus belongs to the category of diet food. In 100 grams of the product there are no more than 44 kcal, and the zero glycemic index makes them safe for people with diabetes and obesity.
In the course of laboratory studies, it was proved that aspen mushrooms cleanse the body of toxins and toxic substances well. The broth from these mushrooms is an extremely nutritious product, which is often compared to meat broth. For this reason, mushrooms are recommended to people after surgery, severe protracted illnesses, to strengthen the immune system. But still it is worth noting that most of the useful components are concentrated in the mushroom cap, the leg is relatively poor in nutrients.
Medicinal properties
Even in ancient times, people noticed that mushrooms are not only tasty, but also a healthy product. More than two thousand years ago, in ancient China, mushrooms were used as an effective remedy. Various ailments were healed with this product in Rus’ as well. And some of the mushrooms were valued even more than medicinal herbs.
Mushrooms, for example, helped treat intestinal disorders, mushrooms, chanterelles and milk mushrooms – colds and infectious diseases, butterflies – headaches, raincoats quickly healed wounds, and aspen mushrooms were used to purify the blood.
Do not forget about the healing properties of mushrooms and modern researchers who have created a science that studies the healing properties of mushrooms – fungotherapy.
Caveats
And although mushrooms are considered a healthy product, it is still important to use them with caution for people with diseased kidneys or impaired liver function.
Mushrooms that have grown along roads and in polluted areas are dangerous, since their spongy bodies easily accumulate carcinogens and toxins. It should be remembered that improperly cooked mushrooms (undercooked) are the cause of botulism. And once again: the right boletus will never be bitter.
Use in the kitchen
Aspen mushrooms are one of the most delicious mushrooms. In taste, they resemble boletus, and those, as you know, are considered the best after the porcini mushroom.
There are many ways to harvest this forest delicacy. They are suitable for boiling, frying, drying, marinating and salting. But with almost any method of harvesting, the mushroom loses its bright color. The exception is pickled boletus, which retain the beauty of their colors. But so that the mushrooms do not darken so much, they are soaked in acidified water.
Many recipes use whole mushrooms, although some gourmets shy away from the stems because they find this part tough. But in any case, it is important to cook fresh mushrooms as soon as possible after harvest, as they deteriorate in a matter of hours. The easiest way is to boil the boletus. Young mushrooms reach full readiness within 20 minutes after boiling. It will take longer to fry – from half an hour to 40 minutes. They are also suitable for freezing. In the freezer for several months, both raw peeled and already slightly cooked are well stored.
For longer storage, mushrooms can be dried. But it is important to follow some rules. Firstly, boletus mushrooms should never be washed before drying. Their spongy body quickly absorbs water, from which it is no longer possible to get rid of. Fresh delicacies must be thoroughly cleaned of branches, leaves, insects, earth (non-rigid brushes are suitable for this), then cut the large ones into pieces, leave the small ones whole. Drying can be done in several ways. If you prefer drying in the oven, then it is important that the temperature in the cabinet does not exceed 50 degrees. Place a baking sheet with parchment and mushrooms on the top shelf – so the mushrooms do not burn. To dry evenly, stir the contents of the pan from time to time, especially if a large portion of the delicacy is being prepared.
How to grow in the garden
Do you think that you can collect boletus only in the forests? You are wrong. These red-headed beauties can be grown in the garden.
For the germination of “domestic” mushrooms, you will need either a grain mycelium or a wild mycelium. To improve the yield, it is better to use the soil taken from under the aspen, and already sow a thin even layer of grain mycelium on it. In heat and drought, the mycelium will have to be moistened periodically. The first harvest appears 2-3 months after sowing. Then you can pick mushrooms every two weeks. Such a mushroom bed is capable of yielding up to 5 years.
Researchers call mushrooms the most amazing organisms on the planet, which are able to combine the characteristics of plants and animals. From the most ancient times, people use this product for food and as a medicine, mushrooms can replace meat for vegetarians and enrich the body with minerals and vitamins. Meanwhile, they remain one of the most dangerous products – false twin mushrooms or poisonous species are the strongest poison on the planet. So remember to be vigilant when picking or buying mushrooms, and never cook species you don’t know.