Rhizopogon pinkish: how to cook, description and photo

Reddening truffle, pinkish rhizopogon, pinking truffle, Rhizopogon roseolus – these are the names of the same fungus of the genus Rhizopogon. The fruit body is formed shallow under the topsoil. It is rare, not in demand among mushroom pickers.

Where do pinkish rhizopogons grow

The rhizopogon fungus is found under spruce and pine, in mixed forests dominated by oak, and is less common under other deciduous species. It is located in groups shallow in the soil, covered with leaf or coniferous litter. Only a small part of mature specimens appear on the surface, and even then rarely. The mode of growth complicates harvesting and determining the boundaries of the distribution of the population.

Fruiting is long, they start collecting in the middle of summer. In the middle lane, if the autumn is warm with sufficient rainfall, the last specimens are found in mid-October. The main cluster of reddening truffles is looked for near pines and firs under a coniferous pillow.

What do pinkish rhizopogons look like

Rhizopogons are not divided into stem and cap. The fruit body is uneven, rounded or tuberous. They grow under the top layer of soil, on the surface there are often only long threads of mycelium.

Type description:

1. The diameter of the fruiting body of an adult specimen is 5-6 cm.
2. Peridium is first whitish, then yellow with a greenish tint.
3. When pressed, the place turns red, the color also changes after being removed from the ground, the peridium oxidizes and turns pink, hence the species name.
4. The surface of young specimens is rough, velvety. In ripe mushrooms, it becomes smooth.
5. The pulp is dense, oily, during ripening it changes color from white to light brown, turns red at the cut site. The inner part of the peridium consists of numerous longitudinal chambers filled with spores.

Is it possible to eat pinkish rhizopogons

The species is little known, it is not massively collected. Belongs to the category of edible mushrooms. There are no substances poisonous to humans in the fruiting body. Rhizopogons are used only at a young age. Over time, the flesh becomes loose and dry.

Taste qualities of the mushroom rhizopogon pinkish

The mushroom vaguely resembles the taste of a truffle, a delicious look. The pulp is juicy dense with a pleasant, sweetish taste, but only in young specimens. The smell is weak, barely perceptible. Peridia are used without prior processing.

False doubles

The most similar twin is the common rhizopogon (Rhizopogon vulgaris).

Outwardly, the fruiting bodies of the twin resemble potato tubers in color and shape. The surface of the peridium is velvety light olive in color. The flesh is creamy, dense and oily, slightly darkening when cut, rather than turning reddish. The method, time and places of growth in species are the same. A similar mushroom belongs to the fourth group in terms of nutritional value.

Use

Reddening truffle is used without pre-soaking and boiling. The pulp is dense, with a pleasant taste, well suited for all processing methods. You can cook the second and first courses from pinkish rhizopogon. Fruit bodies are suitable for pickling and pickling. Used as an ingredient in salads, you can make pate or mushroom caviar.

Conclusion

Rhizopogon pinkish is a rare mushroom with a mild smell and taste. Belongs to the conditionally edible group. The fruit body without a cap and a rounded stem is completely in the ground. The main accumulation of rhizopogons near coniferous trees.