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Russula golden is a representative of the genus Russula (Rusula) of the Russula family. This is a rather rare mushroom species that is not often found in forests; it is common in deciduous and broad-leaved forests of Eurasia and North America.
Where do golden russula grow
The fungus grows in deciduous forests, but it can also be found in coniferous forests and in mixed plantings, mainly on the edge. It grows well on ordinary forest soil, single specimens and small families are more common. Russula appears golden in early summer, its collection takes place until the first autumn frosts.
In Our Country, the mushroom is rare, but it is found in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, more often it can be found in the Far East and very rarely in the European part of the country. Distributed in birch-coniferous forests of Western Siberia.
What do golden russula look like
This is a large-fruited, beautiful mushroom with a bright hat color. Its color can be dark orange, light golden, brick and even red. The lower part of the mushroom (leg) is wide, cylindrical, white
Description of golden russula
Golden russula (Russula aurata) has a large, strong, even outstretched hat. Its diameter can reach 12 cm. In old mushrooms, the shape of the cap forms a saucer with raised edges. Its central part becomes light, golden, the edges darker. The color can be brick red, orange, the middle is yellow, golden. The edge of the cap is ribbed, ribbed.
The leg is thick, often even, but may be slightly curved. It is cylindrical, grayish-white, pale yellow below. Its diameter reaches 3 cm. The height of the stem can vary from 3 to 8 cm. The surface can be smooth or covered with a network of shallow wrinkles; in old mushrooms, the surface becomes loose.
The pulp is fragile, brittle, crumbling, has no smell. After cutting the fungus, its color on the sections does not change. Under the skin, the color of the flesh is pale yellow.
The plates are frequent, rounded at the edges, not attached to the stem. Their length can vary from 6 to 10 cm. In young mushrooms, the color of the plates is creamy, with time it begins to turn yellow.
Spores are ovoid, white, covered with small frequent tubercles, form a mesh. Spore powder white.
Is it possible to eat golden russula
The collection begins at the end of June and ends with the arrival of October. Often you can find a mushroom at the foot of an oak in a pile of its foliage. The golden representative of the Russula family can be safely put in a mushroom basket and eaten in any form: salted, pickled, fried or boiled. But, despite the speaking name of the mushroom, it is not recommended to eat it raw.
Taste qualities of golden russula
Russula golden refers to edible mushroom species and has a good taste. The pulp is slightly sweet, bitterness is completely absent. There is no characteristic mushroom smell.
Benefit and harm
Russula golden is eaten as a natural substitute for animal protein and meat. It contains vitamins B2 and PP and is completely fat-free. It is also a low-calorie product that people who control their weight can safely eat.
Russula golden is similar to some types of inedible and conditionally edible mushrooms, so it should be collected very carefully. Despite its name, the fresh mushroom is not eaten, as this can lead to unpredictable consequences.
Doctors do not recommend people with diseases of the pancreas to use mushrooms, including russula. Children under 12 are also prohibited.
In the composition, like other edible mushrooms, there is a chitin protein, which gives a serious burden to the human digestive system. One mushroom serving for an adult should not exceed 150 g, so it is easier for the digestive system to digest a heavy product.
False twins of golden russula
An inexperienced mushroom picker can confuse golden russula with beautiful russula. The color of their hats and the shape of the legs are almost the same. In a beautiful russula, the hat has a redder, darker color or light pink. The leg is also painted in a light light pink color. The pulp is firm in the entire mushroom body, after cutting it does not crumble. Also, this species has a pronounced fruity smell, and when cooked, it begins to smell like turpentine. This mushroom belongs to the conditionally edible group, since it does not have good taste qualities, after processing it exudes an unpleasant odor.
Blood red russula is another inedible member of the family that looks like golden russula. In an inedible mushroom, the cap is much darker and has a pronounced red or pink color. The leg is pale pink, while in the golden russula it is yellowish. The mushroom is classified as a conditionally edible species, as it has an unpleasant bitter taste and causes mild gastrointestinal disorders.
The use of golden russula
This type of mushroom is widely used in cooking. Roasts are prepared from them, side dishes, marinated, salted, dried for future use.
Before cooking, it is recommended to pour boiling water over the mushroom to make the pulp more elastic and keep its shape, especially if it is pickled or rolled into jars. Delicious are russula stewed in sour cream sauce. They can be used to make fillings for pies and pizza. Salted russula can be eaten the next day. They can also be rolled up in jars and harvested for the winter.
There is another way of harvesting for future use – this is drying. Each russula is washed, dried and strung on threads, then hung in a dry, warm room. Thus, the mushroom gradually shrinks and dries out, but at the same time retains all the taste qualities and even enhances them. Subsequently, delicious mushroom broths and soups can be cooked from such a blank.
The process of preparing golden russula does not take much time: it is enough to boil it once for half an hour and add it to any dish. Before cooking, golden russula is recommended to be soaked in water and left overnight or soaked in liquid for a couple of hours.
Conclusion
Russula golden is a large beautiful mushroom that can be collected and eaten without fear. On the territory of Our Country, it is a rather rare representative of the Syroezhkovye family, but in some regions it grows in sufficient quantities. Prefers deciduous and mixed forests in the northern part of the country. It is quite versatile, has a good taste, you can cook any mushroom dishes from it. In the process of harvesting, it is important not to confuse the golden russula with its inedible counterparts, which cause food poisoning.