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More than 200 varieties belong to the genus Clitocybe, or Govorushka. In Our Country, no more than 60 species of them grow – edible and poisonous. The saucer-shaped talker is small in size and practically does not emit a mushroom aroma, which is why many mushroom pickers bypass it.
Where saucer-shaped talkers grow
Talkers grow throughout the temperate climate zone. They prefer deciduous and coniferous forests of the western part of Our Country, Siberia and Primorsky Krai. Populations of these fungi are also widespread in European countries, Belarus, Turkey, China, in Asia – East and West. There are saucer mushrooms in fields, meadows, along the edges of country roads and even in park areas.
What do saucer-shaped talkers look like
Saucer-shaped talkers are distinguished by their small size and snow-white color. The cap, 3 to 7 cm in diameter, is flat and even in young specimens, but becomes cup-shaped during growth. Adult, overgrown representatives acquire a funnel-shaped, saucer-shaped form, which is the reason for the name of this representative of the mushroom family. The caps have a dry, slightly matte and velvety surface of white, cream color, in some cases with a pinkish or yellowish color. The plates are very thin and smooth, with numerous small branches. The leg is from 4 to 6 cm in height, somewhat expanded towards the base. In color, it may be slightly lighter than the cap. The surface of the stem is smooth, fibrous, slightly pubescent with velvety mycelium. The shape is cylindrical. The pulp is thin, snow-white, not changing color on the cut.
Is it possible to eat saucer-shaped talkers
These mushrooms are classified as conditionally edible, so they can be eaten only after preliminary heat treatment. Before preparing culinary dishes, they are cleaned, sorted, washed and boiled. The broth is drained.
Taste qualities of the mushroom saucer-shaped govorushka
The saucer-shaped talker does not differ in gastronomic value. Some connoisseurs argue about the absence of special taste and aroma, others talk about the unpleasant taste of rancid flour and cotton, even somewhat fluffy pulp. When combined with other products, it is necessary to take into account the spicy taste of mushrooms.
Benefits and harm to the body
The saucer-shaped talker is low-calorie, so it can be eaten during a diet. In addition, fruiting bodies contain a large number of useful substances:
- Hats of young specimens are a real pantry of macro- and microelements – zinc, copper, manganese, as well as B vitamins.
- The active substances contained in the composition remove toxins and slags from the human body, reduce the level of harmful cholesterol in the blood.
- Eating pulp improves digestion and has a positive effect on the work of all organs of the digestive tract.
Saucer-shaped talkers have antibacterial properties, which is the reason for their rather widespread use in official and traditional medicine. Medicinal decoctions help with diseases of the respiratory organs, in particular, tuberculosis. And due to the presence of a substance such as clitocybin, mushrooms are used as part of drugs against epilepsy.
However, like most well-known mushrooms, talkers are capable of accumulating heavy metals and toxic compounds. Poisoning with them can be avoided if collected in ecologically clean areas and cooked according to all the rules. In no case should fruiting bodies be taken near roads and railways, industrial enterprises.
False doubles
The most dangerous twin of the saucer-shaped talker is the whitish or discolored talker. It has a small size: its hat is up to 5 cm in diameter, the leg is up to 4 cm. It differs from the saucer-shaped relative in a smooth, shiny surface, which in wet weather is covered with a small amount of mucus. In overgrown fruiting bodies, the stem becomes hollow. The whitish talker is a poisonous mushroom that is deadly to humans.
How to distinguish talkers from each other, the video will clearly demonstrate:
Collection rules
Collect fruiting bodies in dry weather from the end of June to the beginning of October. Only young specimens are suitable for food, the diameter of which does not exceed 4-5 cm. Only the caps are cut off, leaving the leg intact, and put them in a basket face down so that the mushrooms do not break during transportation.
Use
Only caps are used for food in this variety of mushrooms: the legs become rubbery and hard during cooking. They are pre-boiled in a large amount of salted water for 30 minutes. When the hats sink to the bottom, then they are ready. They are thrown into a colander and allowed to drain. The decoction is not used for food. Prepared fruit bodies are fried in butter with the addition of onions or stewed.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that the saucer-shaped talker cannot compete in taste with mushroom species valued in gastronomy, it contains many useful properties and can be used in the preparation of medicines according to traditional medicine recipes. It is not recommended to collect this variety for inexperienced, novice mushroom pickers, since there is a high risk of confusing white and light mushrooms with poisonous counterparts.