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Borovik bicolor – a representative of the Boletovye family, the genus Borovik. Synonyms for the species name are Bolet bicolor and Ceriomyces bicolor.
What do bicolor mushrooms look like
Initially, the cap of the bicolor mushroom has a convex shape, as it grows older it becomes prostrate with folded edges. The surface is velvety to the touch, the color of which varies from pink to brick red. The most common color in adulthood is red. The cap diameter is from 3 to 15 cm.
The pulp is dense, fleshy, yellow in color, forms a bluish tint on the cut. On the inside of the cap are tubes of yellow color 3-7 mm long with small rounded pores. The leg of the bicolor mushroom is dense, fleshy and very wide, about 2 cm in diameter. To the base is noticeably expanded, painted in a pink-red tint. In most mushrooms of this species, the leg is curved, in youth it has a club-shaped shape, with time it becomes cylindrical, without thickening from below. Spore powder is colored in brown or olive shades.
Where do bicolor mushrooms grow
A favorable time for their development is the period from mid-June to October. As a rule, they grow in coniferous forests, sometimes they are found near deciduous trees. On the territory of Our Country, this species is not common, so not much information has been collected about it. Most often, the bicolor boletus lives in the temperate climate zone of North America. They can grow both singly and in groups.
Is it possible to eat bicolor mushrooms
This specimen belongs to the category of edible mushrooms. It is allowed to eat not only a hat, but also a slightly harsh leg. Two-color mushrooms are suitable for all types of processing. According to experienced mushroom pickers, dishes from this ingredient are quite tasty.
False doubles
When looking for the bicolor boletus, one should be very careful, as there is a chance of encountering its poisonous twin brother, which is called the pink-purple boletus. It will be quite difficult for an inexperienced mushroom picker to distinguish these specimens from each other. However, the twin can be recognized by the paler pink hue of the fruiting body and a slightly pronounced sour-fruity aroma. In addition, if you press on its pulp, it will acquire a wine color.
Quite often, the bicolor boletus is confused with the porcini mushroom, but there is nothing to worry about, since the double is edible and tasty. This specimen has a red or brown hat. Its leg is the thickest and lowest, unlike the two-color one, it is painted in dark brown shades.
The red flywheel is a representative of the Boletaceae family, belongs to edible mushrooms and has external resemblances to the species in question. However, most people do not seek to collect it, since very often the fruiting bodies are affected by forest worms and larvae. It can be distinguished from the bicolor boletus by the orange-yellow leg in the upper part and the red scales located on its surface. In addition, the flywheel cap is much smaller, its maximum size in diameter is only 8 cm.
Collection rules
When collecting a two-color mushroom, you should follow simple rules:
- The fruit should be removed as carefully as possible so as not to damage the mycelium.
- Mushrooms of this species are allowed to be twisted, and not cut off the leg, as is usually done with other gifts of the forest.
- When taking, it is necessary to inspect for the presence of various harmful insects. If there are, then they should be removed.
- It is better to put a two-color boletus in a basket with a hat down, however, if the legs are very long, then it is allowed sideways.
- After collection, it is necessary to carry out the primary processing of forest gifts as soon as possible. Complete loss of useful properties in the open air occurs after 10 hours. It is worth noting that these raw mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator, but not more than a day.
Use
From this ingredient, you can cook various hot dishes, as well as salt, marinate and freeze for the winter. However, before direct preparation, it is necessary to perform primary processing. To do this, the fruits are washed, the lower part of the leg is cut off, especially large specimens are crushed. The mushrooms are then soaked in lightly salted water for 30 minutes. After this time, the gifts of the forest are washed again. After this procedure, you can start cooking the selected dish.
Conclusion
Boletus bicolor is a rather large variety of the Boletov family. The color of this specimen is one of the most interesting among the gifts of the forest. The cap of the fruit resembles a half peach, as the upper part is colored pink-red, and the inside is yellow.