Mushroom umbrella. Useful properties, how to dry and how to pickle. Description of edible species of umbrella mushrooms, their poisonous counterparts Is it possible to eat priests mushrooms

Umbrellas are the "top of summer". In July, there is a fairly large harvest of white species; from August, red umbrellas begin to delight lovers of "quiet hunting". Myceliums bear fruit abundantly not only in forests (places with a thick layer of fallen leaves and humus, including in clearings and forest edges), but also in fields and pastures. Inexperienced gatherers consider umbrellas to be fly agarics, although in fact they are relatives of mushrooms.

It is very easy to recognize an edible, tasty mushroom, as it catches your eye: tall, on a thick leg and either with an unopened, dense ball of "headdress", or with an "umbrella" hat up to 12 cm in diameter. The opened mushroom really resembles an accessory from rain, with even "" - plates, which are very easy to separate. Edible mushrooms smell good. If a novice mushroom picker is not sure how to assemble and prepare umbrellas, he should study special guides and consult with experts. The important rule of "quiet hunting" - "not sure - don't take it" - has not been canceled.

How to prepare umbrellas

It is not difficult to handle umbrella mushrooms: you need to wipe them with a dry sponge and remove the coarsest scales. The legs are rough, it is recommended to separate them and cook them separately. For soups and mushroom roast, the caps must be rinsed in running water and squeezed out before cutting, as they absorb liquid very strongly. Dry cleaning is sufficient before cooking the whole "headgear".

The legs of the mushrooms, as well as the hard top of the opened caps, if desired, can be boiled for the broth and discarded. However, zealous housewives prefer to harvest them for future use: this part of the mushroom is cut into rings and dried. After that, the legs must be crushed and the aromatic powder used for dressing the first courses.

Fried umbrella mushrooms

There are gourmets who consider umbrellas to be one of the best edible mushrooms. Sorted out, peeled and washed unopened "heads" should be cut into slices and held in a preheated pan over low heat until the juice boils off. Then add the head of onion, cut into thin half rings, salt and pepper to taste and fry in refined sunflower oil for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

Umbrellas in batter

Umbrella hats, whole or cut into quarters, can be cooked in batter. To do this, the raw materials must be rolled in such a mixture (calculation for 3 mushrooms): a beaten egg, crushed crackers or flour (4 tablespoons) and table salt to taste. After that, it is necessary to strongly heat a cast-iron frying pan and fry the caps of umbrella mushrooms in vegetable oil on both sides until golden brown.

Mushroom sauce with pickles

Umbrella mushrooms make an excellent sauce for pasta and mashed potatoes. The washed hats for this recipe should be finely chopped and stewed a little with bacon (50 g), seasonings and salt (to taste). Do not use vegetable oil! After 6-7 minutes, add one chopped large sweet pepper without a core and seeds to the pan.

After the liquid has evaporated, pour in a mixture of a little broth or water, 15% cream and (125 ml) and ketchup (50 ml). The umbrella mushroom sauce must be stewed with stirring for 10 minutes. Before serving, add a couple of chopped (very finely!) Pickled cucumbers to the dish.

Belongs to the mushroom family. One of the largest and most delicious mushrooms, 4 categories. Below are the most famous species with a photo:

Motley

Motley umbrella(tall, large, dunyasha) (L. Macrolepiota procera), reaches a height of 40 cm and a diameter of 30 cm. The pulp and plates are white. It is found everywhere on all continents and even on the islands of Sri Lanka, Solomon, Madagascar and Cuba. Harvesting time June - November.

White

Umbrella white, synonyms - field, white lepiota (Latin Macrolepiota excoriata). The cap and leg are up to 12 cm, the plates and pulp are white. It grows everywhere in summer and autumn.

How to prepare an umbrella? There are many recipes, you can eat it raw. The mushrooms must be washed and the growths on the cap must be cleaned off. Old mushrooms have stiff legs - it is better not to use them (you can dry, grind and use instead of seasoning). They are mostly consumed freshly prepared. Before cooking, it is better to boil them for about 10 minutes (optional). The umbrella is most delicious when fried: you can cook it like schnitzel in batter or breadcrumbs. Fry for 2-3 minutes. from each side. Also used for making soups, salads, with potatoes, in sour cream…. Can be dried.
What can be confused with an umbrella mushroom? How to distinguish from poisonous? The edible umbrella has large sizes, a very powerful, thick and even skirt (the bad ones have it thin, sagging or absent altogether), and a pleasant smell.
Below are the poisonous mushrooms(see photo) :

Comb

Crested umbrella (L. Lepiota cristata). , other names - crested lepiota, crested silverfish. The ring is thin, narrow, fragile, in adults it may be absent altogether. Up to 5 cm in diameter, thin stem. The pulp smells like rotten garlic or radish.

Photos of umbrella mushrooms are shown in the pictures.

One of the most delicious varieties of champignon is considered to be an unusual, exotic species that amaze with their sometimes gigantic size, mushrooms umbrellas. It is also surprising that with their widespread occurrence in the main climatic zones, they are well known only to a small circle of experts. Learning more about these wonderful mushrooms is not only interesting but also rewarding.

Of the whole variety of species, the most popular as an object of collection and procurement are the following: variegated, blushing and white. They are all edible and fall into the fourth category. Despite their common belonging to the genus Macrolepiota, similar outlines and proportions of the proportions of the fruiting body, they also have a number of differences. The description will help you know what they look like.

White

White umbrella mushroom (Macrolepiota excoriata), also known by the following names: field or meadow umbrella.

As follows:

• at the beginning of development, the cap has a rounded shape, as it grows, it opens and reaches 10 cm in diameter. The surface is formed by small scales, dry, with a matte texture, white at the edges and brown in the center. Cracking cuticle;
• loose flesh does not change its milky color in the cut, with a tart smell and taste;
• free plates with cartilaginous colarium are easily detached from the cap. At the beginning of growth, white, then pinkish;
• spores are smooth, elliptical;
• the leg is hollow inside, low, up to 10 cm, about 1 cm thick, it can be even along its entire length, or with a slight thickening at the base. The surface is smooth, milky, yellow below the ring. When pressed, it becomes slightly brown. In the upper part there is a movable membranous white ring.

Blushing

Red umbrella mushroom (Macrolepiota phacodes), in another way it is also called shaggy umbrella or chicken coop.

• the cap is spherical at an early age, straightens out in the process of growth and reaches about 20 cm in diameter. The texture is rough due to the many rectangular creamy pink or brown scales. In the center of the cap there is a wide brownish tubercle without scales;
• the pulp is loose-fleshy, initially white, turns red on the cut, its smell and taste are neutral. Delicate in the cap, stiff-fibrous in the stem;
• the plates are light, attached to the cartilaginous ring at the junction of the cap and the leg (colarium). When touched, they are painted in carrot color;
• spores are oval, smooth;
• beige or light brown leg about 2 cm thick, rather high, reaches 25 cm, hollow inside, has a tuberous swelling near the soil. In the upper part there is a filmy grayish-white ring.

Motley

Mushroom umbrella variegated (Macrolepiota procera), also popularly found under the names umbrella large or tall.

• the name, "variegated", it received because of the many brownish angular scales covering a very large, 25-30 cm in diameter, cap. As it grows, its shape acquires noticeable changes: the ovate at the beginning of development turns into bell-shaped in the middle phase and fully unfolds in mature specimens. The main color is gray with shades of brown, darkening towards the center, where there is a pronounced tubercle. The surface is dry to the touch;
• the pulp is fleshy, friable, white, with a characteristic smell and taste reminiscent of nutty;
• loose, very light plates, turn red with age, are separated from the leg by a cartilaginous colarium;
• spores are smooth, elliptical;
• the leg, with a thickness of about 3 cm, can reach up to 35 cm in height. The surface is covered with brown scales, hollow inside, noticeably thickened near the base. Along the entire length it is painted in a light brown tone. There is a wide filmy ring on the leg, which easily moves along it.

In what forests and where do they grow

A common property for umbrella mushrooms is their love for open, well-lit spaces, and unpretentiousness to climatic conditions. For them, soils with a sufficient humus content are important, since these are saprophytes that form mycorrhiza in the presence of an organic substrate.

The blushing umbrella mushroom can be found everywhere in Eurasia, including in the north of the temperate zone, in both the Americas, Australia and North Africa. It grows from July to the end of October in mixed, coniferous, deciduous forests, singly or forming small colonies. In addition to its taste, it is good because it can be harvested until late autumn, when there are already few other mushrooms.

The variegated umbrella mushroom can usually be found in shrubs and rare forests, on forest edges, clearings, and clearings. Collection time - August, September. Rows and groups are usually created. More rare localization - "witch rings" and single specimens. Among its fellows, the macrolepiot is a real giant: you can collect 5 - 6 of these mushrooms and no longer worry about a hearty dinner for the whole family.

The white umbrella mushroom grows in small colonies from July to early October on roadsides, meadows, meadows and pastures. It is found less often than a variegated umbrella and is noticeably inferior to it in size, but it has a more pronounced smell and taste.

Similar species and how to distinguish from them

• The variegated umbrella is often confused with the graceful (thin) (Macrolepiota gracilenta), which is much smaller. This species is edible, quite suitable for harvesting and also belongs to the fourth flavoring category. A fatal error can be if poisonous twins fall into the basket: lead-slag chlorophyllum (Chlorophyllum molybdites) and dark brown chlorophyllum (Chlorophyllum molybdites). Their main differences: a light cuticle, the pulp, when pressed, acquires an orange or reddish tint.
• The blushing umbrella has an edible twin, the maiden's umbrella (Chlorophyllum molybdites). It can be safely collected and prepared, although it is quite rare. Among the poisonous counterparts, in addition to the already named chlorophyllums, the poisonous lepiota (Lepiota helviola), the scaly lepiota (Lepiota brunneoincarnata) and the panther fly agaric (Amanita pantherina) are similar. The main difference between these deadly twins is their much smaller size.

A beginner mushroom picker may find such a comparative memo plate useful.

Mushroom name	Hat	Pulp	Leg
Umbrella blushing	brown, scaly	changes color at the fracture to reddish	light brown
Lepiota poisonous	gray-pink, sometimes brick-red, with a large number of scales pressed to the cap	turns pink at the cut	pinkish, short, without thickening
Scaly lepiota	cream or gray-brown with cherry-colored flakes forming concentric circles	the smell of fruit in young specimens, bitter almonds in overgrown ones; the color at the break does not change.	low, with a fibrous ring
Amanita muscaria	yellowish, orange-, olive-brown shades, with numerous warts	does not change color at the break, with a repulsive odor.	white, with wide Volvo

The mastoid (Macrolepiota mastoidea) is similar to the field umbrella. Its pulp is thinner, otherwise it is practically indistinguishable from its counterpart. The list of poisonous twins, in addition to those already listed, is supplemented by the swollen lepiota (Lepiota ventriosospora) and the stinking fly agaric (Amanita virosa):

1. Lepiota is much smaller in size, has a cap with a reddish skin and a large tubercle, yellow or orange pulp, scales on all parts of the fruiting body.
2. Amanita muscaria (or white toadstool) is an inhabitant of forests. Its cap is smooth, covered with light scales, with a specific smell of rotten potatoes. There is always a swollen thickening at the base of the leg.

Primary processing and preparation

The peculiar, slightly astringent taste of the caps of young specimens is the main advantage of all these mushrooms. It is during the period of early ripeness that it is preferable to collect them. They are good for frying, in broths, salads, fillings for sandwiches and pies.

Attention! Regardless of the nature of the dish in which these mushrooms are used, they must necessarily undergo heat treatment (you can without preliminary boiling), even if they have just been harvested.

Young umbrellas can also be pickled, and they are quite suitable for drying. Mature specimens are best fermented or salted.

Benefit and harm

Speaking about the beneficial properties of the species considered, it would be enough to mention their composition rich in fiber (5.2 g / 100 g) and amino acids. But more importantly, the amount of potassium contained in mushrooms of umbrellas satisfies the daily requirement for this element by 16%, and there are even more B vitamins in them than in some cereals and vegetables. For those who are overweight, it is useful to include umbrellas in the diet of mushrooms due to their low calorie content, low hypoglycemic index.

In addition to their nutritional value, they have therapeutic properties: they are used to make extracts and infusions for the treatment of rheumatism, gout, purulent wounds and even tumor formations.

Attention! Limiting the use of umbrella mushrooms should be in case of pancreatitis, and they are not recommended at all for nursing mothers and children under 5 years old.

Compliance with the rules for the collection and preparation of umbrella mushrooms, moderate consumption, taking into account the individual state of the body, will ensure the presence of a tasty and very useful product in the diet.

Experienced mushroom pickers know where the umbrella mushroom grows. It is one of the most widespread on the planet, therefore it grows absolutely on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica.

However, the growing conditions must be suitable:

• predominantly sandy soils;
• light forests;
• temperate climate;
• grassy places.

In different regions, you can find an umbrella mushroom in various botanical atlases. Its main habitat is the northern temperate zone. In the European part, such mushrooms are found almost everywhere.

Various sources about umbrella mushrooms say that they appear in clearings next to light forests, forest edges and clearings. They prefer open areas covered with dense grass. In this regard, it is often possible to find "umbrellas" of various sizes in park areas, in the fields and even in private gardens. The active growth season starts in June and lasts until November.

Why is a mushroom called an "umbrella"?

The umbrella mushroom really resembles an umbrella. In the forest you can find huge umbrellas, which sometimes line up in "witch circles", up to 40 cm high with a hat up to 30 cm in diameter. This mushroom opens up like a real umbrella: at first the plates ("knitting needles") are closely pressed to the leg ("umbrella handle"), then they move away from it and take a horizontal position. Such similarities are striking, so few doubt the accuracy of the name. Many edible mushrooms have poisonous counterparts. Umbrellas are no exception. Moreover, not all umbrella mushrooms are edible. Therefore, you should never forget the main rule of a mushroom picker - take only those mushrooms that you know well.

The appearance of an umbrella mushroom

To understand what an umbrella mushroom looks like, let's take a closer look at this issue. There are several varieties of the mushroom and they all have different external descriptions.

• Mushroom umbrella blushing, another name is a shaggy umbrella mushroom. This species has a large fleshy cap up to 20 cm in diameter. Surface color is not uniform: darker gray-brown in the center, whitish at the edges. On the cap there are circularly pronounced scales. The leg can be up to 25 cm in size and is hollow and smooth. Young mushrooms have white legs. If you press on the plates, you will notice a change in color to red-orange.

• Mushroom umbrella girlish... This is a rare trophy that requires careful handling. The fungus itself is distinguished by a beautiful rounded cap: frequent scales of a pale nut color give it a special appeal. It is small in size: the cap is up to 10 cm, the leg is about 12 cm. The plates are often loose with an even edge. Experienced mushroom pickers say that if you cook hats with an egg, then the description of the taste of the dish resembles a chicken.

• Chestnut- poisonous umbrella mushroom. It is small in size, the cap is not larger than 4 cm. In a young fungus, the cap resembles an egg in shape, subsequently it straightens out and becomes flat with a tubercle in the center. Description of scales: bright, brown-chestnut. The leg is thin, hollow, chestnut shade. Chestnut umbrellas grow in families and are common in the forests of central Russia. These bright little fungi are deadly poisonous.

• Motley umbrella... Such an umbrella is difficult not to notice and pass by: it is large. The diameter of the cap reaches 38 cm; gray-brownish fibrous scales are formed on a white background. The shape of the cap of a ball in a young mushroom opens into a cone with age. There is a dark tubercle in the center, and the edges are bent inward. The base is a brown leg with a ring of small scales. The pulp is loose with a specific pronounced aroma. The umbrella is large in taste, close to champignons.

• Umbrella white- a rather rare edible lamellar mushroom, owing its name to the external resemblance to an umbrella. Grows singly and in groups from mid-July to late September in open areas of coniferous or deciduous forests, as well as in pastures, meadows and along roadsides. The spherical cap of the mushroom becomes prostrate over time. Its average diameter is about 8-10 cm. The skin is fine-scaled, light brown in color with a brown center. In mature mushrooms, it gradually becomes covered with a dense network of cracks. The spore-bearing layer consists of thin white plates forming a cartilaginous protrusion around the stem. The stem is rounded, wider at the base, hollow inside, 6–8 cm high and no more than 1 cm in diameter. The surface of the stem is covered with small scales, at the cap it is whitish, brown at the base. The leg is adorned with a distinctive two-layer white movable ring. During the growth of the mushroom, the pulp changes its color from white to gray. In the cap it is thin and delicate, and in the stem it is fibrous and tough. The white umbrella mushroom belongs to the fourth category of mushrooms. Only caps of young mushrooms are used for food, which can be subjected to all types of culinary processing.

• Mastoid umbrella is a rather rare lamellar mushroom. It grows in the forest on the forest floor and in meadows overgrown with grass, in clearings, as well as in parks, exclusively alone. The mushroom is edible. The cap is 8-15 cm, at first pistillate, then convex, finally open with a conical brown hump in the center. The plates are frequent, adherent, white, later cream. Stem 10-16 cm long, 2-3 cm thick, hollow, slender, with tuberous thickening in the lower part, white, covered with small brownish scales. On the upper third of the leg there is a soft, freely moving ring. The pulp is wadded white, does not change color on the cut, with a pleasant smell and nutty taste. Upon contact with air, its color does not change. Umbrellas are found in July, August and September.

Poisonous species

Among the umbrellas, there are not only edible mushrooms, but also poisonous mushrooms from the genus Lepiota, the description of which is presented below:

• Crested lepiota (silverfish, comb umbrella) (Latin Lepiota cristata, Agaricus cristatus)- an inedible mushroom, sometimes defined as poisonous. The cap of the fungus is 2 to 5 cm in diameter, bell-shaped in young mushrooms and convex-prostrate in mature specimens. The color of the cap is red-brown, its surface is covered with pointed, sparsely located scales of a yellow-orange or ocher tone. The stem of the poisonous umbrella mushroom is thin, hollow, up to 8 cm high, up to 0.5 cm in diameter, cylindrical, slightly widened at the base. The color of the stem varies from yellowish to light cream, the ring is whitish or pinkish, very narrow and disappears quickly enough. The pulp of the mushroom is white, fibrous, has a sour taste and a pungent, unpleasant odor. The poisonous comb-umbrella mushroom is a typical representative of the northern zone with a temperate climate.
• Chestnut Lepiota (chestnut umbrella) (Latin Lepiota castanea, Lepiota ignipes)- a poisonous mushroom with a cap with a diameter of 2-4 centimeters, which has a reddish-brown tint. The shape of the cap is ovoid in young umbrellas and outstretched in adult mushrooms. With age, the smooth skin of the cap cracks into small chestnut flakes. The cylindrical stem of the chestnut umbrella is slightly widened and pubescent at the base, the flesh of the mushroom is white, fragile, with an intense unpleasant odor. The flesh of the leg has a reddish-brown tint. The ring is narrow and white, and disappears rather quickly. Thin and frequent plates of the fungus are initially white, which turns yellow over time. The poisonous umbrella mushroom chestnut grows in temperate zones, is widespread in Europe, often found in Western and Eastern Siberia.
• Rough lepiota (pointed umbrella) (Latin Lepiota aspera, Agaricus asper, Lepiota acutesquamosa)- an inedible mushroom. The mushroom cap is fleshy, 7 to 15 cm in diameter, yellowish brown or brick-colored. In young specimens, it is fleecy-tomentose, has the shape of an egg, becomes prostrate with age and becomes covered with scales of a rusty hue. A leg 7-12 cm high and 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter has the shape of a cylinder, at the base there is a swollen tuber-shaped formation. The color of the leg is light yellow, with slightly noticeable stripes. The membrane ring is rather wide, white, with hardly distinguishable brown scales. The plates are frequent, white or yellowish. The pulp of a mushroom with a pronounced unpleasant odor, pungent and bitter taste. Inedible umbellate mushrooms grow in Europe, North America and in the northern part of the African continent. Fruiting from August to October.

Twins and similar types of umbrella mushrooms

But special attention should be paid to twins, which are similar in many botanical parameters. First of all, the umbrella can be confused with the usual fly agaric because of the characteristic scales on the cap.

However, in the fly agaric, they are formed from the covers of old mushrooms, and over time they are weaker and disappear completely. In the umbrella mushroom, on the contrary, scales appear with age, while the central part remains darkish and smooth.

In addition, there are a number of umbrella mushrooms, according to the description of which it is not recommended to eat because of the unpleasant taste or even dangerous properties:

• acutesquamose - purple tint and unpleasant odor;
• masteoid - a small cap 8-10 cm, granular scales, snow-white plates;
• fleshy reddish mushroom, about 2-6 cm in diameter.
• chlorophyllum lead and slag;
• chlorophyllum is dark brown;
• panther fly agaric;
• stinky fly agaric;

Thus, it is better to collect already grown and large mushrooms, in which all the characteristic botanical signs are visible. This is especially true for brown and reddish shades. Thanks to this, you can figure out how to distinguish an umbrella mushroom from twins. The edible variegated and blushing species stand out strongly from other species.

Methods for preparing edible umbrellas

Young hats can be fried on a wire rack or in breading, sometimes raw umbrella is used in salads and sandwiches. Usually tough legs are usually dried and ground into powder, which is a seasoning with a pronounced mushroom taste and smell. Dried legs can be cooked entirely in soups rather than rubbed. Older mushrooms with firm flesh can be used for fermentation. Before cooking, the mushroom must be cleaned of tough scales.

A large number of technologies are chosen for umbrellas:

• pickled;
• dried;
• salty;
• boiled.

Dishes from edible umbrella mushrooms:

• broths;
• sauces;
• the second;
• salads;
• fillings for pancakes and pies.

Fried

The following components are required:

• umbrella varieties - 1 kg;
• butter -50 g, vegetable oil - 100 g;
• chicken eggs - 3 pcs.;
• flour - 5 tablespoons;
• milk - 50 ml;
• salt and pepper are added to taste.

For frying, only the upper heads are taken, they are cleaned of surface scales, washed and cut into equal parts. Mushrooms are dipped in a beaten mass of chicken eggs, fresh milk and high-quality flour. Fry, alternating different types of oils. Salt and black pepper are placed on both sides of the mushroom slices. It turns out the similarity of cooking with meat in batter. Hot frying pan surface and parts of hats. Fry until golden brown.

For frying, only the upper heads are taken, they are cleaned of surface scales, washed and cut into equal parts. Take large hats up to 40 cm in diameter. 1 head is enough for one serving.

Components of the dish:

• colorful umbrellas - 700 g;
• chicken eggs - 2 pieces;
• onions - 2 pieces;
• flour - 3 tbsp. spoons;
• hard cheese - 200 g;
• rast. oil - 100 ml.

For a special taste, the herb is added - spices, pepper and salt. The hats are cleaned and washed. The eggs are beaten together with the flour mass, creating a homogeneous mixture, which is salted, pepper and saturated with spices. the peculiarity of the technology is that the heads are not boiled in advance, but are immediately placed on the hot surface of the pan. Fry over low heat. Chop the onion and put it in the finished dish, cover it with grated cheese on top. The whole mass is closed with a lid and left to simmer until the curd mass is completely melted. Green leaves of grass are beautifully placed in the plates along with the mushrooms.

Oven baked

You will need to take the following ingredients:

• mushroom caps - 8-10 pieces;
• chicken eggs - 3 pieces;
• breadcrumbs;
• hard cheese - 200 g.

Salt and garlic to taste. The dish is perfect as a complex side dish for potatoes or pasta. Beat the eggs first. Each piece of mushroom is dipped in the prepared mixture, then rolled in bread crumbs. All pieces are placed on a baking sheet and placed in the oven. The almost finished dish is taken out and covered with grated cheese, then baked again.

Benefit and harm

Speaking about the beneficial properties of the species considered, it would be enough to mention their composition rich in fiber (5.2 g / 100 g) and amino acids. But more importantly, the amount of potassium contained in mushrooms of umbrellas satisfies the daily requirement for this element by 16%, and there are even more B vitamins in them than in some cereals and vegetables. For those who are overweight, it is useful to include umbrellas in the diet of mushrooms due to their low calorie content, low hypoglycemic index.

In addition to their nutritional value, they have therapeutic properties: they are used to make extracts and infusions for the treatment of rheumatism, gout, purulent wounds and even tumor formations.

Limiting the use of umbrella mushrooms should be in case of pancreatitis, and they are not recommended at all for nursing mothers and children under 5 years old.

Compliance with the rules for the collection and preparation of umbrella mushrooms, moderate consumption, taking into account the individual state of the body, will ensure the presence of a tasty and very useful product in the diet.

Breeding an umbrella mushroom

The variegated umbrella mushroom belongs to the champignon family, that is, it is a close relative of the garden champignon - the same one that accounts for 80% of the world harvest of artificially grown mushrooms. However, despite such eminent relatives, the umbrella mushroom itself has not yet been "domesticated". Although attempts at artificial cultivation are ongoing, an economically viable technology has not yet been found.

Despite the stubborn desire of the umbrella to remain a wild-growing mushroom, you can still plant it for personal purposes. Of course, we are not talking about guaranteed high yields here, but it is still possible to grow a bucket or two of these mushrooms for a family table. The main thing is to carefully study the photo of an umbrella mushroom of variegated edible and poisonous twins, so as not to accidentally start breeding fly agarics.

Growing an umbrella mushroom in the garden

If you suddenly don’t know, we are glad to enlighten you that mushrooms reproduce in two ways:

1. Through the mycelium. This is a kind of rhizome or underground part of a fungal colony, from which the aboveground part, called the fungus itself, grows.
2. Disputes. Something like seeds (only much smaller) that ripen in a mushroom cap.

Since the cultivation of umbrellas is still the lot of individual and very small amateur gardeners, you will not be able to purchase mycelium anywhere. The only way to get it is to dig it out in the forest yourself. However, the likelihood that after transplantation it will take root in a new place is extremely small.

You won't be able to buy disputes either. But you can get them yourself - in the forest. To do this, you need to find an old flabby umbrella mushroom, bring it home and sow it on the site. Sowing is carried out as follows: a mushroom cap is pricked into a tree branch or suspended in a different way (even on a rope) over the area where it is planned to grow mushrooms. In a suspended state, the mushroom dries up, and the spores inside the cap ripen and eventually spill out onto the ground, sowing the area.

To ensure at least the minimum chance that the umbrella mushroom will take root on the site, you should properly prepare the garden bed. The umbrella loves calcium-rich soils, so it is worth fertilizing the garden bed with calcium carbonate. By the way, as mentioned above, the umbrella is related to champignons, and their cultivation is now on stream, which is manifested, among other things, by the abundance of ready-made soil concentrates on the market. These concentrates are also suitable for the umbrella mushroom.

Growing an umbrella mushroom in the forest

And yet, the variegated umbrella mushroom remains a very picky mushroom, and therefore its successful cultivation on a personal plot will rather be a rare success than a natural result. Practice shows that cultivation attempts will be more successful if this is done in the territory of natural growth of mushrooms, that is, in the forest.

In this case, you will not have to make any special efforts. We just grab and hang the old worm hats right over where we cut them off. This way we simulate the natural reproduction of coffins as much as possible, but only expand the sowing area. If, under natural conditions, mushrooms pour out all the spores for themselves, because of which only some of them will be able to ascend, then by spraying them within a radius of several meters, it is possible to reduce the competition between spores, increasing the total number of seedlings.

As you can see, you don't need to make any special efforts to grow mushrooms in the forest. It's just that while we are harvesting young umbrellas, we simultaneously prick old mushrooms into the nearest branch. Cash costs are zero. Time spent - 5-10 seconds per cap. You will be surprised, but doing this every year during mushroom picking, you can significantly (several times) increase the productivity of the forest.

Walking along the forest paths, you can come across large porcini mushrooms with high legs. Their name is umbrella mushroom. Some mushroom pickers do not cut these mushrooms, preferring mushrooms, mushrooms, boletus and boletus mushrooms to them. Others are happy with the find, which immediately goes to the basket. Not everyone knows that the umbrella mushroom is edible and can serve as a basis for the preparation of original and delicious dishes.

Mushroom is a special food product. It adds a special original touch to the dish, the aroma of the forest and the benefits of natural food. To get the most out of it, you should only cut the mushrooms you know and do it away from dusty roads and trails. Poisonous mushrooms often look very attractive and disguise themselves as edible, it is better to return home with an empty basket than endanger life.

To understand what an umbrella mushroom looks like, let's take a closer look at this issue. There are several varieties of the mushroom and they all have different external descriptions.

Red umbrella mushroom, another name is shaggy umbrella mushroom. This species has a large fleshy cap up to 20 cm in diameter. Surface color is not uniform: darker gray-brown in the center, whitish at the edges. On the cap there are circularly pronounced scales. The leg can be up to 25 cm in size and is hollow and smooth. Young mushrooms have a white leg, old ones - white. If you press on the plates, you will notice a change in color to red-orange.

Umbrella mushroom girlish. This is a rare trophy that requires careful handling. It is quite difficult to see it in nature; an external representation can be obtained from a photo (Fig. 1). The fungus itself is distinguished by a beautiful rounded cap: frequent scales of a pale nut color give it a special appeal. It is small in size: the cap is up to 10 cm, the leg is about 12 cm. The plates are often loose with an even edge. Experienced mushroom pickers say that if you cook hats with an egg, then the description of the taste of the dish resembles a chicken.

Chestnut is a poisonous umbrella mushroom. It is small in size, the cap is not larger than 4 cm (Fig. 2). In a young fungus, the cap resembles an egg, subsequently it straightens out and becomes flat with a tubercle in the center. Description of scales: bright, brown-chestnut. The leg is thin, hollow, chestnut shade. Chestnut umbrellas grow in families and are common in the forests of central Russia. These bright little fungi are deadly poisonous.

The umbrella is colorful. It is difficult not to notice such an umbrella and pass by: it is large (Fig. 3). The diameter of the cap reaches 38 cm; gray-brownish fibrous scales are formed on a white background. The shape of the cap of a ball in a young mushroom opens into a cone with age. There is a dark tubercle in the center, and the edges are bent inward. The base is a brown leg with a ring of small scales. The pulp is loose with a specific pronounced aroma. The umbrella is large in taste, close to champignons.

1. Cut the umbrellas carefully, turn them upside down so that earth and sand do not get into the plates.
2. The leg is very hard and unsuitable for food; it is twisted and left in the forest.
3. In the basket, the hats are placed one on top of the other, without turning over.
4. The most delicious are young umbrellas with closed hats.
5. If in doubt about a mushroom, do not take it, poisonous specimens are life-threatening and cause irreversible changes in the body.
6. Sand and dirt particles are blown off or shaken off.

How to eat umbrella mushrooms?

After making sure that the umbrellas found in the forest are edible mushrooms, you can safely cut them and use them for cooking. The contents of the basket are carefully sorted out and everything dubious is disposed of. Then they are washed and cleaned of scales. Legs are often cut off and only hats are prepared. The taste of these fungi is in perfect harmony with the following foods: potatoes, garlic, onions, vegetable oil, pepper, cheese, eggs and pork. Some people use umbrella mushrooms fresh without heat treatment, they are added to vegetable salads, they are eaten with vegetable oil and onions.

Umbrella mushrooms are very fried. You need to be prepared for the fact that a huge basket of forest trophies after frying will turn into a small portion. It is better to take young closed heads, which are cut and fried in heated vegetable oil until excess moisture evaporates. Then add onions, salt, pepper and cook for about 45 minutes more.

Umbrellas in batter are considered one of the delicacies. A properly prepared mushroom is delicious. Beat the eggs vigorously, add ground crackers and flour, salt, pepper and roll the prepared caps. Heat a lot of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet and place the heads-caps. A beautiful golden brown color and a persistent aroma are a sign of the readiness of the dish.

You can cook umbrella mushrooms with pickles, the result is a sauce dish. Young head hats are washed with water and cut into small pieces. Stew without oil with bacon, salt and spices until the excess liquid evaporates. Then add water and a mixture of cream with ketchup (ratio of ingredients 1: 3). Stew for 15 minutes, stirring. Pickled cucumbers are added to the dish just before serving. This sauce will add an exquisite taste to pasta, potatoes, or buckwheat. These mushrooms do not require long-term cooking; dishes are made from them quickly.

You can easily make a delicious and aromatic soup from forest umbrellas. The water is salted and the forest trophy is soaked in it for a couple of hours. Then washed and cut into pieces. Potatoes, carrots and onions are cut into pieces. Fry onions and carrots in sunflower oil. Boil the mushrooms for 20 minutes. First add potatoes, after 15 minutes - fry and greens. Soup is used with fat sour cream and fresh bun. The aroma of this dish will bring together all the household at the kitchen table.

Blanks from mushroom umbrellas for the winter

How nice it is for a family to gather at the table on a frosty winter evening with warm potatoes, crispy cucumbers and a plate with pickled gifts of the forest - mushrooms. Canned mushrooms are also used for pizza toppings, pies and pies. The description of the preparation is quite simple and this preparation is within the power of even a novice hostess.

Pure mushrooms are poured with running water and brought to a boil. After boiling, add salt and cook for another 40 minutes. Thrown back in a colander and washed under clean water. Prepare a marinade solution: take 2 tbsp for 1 liter of water. l. sugar and salt, 1 bay leaf, 2-3 cloves and a few black peppercorns. After boiling, add 8 tbsp to the marinade. l. 9% acetic acid solution. Put the mushrooms in a boiling marinade and boil everything together for about 20 minutes. At this time, the cans are prepared: washed with soda, sterilized. Fungi are placed in a container, filled with brine and hermetically closed. The jars are turned over and left at room temperature until they cool completely. This workpiece is ideal to store in a cool, dark place: it can be a cellar or a regular refrigerator.

You can also prepare fried mushrooms for future use. After cooking, they are laid out in sterile jars and hidden in the refrigerator. Such a preparation will ideally complement the taste of boiled potatoes. And if you add fresh herbs and homemade sour cream to the dish, then this dish will allow the hostess to collect a bouquet of compliments to her skill.

Umbrella mushrooms can be dried. Such mushrooms are subsequently used for making sauces and soups; their shelf life is approaching 1 year.

Terms and methods of storage

Clean, dry mushrooms from the forest can be left in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours before processing. The container must be open and not obstruct the access of oxygen. If the umbrellas are washed, sprinkled with salt and put under oppression, then in this form they can be stored for up to 1 month. Forest trophy can be frozen in the freezer and enjoy the taste of fresh mushrooms for 4-6 months. Pickled and dried fungi should be eaten throughout the year.

What are the benefits of umbrella mushrooms for the body?

Mushrooms are a special kingdom of spore plants. They differ from typical plants: they do not have roots, branches and stems, they multiply by a single spore cell. Their function is to maintain the circulation of substances in nature; to maintain life, they need decaying organic matter. And how are they useful for the human body?

Umbrellas are rich in minerals that are essential for the healthy functioning of the human body. They contain potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium. Each trace element is important in its own way and plays a specific role. For example, magnesium is part of the enzymes that regulate carbohydrate metabolism and the release of energy from ATP molecules. Magnesium is involved in muscle contraction, and a lack of it can contribute to the development of regular seizures and problems with the functioning of the nervous system.

Magnesium deficiency provokes:

• nervousness;
• disturbances in the work of the intestines with frequent constipation;
• increased pressure;
• depression.

In addition to proteins, fats, carbohydrates and trace elements, such mushrooms contain fatty acids, vitamins B2, B6, B9, K, C and E and chitin. The umbrella is rich in unsaturated fats: palmitic, stearic and butyric acids.

Umbrellas can be used in dietary nutrition: they perfectly saturate and satisfy the feeling of hunger, moreover, their calorie content is minimal. Umbrella dishes help to lose weight, as they have a low glycemic index. Mushrooms promote healthy digestion by stimulating intestinal motility and enzyme production. The prophylactic effect of forest umbrellas on the reproduction of atypical cells that cause oncological processes in organs and tissues has been clinically proven. The active ingredients of mushrooms have a beneficial effect on the blood: they cleanse it, normalize blood circulation, lower sugar and cholesterol levels, activate cellular immunity and the work of enzymes.

Healing infusions and medicinal extracts are prepared from umbrella mushrooms. They are used externally for gout, rheumatism, problems with the stomach, malignant and benign processes. The mushrooms are dried and pounded to a powder. Powder is used to treat purulent wounds, non-healing ulcers, and is used to disinfect indoor air. If you finely cut the hat of a fresh umbrella, stir it with sour cream and apply it on the face, then a decongestant, rejuvenating, tonic and nourishing effect on the face is ensured. Effective umbrella masks can be applied up to 2 times a week.

Whom can eating umbrellas harm?

In some diseases, eating umbrellas is contraindicated. Such diseases include: hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, enteritis. These fungi are not prepared for children under 5 years of age and are not offered to women during breastfeeding. Mushrooms are a heavy food, it is advisable to eat them in the first half of the day in small portions. If, after eating mushrooms, you feel nausea and sharp abdominal pains, call your doctor immediately.

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