Winter honey fungus: growing in various conditions. Winter honey mushroom: where and when to collect, beneficial properties Composition and taste of winter honey mushrooms

Although it is generally accepted that winter is not the time for picking mushrooms, even at this time of year in the forest you can find honey mushrooms that are not afraid of the cold. Let's consider the collection and beneficial properties, as well as the use in medicine and cooking of winter mushrooms.

Description of winter honey fungus

Flammulina, or winter honey fungus is a small edible mushroom from the Ryadovkov family, which is similar in appearance to honey mushrooms. Flammulina is a cap mushroom. The cap does not exceed 10 cm in diameter, flat or slightly convex, colored brown or dark orange. The leg is curved, tubular, reaches a length of 7 cm, and is colored brown. The shade of the stem is always darker than the cap and is tightly attached to it.

The pulp is thin, has a pleasant smell and taste. Painted yellowish. The spores are white and invisible. There are no remains of spathes on the fruiting body.

Winter mushroom collection season

Flammulina bears fruit only in groups, which makes it similar to real honey mushrooms. The name itself - winter honey fungus - indicates that mushrooms do not ripen in the warm months of the year. They are actively collected in early spring and late autumn. Winter mushrooms are not afraid of frost, so collection can be carried out even in winter, if weather conditions permit.

Important! During frosts, the fruiting bodies freeze and therefore stop growing. When the temperature becomes positive, growth resumes.

How to pick mushrooms

If the collection is carried out in winter, then you should carefully touch the mushroom cap, as it begins to crumble from the slightest impact. Cut the mushrooms together with the stem using a construction knife. In young fruiting bodies, the dark part of the stem is cut off, in mature ones, the entire stem is cut off.

To prevent mushrooms from choking, you should take several baskets. It cannot be stored in a bucket or bag. It is not recommended to sort or peel mushrooms until they are completely thawed.

How to distinguish a false mushroom from a real one

Flammulina can only be confused with summer honey mushrooms (edible) and spindlefoot collibia (weakly poisonous).
Some mushroom pickers claim that young spindle colibia mushrooms have an exquisite taste. If you confuse the mushroom in question with summer honey mushrooms, then nothing will happen. Only during the process of consumption will you understand that this is not its winter “brother.” However, consuming colibia may affect your health (mild poisoning).

The main differences between winter mushrooms and collibia:

1. Flammulina prefers willow and poplar, while collibia grows on oaks and beeches.
2. The cap of the mildly poisonous mushroom has an irregular shape and is colored red-brown.
3. In collibia, the color of the leg does not differ from the color of the cap.
4. The mildly poisonous mushroom forms a fruiting body only in summer and autumn, and does not grow in winter.

Did you know? The mycelium can prey on nematode worms by correctly arranging mycelial rings. When a creature touches the trap, it instantly sticks, after which the digestion process begins.

Nutritional value of the product

The energy value of 100 g of flammulina is 22 kcal. It is important to understand that we are talking about the pure calorie content of the product. After frying or marinating, the energy value will increase.

• Proteins - 2.2 g;
• fats - 0.5 g;
• carbohydrates - 1.2 g.

Mineral composition: sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron.

Vitamin composition: B1, B2, C, E, PP.

Useful properties of the product

In folk medicine, the mushroom is used as an antioxidant and antibiotic. It is given to liver cancer patients along with aloe, and is also taken in combination with raspberry jam for colds.
Traditional medicine identifies the antioxidant ergothioneine in the mushroom, which stimulates the human immune system, preventing the occurrence of seasonal diseases. This antioxidant is also used in vaccines to treat and prevent tumor formation (studies were conducted in Japan and China).

Winter mushrooms also contain substances that reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood. This prevents the development of atherosclerosis.

Important! Regular consumption of the mushroom suppresses the reproduction of Staphylococcus aureus.

Many studies conducted in England, Japan and China indicate that the mushroom has medicinal properties, but this product is not officially used for medicinal purposes.

Harmful properties of the mushroom

Winter mushrooms do not have harmful properties, but require proper heat treatment. Fresh fruiting bodies should not be eaten as they contain small amounts of toxins that can cause gastrointestinal problems. These toxins break down when heated, so there is nothing to be afraid of.

There are no direct contraindications, but you should not use the product in case of acute or chronic gastrointestinal diseases, since honey mushrooms take a very long time to digest, as a result of which the stomach receives additional stress. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, you should also not eat the product to avoid problems for the baby.

An allergic reaction can occur to any product, the same applies to winter mushrooms. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the product may affect the absorption of drugs, so prior consultation with a doctor is necessary.

Use in cooking

Let's look at several popular recipes that will help you prepare delicious winter mushrooms.

How to cook at home

Winter mushrooms are good in many dishes. They can be served immediately as part of various salads, soups or a separate dish, or canned. Let's look at some interesting and simple recipes.

Ingredients:

• Korean carrots - 100 g;
• boiled honey mushrooms - 200 g;
• crab sticks or crab meat - 200 g;
• seaweed - 50-100 g;
• salt to taste.

Finely chop the crab sticks, then mix with carrots and seaweed. Next, add honey mushrooms. If the fruiting bodies are large, then you can chop them slightly. If the salad seems dry, you can add olive or sunflower oil.

Important! Before preparing any dish, flammuline needs to be boiled for 30-40 minutes.

Crispy fried mushrooms.

You will need:

• boiled honey mushrooms - 500 g;
• onion - 300 g;
• breadcrumbs - 1 tbsp. l.;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the frying pan over maximum heat, then add the mushrooms and onions. We don’t turn down the fire. You need to fry the honey mushrooms for about 10 minutes, stirring continuously. At the end of cooking, add salt, pepper and breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly. The dish is ready. Breadcrumbs make honey mushrooms a little dry and less slippery, and also improve the taste of the dish.

• honey mushrooms - 500 g;
• potatoes - 200 g;
• carrots - 100 g;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• salt and seasonings to taste.

This amount of ingredients is designed for a 2 liter pan.

We boil the honey mushrooms in advance, and then rinse them under running water. Fresh water is used for cooking. Immediately add honey mushrooms, finely chopped potatoes, whole carrots and onions. Bring to a boil, then cook over low heat for about 20-25 minutes.

At the end, add salt and seasonings. Onions and carrots are removed from the finished soup, as they are used only for fat. The dish is served hot with sour cream and finely chopped green onions.

How to process and preserve these mushrooms

Mushrooms lend themselves well to processing and preservation.

Pickled flamullina.

We pre-soak all the collected mushrooms in cold water to wash away all the dirt. A few hours are enough, but if initially the fruiting bodies were all covered in dirt, then you can extend it up to one day.

After soaking, put it in a pan, pour the required amount of water and boil for about 15 minutes. Next add 2-3 tbsp. l. peppercorns, salt, pepper and vinegar to taste. It all depends on the number of mushrooms and your preferences. Cook with spices for another 20 minutes.

There is no need to sterilize the jars first, since you will store the finished product in the refrigerator. Use jars with aluminum screw caps.

Pack the finished product in containers so that there is no excess liquid. There is no need to add additional boiling water, otherwise the mushrooms will turn out tasteless. Screw the lids on immediately after filling the jars to create a vacuum inside.

Wait until it cools completely, then place it in the refrigerator. In this form, mushrooms can be stored for up to 2 years.

Pickling mushrooms without vinegar.

We thoroughly wash the collected mushrooms and remove the black stems. Next, boil for about 10 minutes without adding seasonings and salt. At the same time, boil 2 liters of water in a saucepan, then add 10-15 g of citric acid to it.

The jars must first be sterilized. Seamless or plastic lids will not be used, so only glass containers need to be prepared.

Ready mushrooms are placed in jars in layers. Each layer is sprinkled with salt. After filling the container, pour in the brine with citric acid. Repeat the procedure with each jar, then leave to cool. Before placing them in the cellar or refrigerator, the jars should be covered with parchment paper and then secured with an elastic band or thread.

This completes the salting. You can eat mushrooms within a month. The average shelf life is 2-3 years.
Never neglect pre-heat treatment of frammulin

Did you know? The vitality of mushrooms is simply amazing. These organisms were discovered in the center of the destroyed reactor at Chernobyl, where radiation levels destroy all life, and at an altitude of 30 km above the earth's surface. Mushrooms survive even when exposed to sulfuric acid, which corrodes metal.

Winter mushrooms can be found in any deciduous forest or city park, which allows you to enjoy not only a tasty, but also a healthy product during the cold season.

What kind of frammulina is there and how to prepare it: reviews

I would like to write here about flammuline, which is found in my local forest. These notes concern only the west of the near Moscow region. I don’t know what the situation is with flammulina in other areas, especially outside the Moscow Region. But, probably, somehow differently.

There are now many species of flammulina. Lafa ended when there was only one Flammulina velutipus, and even its white form. The trouble is that flammulina species are reliably distinguished only by microcharacters. True, species can somehow be separated according to biotope (preferred wood). This is what I actually use. But here I will not indicate specific types, since all these are my assumptions, and assigning proper names to different forms would probably not be correct.

So what exactly is growing in my forest?

1. The earlier (from September) and lighter flammulina grows on our aspen - logs and stumps. Growth is abundant under favorable conditions. After severe frosts it practically does not renew.

2. Later (from November, during long winter thaws) and brighter colored flammulina, it grows exclusively on willow. We don't have enough of it. This mushroom is purely for beauty and photography.

3. Sometimes flammulina is found on birch trees. For some reason, everything I came across on a birch tree had dark spots on its cap.

4. Very rarely I have seen flammulina growing on buried wood, light in color, in small bunches.

Of all the listed forms of flammulina, only aspen has commercial significance in my forest.

As I already said, aspen flammulina begins to grow seriously in the second half of September, and at the end of the month I usually start collecting it. High-quality, fragrant and truly delicious flammulina is available only before serious frosts. After light night frosts, it survives well, only it becomes slimy, especially in humid weather. The wet and slimy cap can even be zonal, almost like that of a summer honey mushroom.

And when it’s dry, the cap also remains dry.

There are some small blackish spots, but this is normal. The color is not necessarily whitish, but there are no very bright shades. By the way, the legs of the aspen flammulina are not necessarily dark, but always velvety. And in young fungi, longitudinal grooves are visible on the stalk.

But this flammulina, which looks quite alive, but darkens from the center, has actually already died. And there is a very simple way to identify it - it is a living mushroom, or just a well-preserved corpse. If you cut the stem right under the cap, the cut should be white. If it is gray (looks like a gray ring), then the mushroom is no longer alive.

http://forum.toadstool.ru/index.php?/topic/3883-flammulina-winter-mildew/

1. We cook “in our own juice”. It really does have all the flavor. Before doing this, wash the mushrooms and be sure to scald them with boiling water. Then add the ingredients and cook the soup. Winter honey fungus should be added no later than 10-12 minutes before the main dish is ready. Flammulina should not be cooked for a long time. Then let the soup brew well. The soup is naturally lean.

2. Lightly fermented flammulina.

I once tried to ferment winter mushrooms. The simplest way: per liter of water, 70 g of salt and 20 g of sugar (this is approximately 2 heaped tablespoons of salt and 1 heaped tablespoon of sugar). I poured this brine over the mushrooms and put them under pressure (at room temperature). In the literature it was said that you can ferment any mushrooms this way, but you have to wait a long time: russula - 3 weeks, milk mushrooms - a month... Flammulina was eaten on the fifth day :) Because after a day the spicy aroma of pickled mushrooms began to creep around the room, so delicious that I could no longer sleep peacefully...

The mushrooms turned out to be very tasty!

Donetsk

http://forum.toadstool.ru/index.php?/topic/1015-%D1%84%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BC%D1%83%D0%BB%D0% B8%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BA-%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1% 82%D1%8C/&do=findComment&comment=40051

Yesterday I prepared a sectarian puree soup.... A liter of fresh flammulina was finely chopped and fried, mixed with sauteed onions, carrots and stewed together.... A third of the mass was put into a blender along with boiled potatoes.... The broth with an onion was pre-cooked , greens, carrots (then remove) and potatoes for the blender....Afterwards, I poured a liter of dried flammulina into the vegetable broth, which I crushed in a blender....Almost a glass of it came out crushed....Then I added some finely chopped potatoes to the soup ....Then I crushed the boiled potatoes in a blender with the third part of the frying.... The frying was sent to the pan along with the contents of the blender.... Spices to taste.... It turned out 2.5 liters of thick soup....

Or you can simply grind dried flammulina in a blender and add it to any dish or gravy.... Brew tea, eat it like dried chips.... The product has the most valuable taste and medicinal effect....

Winter is not a mushroom season. Indeed, few people scour the forest in search of mushrooms at this time - more and more at home, with a cup of hot tea. But it turns out that going for mushrooms in the cold season is not without meaning: it is then that the winter honey fungus is most abundant, which will be discussed.

Winter honey fungus (Flammulina velutipes) is a cap mushroom of the family Tricholomataceae. Its other name is flammulina velvety-footed or winter mushroom (the first describes the appearance, the second - the time of collection).

• the cap reaches a diameter of 2 to 8 cm, sometimes up to 10 cm. While the mushroom is young, it is rounded-convex in shape, later - convex-prostrate, orange-brown in color (darker in the center). The cap is slimy and smooth, shiny when dry.
• the plates on the underside of the cap are sparse, slightly adherent to the stem, yellowish-white to cream in color, darkening with age.
• the leg reaches a height of 8 cm and a thickness of 0.3-1 cm. Cylindrical, lighter (yellow) in the upper part, dark (red, brown) and velvety in the lower part.
• The pulp is light yellow, odorless and tasteless. The lower part of the stem is hard, closer to the cap it is soft.

Flammulina is classified as edible, the third category.

Spreading

Interestingly, this is one of the few species that appears in large numbers in cities (gardens and parks), along highways and near industrial enterprises.

How to collect

The easiest way to collect mushrooms is from fallen trees and old stumps, since they often grow quite high on living trees. In flammulins, only the upper part of the stem and the cap are cut off, since the rest of the stem (middle and lower) is too hard.

It is better to collect winter mushrooms in a basket, since they are quickly compressed in a bucket or bag. You should not collect these mushrooms, like any others, near industrial enterprises: when they grow near factories, the harmful substances they emit into the air accumulate in the fruiting bodies.

Twin species

Flammulina velvety-footed is similar to the deadly poisonous moth, or bright gymnopilus (Gymnopilus junonius). But in the moth, the lower part of the cap looks different: in the winter honey fungus, the plates are quite sparse, yellowish-white, while in the moth, they are very frequent and yellow, and in the upper part of the leg there is a ring.

Another similar species is the summer honey fungus (Kuehneromyces mutabilis). Usually, there are no problems distinguishing them, since winter mushrooms are collected in winter, when summer mushrooms are not available. Moreover, summer honey fungus is also edible. It looks almost the same as the winter honey fungus, but the summer honey mushroom has a dark rim along the edge of its cap. In addition, summer honey mushrooms never grow on living trees and almost never on conifers.

In addition, winter honey fungus is confused with the edged galerina (Galerina marginata). They can be distinguished by the ring on the stalk, which is present in Galerina and absent in Flammulina.

False honey mushrooms - several types of honey mushrooms, some of which are poisonous, while others are simply inedible. But it is hardly possible to confuse the winter honey mushroom with them, since the time of fruiting of false honey mushrooms differs from the period of fruiting of flammulina.

Primary processing and preparation

Like other honey mushrooms, winter mushrooms need to be boiled for 20-30 minutes before cooking. They are stewed, fried, and also made into soups. At the end of frying, you can add breadcrumbs: this will make the mushrooms crispy. For long-term storage (after which the mushrooms will still need to be cooked), after boiling and drying, you can put the caps in bags in the freezer (at a temperature of -19°C).

Winter mushrooms are salted, pickled and dried. True, only in a hot way. After the caps are boiled twice, they are placed in a jar, adding a little of the water in which they were boiled. Add salt, spices and close the jar. Honey mushrooms will be salted in 2-3 weeks. You can also pickle them dry, drying them after cooking and without adding water to the jar.

The nutritional value

100 g of winter mushrooms contains:

• 2.66 g proteins;
• 0.39 g fat;
• 7.81 g carbohydrates.

Calorie content – ​​37 kcal/100 g.

Benefits and harms

Winter mushrooms are high in antioxidants, including ergothioneine (a typical mushroom antioxidant that stimulates the immune system and restores skin after exposure to UV rays) and proflamin (in experiments on mice with cancer, it increased their life expectancy by 85%). They also contain lectin and P-D-glucan, which have antiviral and antibacterial properties. When consumed regularly, winter mushroom treats some diseases of the liver and stomach (for example, ulcers).

Thus, picking mushrooms in winter can add variety not only to gray, sunless everyday life, but also to your New Year’s table. And at this table you can casually mention that you picked these mushrooms a couple of weeks ago - the guests will be surprised!

Honey mushrooms are a complex group of mushrooms, combining several types of cultural families. If we discuss the issue extensively, it is worth noting that the mushrooms we are considering are not necessarily edible; there are also poisonous types of honey mushrooms.

Types of forest mushrooms

Inexperienced mushroom pickers may be of the belief that honey fungus grows exclusively on fallen stumps and other non-living wood, but this is not so - the culture can develop both on the forest floor and in ordinary grass. The most common and familiar representatives are eaten - they can be boiled, frozen, fried, dried, pickled or pickled.

There are several types of “good” forest fruits – autumn, summer and winter. The names of the varieties speak for themselves, that is, they indicate what time of year the harvest “belongs”.

Let's consider the issue in more detail.

Winter honey fungus (flammulina), photo and description

With the onset of cold weather, the mushroom season continues. Some types of mushrooms are frost-resistant and can grow under snow. Winter honey fungus- a unique species that is not afraid of low temperatures. Thanks to its amazing ability to grow when it's frosty outside, it got its name. This species belongs to the Ryabovaceae family. It is also called winter mushroom or flammulina.

What does it look like

The description is worth reading before you go on a quiet hunt in the cold. The young honey mushroom has a ball-shaped cap. As they grow older, the cap gradually straightens. Its surface is sticky, especially in rainy or snowy weather. The diameter of the cap is 8-10 cm.

The color is yellow-brown or yellow, light at the edges and darker in the center. On the back of the cap there are plates that are located at a short distance from one another. They have a pleasant ocher color. Young species are lighter in color and darken with age. The leg is not very long - usually up to 10 cm. The pulp is sour, yellowish-white, and has a pleasant, light aroma.

The smell of winter representatives cannot be called pronounced, but their taste is quite rich.

It is noteworthy that you can grow honey mushrooms yourself, as well as stock up on mushrooms for future use.

How to collect correctly

This should be done from November to March. Winter honey fungus looks like a poisonous mushroom - galerina. It is important to carefully examine each mushroom before placing it in the basket. Galerina has a ring that is located on the stem - this is the main distinguishing feature, the main difference between edible and inedible species. These species have different ripening periods, so they rarely occur at the same time, usually at the end of November. Before collecting, you should look at the photo so as not to make a mistake.

You should look for the fungus near bodies of water, in parks, garden areas, on forest edges, and on lawns. It prefers to bear fruit in large groups, like the classic types of honey mushrooms. The main population grows in the temperate climate zone.

The nutritional value

Flammulina is an edible mushroom that belongs to the fourth category. This means that in terms of nutritional qualities it corresponds to other varieties - meadow mushrooms, puffballs, oyster mushrooms.

Winter honey fungus can be consumed:

• pickled;
• fried;
• salted;
• dried;
• boiled.

The most nutritious and delicious are caps. The legs are very fibrous and tough, so they are rarely eaten. If the fungus is old, it is easier to cut off this part, since it is no longer suitable for food. Even if you use young types, it is advisable to cut off the bottom of the stem - it is the hardest.

Winter mushrooms are rich in proteins and contain many amino acids necessary for humans. According to these indicators, they are superior to products of plant origin and are more nutritious than many vegetables, berries, and fruits. Flammulina is a storehouse of useful microelements and minerals.

Conclusion

Great taste is not the main advantage of this product. Due to its complex positive effects on the human body, it is very popular in Japan. Winter honey mushrooms contain a special substance, flammulin. It has an antitumor effect, therefore it is effective in the fight against cancer. Constant consumption of honey mushroom helps reduce cholesterol levels and provide high-quality protection against atherosclerosis. Therefore, it is often used by cosmetologists and pharmacists.

As for the summer representatives of the culture we are considering, you can enjoy them from May to September. The ideal habitat for the species is rotten trees and half-decomposed wood where high humidity is maintained. For example, near streams.

What a summer honey fungus looks like depends on weather conditions. If dampness prevails in the region and precipitation occurs frequently, the mushroom cap darkens from the middle to the edges. In drought conditions, the cap becomes one-color, light brown. The spores are brown in color, while in winter representatives they are light. The older the “individual”, the darker its color.

Experienced mushroom pickers advise caution when collecting summer mushrooms, as there is a high probability of confusing them with their poisonous counterparts. The main rule in this case is not to harvest in a forest with a predominance of coniferous trees, or directly on the stumps of resin-containing crops.

Autumn honey fungus: what it looks like, photo

Autumn mushrooms are considered the most aromatic and delicious in many regions of our country. Today we will look at such a variety of mushroom as the autumn honey fungus - its description, as well as the principles by which one can determine whether the fruit is edible for the collector.

Grains on the cap.

Description

Before discussing the appearance of the autumn honey mushroom, it is important to determine the ripening period of the variety. As a rule, the harvest can be harvested starting from the last week of August and throughout September - it all depends on the climatic conditions of each individual region. Honey mushrooms grow in colonies, so-called waves, the first “influx” is usually the most abundant, the subsequent ones decline. Each wave lasts from several days to a week, and the fruits can disappear very suddenly. You can predict their appearance by focusing on precipitation - mushroom pickers prefer to scout the forest belt a few days after heavy rain.

Let's move on to how to distinguish autumn honey mushrooms from other varieties of the family or other inedible crops:

• Autumn honey fungus is distinguished by its cap bent inward. The head of the mushroom resembles half a neat ball, the maximum diameter is no more than 16 centimeters. The optimal size of a young but mature fruit is up to 10 centimeters at the top and 6-10 centimeters at the widest part of the mushroom. The color is creamy-brown; a small tubercle often grows in the center of the cap. The surface is covered with small scales.
• The fetal leg becomes thinner at the point of contact with the cap, is quite stable, and is bordered by a light ring of film. The average thickness is 1-1.5 centimeters.
• The spores of the fungus are white-yellow in color, the plates are thin and multiple, they can change color from light to brown, descending.

The pulp of the delicacy is light, dense in texture, exudes a persistent mushroom aroma and is slightly sour. The fruit is completely edible, but some mushroom pickers prefer not to eat the stems of the plant - they are fibrous and tougher.

Where does it grow?

As for habitats, the most favorable substrate for the variety we are considering is non-living wood of fallen deciduous trees, stumps, etc. It is believed that more honey mushrooms can be found on trees that have fallen close to the stream, in conditions of high humidity. Look carefully where the crop grows - inedible specimens most often develop on coniferous wood.

Prevention of poisoning

Every person knows from childhood that you need to pick a mushroom only when you are sure of its edibility. Failure to follow this simple rule can lead to serious poisoning or even death.

Let's talk about precautions that every mushroom picker needs to remember, regardless of experience.

First of all, it is worth remembering that almost every mushroom has an inedible double - that’s how nature works. Therefore, under no circumstances should you blindly harvest without checking the product in all respects.

1. Before each visit to the forest, make sure that you remember all the distinctive features of the mushroom that you plan to collect. If in doubt, find a photo of the plant and refresh your memory of what it looks like.
2. Inexperienced mushroom pickers are recommended to study all types of forest “gifts”, similar, in our case, to honey fungus. If a person is not confident in his own memory, you can even print out a photo of the fetus and take it with you. Then you will definitely be able to avoid a dangerous mistake.
3. It is strictly forbidden to listen to the advice of frivolous forest lovers - there are often beliefs that Russian forests are free of poisonous plants. This is wrong.

Since we are talking about autumn honey mushrooms, we will give an example of their counterparts - false honey mushrooms. They are inedible and even dangerous to health, while in appearance they look more like summer representatives than autumn ones. There may be several false relatives of the mushroom we are considering - some are simply unsuitable for food, others are downright poisonous.

To protect yourself, pay attention to the presence of a film ring around the stem of the mushroom. Edible representatives have this ring, while inedible representatives do not. The color is also important - in the first case the color of the cap is less attractive, in the second it is brighter. Real honey mushrooms smell like all their other edible counterparts (boletus, boletus), while false ones give off the “aroma” of earth, mold and dampness.

Follow the golden rule - if you are not sure which mushroom is in front of you, leave it in the forest, passing by. It is better to bring home fewer fruits than to risk your own life.

Spring honey mushrooms (Collybia arboreal)

The spring honey mushroom genus includes about 70 species. It has a popular name - money. Scientific name: wood-loving collibium. This type is classified as conditionally edible.

Where to look

Like other representatives of this species, this honey fungus prefers to grow on stumps. The easiest way to find the mushroom is in hard-to-reach places, aspen and spruce thickets, among old birch trees, in dead wood. Spring honey fungus grows in large columns and large groups. The fungus is not very popular among lovers of “quiet hunting”. It is preferred by those who are well versed in all species and can distinguish the real species from the false counterpart.

Spring honey mushrooms love forests with deciduous and coniferous trees. They are found in Siberia, the Far East, the Urals, and throughout Europe. Ripening begins in spring, May. The collection season ends in October.

Appearance

Before you go picking mushrooms, you need to know what a real representative of this species should look like. It is easily recognized by its small cap, 2-6 cm in diameter, smooth to the touch. The cap is yellow-brown or red, convex in a young mushroom, and spread out in an adult.

The plates are distinguished by a pale, faded tint and have a slight yellowish coating. All of them are attached to the leg, frequent. Spore powder is only white.

The leg is red-brown, smooth, and has a light felt tint. The pulp in this place is hard, and closer to the base it is very fibrous. Its color is pale, its consistency is delicate, soft.

Useful Features

Spring honey mushrooms are not of particularly high quality, but are suitable for consumption. They belong to category 4. Well marinated or fried together with other types of mushrooms. Frequent use of this variety helps strengthen the body's defenses and stabilize the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Honey mushroom has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

The impact on the human body is complex:

• fight against viruses;
• stimulation of immunity;
• elimination of inflammation;
• antioxidant effect.

The overall impact is positive.

Compound

The product contains a lot of fiber, carbohydrates and proteins, and is a source of vitamins B1, C, minerals, zinc, and copper.

What to pay attention to

You need to be careful when collecting spring honey mushrooms, because they have poisonous counterparts. The easiest way to distinguish an inedible product from an edible one is by smell. The false one smells unpleasant - like sour cabbage. It’s worth looking at the leg – the doppelgangers have hairs.

How to deliciously fry with onions

To prepare this dish you will need 600 grams of mushrooms and 2 large onions. The washed, cleaned forest gifts are placed on a heated frying pan. Frying occurs without adding oil. Do not cover with a lid - this will lead to rapid evaporation of moisture, then the dish will turn out to be dry.

Then oil is added, pre-chopped onions are laid out. It will be ready in about a third of an hour.

All that remains is to salt and pepper the dish and sprinkle with herbs before serving.

Let's say a few words about the meadow variety of honey mushrooms. This family is found exclusively in the Primorsky Territory and the Caucasus. A distinctive feature of the culture is its habitation in grass (meadows, forest edges, fields). Meadow mushroom mycelium bears fruit in the warm season, that is, from approximately May to September.

Do they eat the fruits? Exclusively caps, since the flesh of the stem is hard and lacks a pleasant mushroom taste. It is believed that it is inedible.

Describing the variety, one can note the instability of the color of the cap of the crop - it can be yellow or red-brown, depending on the weather conditions prevailing in the place of growth. The leg is quite thin, unstable, covered with a light coating.

Royal honey mushrooms speak for themselves - their size is in no way inferior to boletus mushrooms. The height of the mushroom can reach 20 centimeters, identical to the diameter of the cap. The leg is thin but stable. They grow one at a time, not like other types of honey mushrooms, and not only on stumps, but also on living wood. They ripen from late summer until autumn frosts.

As for color, the royal representatives of the family are distinguished by the golden color of the cap, on which there are frequent scales. The older the individual, the darker the skin of the fruit.

Royal honey fungus is in demand among traditional healers - it is believed to be rich in phosphorus, amino acids and other beneficial substances. The pulp of the mushroom is used for tinctures that help with diabetes.

They are characterized by small spines.

We looked at which types of honey mushrooms are most known among mushroom pickers, presenting a detailed description of each member of the family. If you were not able to fully understand the varieties, carefully study the photos of mushrooms; visualization will help you get rid of any remaining questions you have.

Honey mushrooms are honored leaders among mushrooms, popular among people who prefer the gifts of the forest. The crop ripens several times a year, gives a rich harvest and is convenient from the point of view of gathering - since the fruits grow in large families, the mushroom picker does not have to walk through the forest for a long time, sometimes it is enough to find several large colonies to fill a whole basket with a delicacy. Mycelium develops on fallen trees or stumps, sometimes on living, weak trunks. The most optimal substrate for the crop we are considering is non-living wood, located in places of high humidity

In this article we will talk about such a variety of the family as spruce mushrooms, touching on the description and characteristics in general.

Why is the spruce honey fungus dark in color?

If you or your loved ones are fond of hiking in the forest, you probably know that the most delicious and popular honey mushroom is the autumn one. The mushroom attracts collectors with its neat shape, pleasant smell and tasty pulp. The second name of the autumn variety is the same spruce honey mushrooms that are discussed in our article.

As we noted earlier, the main habitat of the culture is deciduous forests and half-dead wood, however, mushrooms can also develop in pine forests or spruce forests. Since honey mushrooms grow in almost all regions of our country, and in each geographical zone they can differ slightly in appearance and color.

The fruiting period of the mycelium is from the end of August to the end of October. In warm regions of the country, the harvest period can last throughout the first half of November.

As for the dark color of spruce mushrooms, it is the wood that is the main “dye” of the pulp. The mycelium of the fungus develops on a coniferous tree and gradually grows along the trunk, climbing under the bark. Thus, the fruiting bodies collect the bitterness of the needles, along with the dark woody color.

If you have never paid attention to the color of the trunks of deciduous or coniferous trees, be sure to compare their bark - everything will fall into place.

It should be noted that the taste qualities of the honey mushroom we are considering are specific and not for everyone. This is all due to the slight bitterness we mentioned earlier. However, experienced mushroom pickers claim that the main thing is to prepare the product correctly, then it will be in no way inferior to even the most majestic boletus mushroom. Moreover, the “spruce tree” includes all the same useful substances and microelements as its autumn counterpart.

Description, cultural features

The spruce mushrooms we are considering belong to the Physalacriaceae family.

• The average size of the fruit cap is from 3.5 to 10 centimeters; larger representatives are rarely found.
• The shape of the “head” of the mushroom resembles a hemisphere, the middle is convex, the skin is a rich brown color, with frequent, large scales. The older the representative, the smoother his cap becomes, and the longer the cylindrical leg.
• With age, the skirt bordering the leg also becomes less noticeable.
• The plates of young mushrooms under the cap are light and frequent, while in old ones they acquire a reddish color.

The pulp is light, exudes a barely noticeable mushroom aroma, slightly loose. Some gourmets prefer not to eat the legs, as they consider them dry and tough.

Prevention of poisoning by inedible mushrooms (doubles)

Experienced, seasoned lovers of forest gifts harvest the harvest almost with their eyes closed and never make mistakes. But what about those who cannot boast of “hard” knowledge?

Let's talk about the distinctive features of honey mushrooms and their inedible counterparts.

First of all, every novice forager should visit the forest with a mushroom picker who is unerringly versed in “silent hunting.” A preliminary visual acquaintance with the future harvest in person or even from pictures is not forbidden.

If you go into the forest on your own and don’t have a mentor, capture the spruce mushrooms in a photo and show them to a specialist, or simply compare your find with pictures from the Internet. Fortunately, the age of modern technology allows you to use the World Wide Web and share photos with loved ones from almost anywhere in the world.

video about a dangerous double - Hypholoma fasciculare

The main distinguishing features of edible mushrooms from “bad” ones:

1. Pay attention to the skirt on the stem of the fruit - inedible representatives of the forest do not have a similar one (with the exception of the toadstool). The latter can deceive the collector with its appearance, but not its smell - its aroma, to put it mildly, is specific and unpleasant.
2. A good fruit should not have a cup-volva at the base.
3. Beware of the bright colors of the cap - as a rule, nature is cunning and rewards inedible mushrooms with an attractive color so that animals pay attention to the plant.

The easiest way to determine which mushroom is in front of you is to break the oldest fruit from the colony and check its pulp for the presence of worms - insects will never eat a poisonous plant.

You will quickly learn how to sort through your harvest if you carefully study the crop and follow the recommendations of experienced people.

It is generally accepted that winter is not the time for mushroom season. Indeed, few people can be found in the forest during such a cold period. However, for experienced mushroom pickers, winter is not a reason to warm up at home by the stove. It is with the onset of cold weather that the opportunity arises to go “hunting” for winter honey mushrooms. It turns out that harvesting mushrooms at this time of year is not without meaning. It is in the winter forest that bright fruiting bodies grow abundantly, which will be discussed. For clarity, on this page you can read the description, photos and videos of winter mushrooms.

Winter mushrooms (flammulina velutipes)- cap mushrooms belonging to the Rowadovaceae family. These fruiting bodies are very valued among many mushroom pickers, because they have a pleasant and delicate taste, therefore they are widely used in cooking. They are perfect for processes such as pickling and salting. Various soups and sauces are also prepared from them. However, some people prefer not to deal with winter mushrooms, since during the cooking process they become slimy, although this feature does not affect the taste of the dish in any way.

Another name for the winter honey fungus is Flammulina velvetypodia. It indicates a characteristic feature of the appearance of a given fruiting body. As for edibility, it belongs to category 4. This means that the mushroom requires mandatory heat treatment.

Below you can see a more detailed description of winter mushrooms and photos that clearly show the characteristic features of their appearance.

Latin name: Flammulina velutipes.

Genus: Flammulina.

Family: Ordinary, also belongs to the Negniuchkov family.

Synonyms: Agaricus velutipes, Collybia velutipes, Collybidium velutipes, Gymnopus velutipes, Myxocollybia velutipes.

Russian synonyms: flammulina velvetypod, collibia velvetypod, winter mushroom. In the West they are most often found under the Japanese name "enokitake".

Hat: rounded-convex, acquires a flat shape with age. The diameter is from 2 to 8 cm, but some large specimens can reach 10 and even 12 cm. The color of the cap varies from yellow or honey to orange-brown. In most cases, the edges of the cap have a lighter shade than the central zone. Mucous, smooth, with a slight drying it takes on a glossy appearance. Pay attention to the caps of edible winter mushrooms by looking at the photo.

Leg: cylindrical, tubular, dense, velvety, 3-8 cm high, up to 1 cm thick. The upper part has a lighter shade (yellow), and the lower part has a darker shade (brown or red).

Pulp: thin, hard at the lower edge of the stem and softer at the cap. White or light yellow, with a faint pleasant smell and taste.

Records: sparse, slightly adherent to the stem, sometimes shortened. The color of the plates in young individuals ranges from cream to yellowish-white, darkening with age.

We invite you to look at a few more photos of winter honey fungus in the forest:

As you can see, they have a brighter color than representatives of other types of edible honey mushrooms. Knowing what winter mushrooms look like in the photo, it will be much easier for you to find them in the forest.

Edibility: conditionally edible, belongs to category 4.

Winter variety of honey mushrooms: photos and how to distinguish edible mushrooms from false ones

Application: used in cooking and medicine. They are pickled, salted, fried, caviar, soups and sauces are made from them. From young specimens, only the lower part of the stem is removed; from mature specimens, only the caps are taken. Mushrooms are very popular in Japanese cuisine. In medicine, it is used for the treatment and prevention of benign tumors - fibroids, myomas, adenomas, mastopathy and other types of oncology. Used for thrombophlebitis and increased blood clotting.

Similarities and differences: The winter variety of honey mushrooms does not have false poisonous counterparts. Still, their appearance can be confused with the summer honey fungus and spindlefoot collimia. However, it is almost impossible to find them near the winter honey fungus. The fact is that the time of their fruiting is completely at odds with the season of flammulina activity. But be that as it may, you need to know some differences between them.

As you can see in the photo, you can distinguish winter honey mushrooms from false ones by the presence of a ring on the stem: in edible species it is clearly visible, while in false species it is completely absent.

Collibia spindlefoot– fruiting body of questionable nutritional quality. The mushroom cap has a pronounced red-brown color. The leg is often twisted, noticeably narrows downwards, and has a reddish tint. By comparing photos and descriptions of winter mushrooms with false species, you can easily determine where and what fruiting bodies are.

Many novice mushroom pickers are interested in when winter mushrooms grow? Judging by the name, we can conclude that the winter mushroom season starts with the onset of cold weather. As already noted, this type of fruiting body grows most often in deciduous forests, but sometimes they can be found in city gardens and parks, near roads and industrial enterprises.

Flammulina grows in large families, like most other species of honey mushrooms, forming honey-golden “bouquets”. Due to their bright color, winter mushrooms are often grown as a decorative decoration for household plots. However, it should be remembered that these fungi destroy wood, leading to its drying out and death.

Depending on where winter mushrooms grow, you can tell what taste and smell they have. Thus, growing on deciduous trees, the pulp of the mushroom will have a more delicate taste and aroma. And when settling on a pine or spruce tree, the fruit body acquires a characteristic smell and a bitter, resinous taste.

When do winter mushrooms appear and how to find them in the forest

The period when winter honey mushrooms appear depends on the climatic characteristics of individual areas. Traditionally, the first harvest appears at the end of September - beginning of October. The peak of abundant fruiting occurs in November-February; sometimes a large number of mushrooms can be observed in May. Thus, under certain weather conditions, winter honey fungus can be collected almost all year round.

One of the characteristic features of flammulina is that it tolerates frost well. During frost, the mushroom freezes, but does not die. At the first thaw, its growth resumes, and the structure of the fruiting body itself regains its flexibility and original appearance. I must say that you can find this mushroom even under thick snow. It can be safely collected either frozen or thawed, because even with severe frosts it will not lose its taste.

Knowing when winter mushrooms grow and under what conditions this process occurs, many mushroom pickers do not miss the opportunity to visit the forest during the cold season. They may find that during frosts the caps of honey mushrooms begin to crumble when pressed, but do not be afraid of this. In a warm room they will thaw and regain their former elasticity.

How can you find winter mushrooms in the forest? Fans of “silent hunting”, who have many years of experience in this matter, note that such an activity is not an easy one. In addition to fallen trees and stumps, you need to look into hollows. Sometimes you can find a whole “army” of honey-golden “soldiers” there. In addition, when picking mushrooms, you should not only look at your feet, but also look up. Often, winter mushrooms grow at a height that can reach up to 3 m. In this case, it is worth taking with you a long stick with a hook, thanks to which it will be easy to remove mushrooms from the tree.

How quickly do winter mushrooms grow and when can they be collected?

Also, many novice mushroom pickers are interested in how quickly winter mushrooms grow? As you know, all mushrooms, without exception, grow very quickly. If the weather outside the window is favorable for the growth of the fruiting body, then after 2-3 days you can go to the forest. Under what circumstances does winter fungus grow? In this case, everything will depend on weather conditions. In the absence of severe and prolonged frosts, the fruiting body can grow in a few days. According to research, flammulina can increase by 1-2 cm per day. And vice versa, if frost sets in, the growth of such honey mushrooms practically stops, but only until the first thaw. It is with her arrival that the mushroom continues to grow, delighting the eyes with its variegated color in the “naked” forest. Therefore, in order to know when you can go collect winter honey mushrooms, you need to navigate the weather, because the growth of fruiting bodies depends on it.

The surface of the cap of the winter honey fungus is slightly covered with mucus, which does not disappear even when boiled. In addition, it is customary to remove the stem of the fruiting body completely, as it is too rigid. There is also information that the pulp of the mushroom may contain a small amount of toxins, so it should always be subjected to heat treatment. To do this, after cleaning, boil the winter mushroom in salted water for at least 20 minutes, and then begin preparing the dishes.

Winter honey fungus, photo from Wikipedia

Winter honey fungus is also called a winter mushroom. In the middle zone it appears at the end of autumn. This delicious mushroom can be boiled, fried, salted, pickled and even dried. The winter mushroom is known for its antiviral and anticancer properties.

When and where does the winter mushroom grow?

Winter mushroom, or winter honey fungus (Flammulina velutipes), appears in October - November, and sometimes in December. It is not afraid of autumn frosts, since the thawed honey mushroom continues to grow. Sometimes you can hear stories told by experienced mushroom pickers who go for mushrooms in the winter forest. Not to the store, but to the forest. Not for boletus or boletus, but for winter honey mushrooms. Fresh ones are found under the snow, and dried ones are found on tree trunks. The mushroom climbs trees, appears on fallen trunks, stumps and even in hollows. Winter mushrooms can settle in a garden with fruit trees, gradually destroying them. Therefore, you need to be careful with the waste that remains after cleaning mushrooms. It is better not to throw them away on the site. In some countries (especially Japan), this mushroom is cultivated as tasty and healthy. In our country, it is often brought from the forest. In the USSR, winter honey fungus was not prepared according to GOST.

Description of winter mushroom

Collecting winter mushrooms is a pleasure. They grow in bouquets, in which there may be mushrooms of different ages nearby. I get aesthetic pleasure while picking winter mushrooms. It is always so clean, neat, honey-golden and smells nice.

The winter honey fungus has a cap 2–9 cm in diameter. In young mushrooms it is convex, then becomes flat. Often a little slimy. The color of the winter mushroom cap varies from pale yellow, rusty yellow, golden honey to brownish yellow (at the edges). The middle is noticeably darker. The pulp is yellowish or creamy, quite fleshy, and has a pleasant mushroom smell, sometimes faint. The plates are light fawn or yellowish. Thin leg up to 6 cm high, yellowish on top, hard at the base, black-brown or dark brown. It is hard, so it is not used. I only leave a small top part about 1 cm long to keep the mushroom shape. And one more important note. Winter honey mushrooms, from which only the caps are immediately taken from the forest, are best collected in baskets, since they are quickly compressed in buckets and plastic bags. If there is no basket, then it is better to leave the stems of the winter mushroom and cut them at home.

How to prepare winter honey fungus?

Winter mushroom is very tasty. You can cook many dishes with it. In order to avoid troubles, this mushroom must be boiled (fryed) for at least 35 - 40 minutes, like all other honey mushrooms. The caps of the winter honey fungus make excellent hearty soups that contain a lot of protein. They are prepared with onions, carrots and potatoes. Five minutes before the end of cooking, add a bay leaf, which must be removed from the finished soup. It’s even better if cooked with pearl barley. It is traditionally believed that you cannot do without this grain when cooking mushroom soup (especially from dry mushrooms) and pickle soup. Of course, you will also need sour cream.

Winter mushroom can be stewed and fried. Sometimes at the end of frying a little breadcrumbs are added for drying. Then the mushrooms will be crispy. I prepare winter honey fungus for the winter (sorry for the tautology) this way: I boil its caps for about five minutes, after which I pour the entire contents of the pan through a colander and leave to cool. As a rule, I do the processing in the evening, so the colander (made of stainless steel) with mushrooms remains in the kitchen until the morning. In the morning, I put the mushrooms in bags and put them in the freezer (minus 19°C). In winter, all I have to do is take out a bag and cook soup with it or fry these wonderful mushrooms in odorless vegetable oil.

Winter mushroom can be salted and pickled

In order to avoid botulism, it is recommended to eat any canned mushrooms before the New Year. With increasing shelf life, the likelihood of this serious disease increases, which often ends in failure. The methods of salting and pickling mushrooms that I use allow me to store these mushrooms for a long time in jars or other containers without covering them with tight lids.

Salted and pickled winter mushrooms are so tasty that they are eaten instantly. They are salted and pickled only in a hot way. They start by peeling the mushrooms, leaving only the caps. You can only use the very top part of the leg. Then the honey mushrooms are sorted by size. Weigh them. After this, the mushroom caps are brought to a boil and the water and foam are drained. Wash the mushrooms and boil again for at least 35 minutes from the moment of boiling. Cooked honey mushrooms are placed in an enamel pan or bucket, glass jar or other container. Add salt (40 - 50 g of salt per kilogram of cooked fresh mushrooms), spices (garlic, allspice, cloves and dill). Pour just a little liquid into the container in which the winter mushroom was cooked. A wooden circle or flat plate of suitable diameter with a weight is placed on top. They are needed so that even the top layer of mushrooms ends up in the brine. Mushrooms are salted after 2 - 3 weeks. They need to be stored in a cool place.

This salting method has a simplified version, in which salt and spices (except garlic) are added 10 minutes before the end of cooking. Salt should be taken to taste, making the brine slightly salty. As a last resort, you can always add salt to the solution. This option is good because honey mushrooms can be immediately placed in glass jars and filled with prepared brine. No weighing, calculations of the amount of salt, etc. are needed. There is no need for a wooden circle and weight. Keep jars in the refrigerator or other cool place. We rarely wait until honey mushrooms are completely salted. We eat them a few days after salting. Add chopped onions and green onions and vegetable oil to a plate. By the way, onions placed in pickling containers can cause pickled mushrooms to sour.

You can pickle boiled winter mushrooms using the dry method, without brine. To do this, after cooking (for 40 minutes), the honey mushrooms are washed with cold water and all the liquid is drained. Then put it in a suitable container, sprinkling the mushrooms with salt (40 - 50 g per 1 kg of raw mushroom caps) and spices. With this method of salting, oppression is required. Keep mushrooms in a cool place. After a week they can be eaten. It is better to wait at least three weeks for the mushrooms to be better salted.

Winter mushrooms are perfectly pickled. They are cleaned and cooked as for pickling. After 25 minutes of cooking, the caps are washed with fresh water and then placed back in the pan. Pour in the marinade, which is prepared as follows: add 2 tbsp to 1 liter of water. spoons of granulated sugar, 1.5 tbsp. spoons of salt, 3 pcs. cloves and allspice. The proportions can be changed (to taste). Pour 4 tbsp. spoons of 9% table vinegar. After this, the mushrooms are boiled in the marinade for 10 minutes. Cool, transfer to glass jars and loosely close (do not roll up) the lids. Store jars in a cool place.

From "Home Economics" 1956

At the end, I would like to cite excerpts from the book Home Economics, published in 1956. “For hot salting, for 1 kilogram of mushrooms take 2 tablespoons of salt, 1 bay leaf, 3 peppercorns and cloves, 5 grams of dill, 2 blackcurrant leaves. Pour half a glass of water into the pan (per 1 kilogram of mushrooms), add salt and put on fire. When the water boils, add the mushrooms. During cooking, carefully stir the mushrooms with a paddle so that they do not burn. When the water boils, carefully remove the foam with a slotted spoon, then add pepper, bay leaf, and other seasonings and cook with gentle stirring. ...The cooked mushrooms must be carefully transferred to a wide bowl so that they cool quickly. The cooled mushrooms should be transferred along with the brine into barrels or jars and closed. The brine should be no more than one fifth of the weight of the mushrooms. Mushrooms are ready for consumption in 40-45 days.”

It is recommended to prepare a marinade for mushrooms as follows: “For 1 kilogram of mushrooms you need to take one and a half tablespoons of salt, half a glass of vinegar, 1 bay leaf, 0.1 grams each of pepper, cloves and cinnamon and 2 - 3 grams of dill.” Particular attention is paid to vinegar: “The quality of marinades largely depends on the type of vinegar. Marinades prepared with grape or table vinegar... with aromatic herbs are especially tasty. If the vinegar is strong (6 percent), then it must be diluted by half with water, then add salt, sugar, spices (pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, bay leaf, etc.), let it boil, and then cool.” .

And one more useful tip: “To protect against mold, the marinade is poured with a thin layer of vegetable oil. The jars are covered with parchment paper and tied with twine. Marinades should be stored in a cool, dry place.”

© A. Anashina. Blog, www.site

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