Name White mushroom received since ancient times. Back then people mostly dried mushrooms. The porcini mushroom pulp always remained perfectly white after drying or heat treatment. This was the reason for this name. Porcini belongs to the boletus genus, so the second name for the porcini mushroom is boletus.

Important! After collecting mushrooms, it is necessary to immediately begin processing them, since beneficial features porcini mushrooms lose very quickly. For example, after 10 hours the mushroom already contains half of the minerals and trace elements.

Let's consider the varieties of porcini mushroom and their description. All of them belong to edible mushrooms first category and have the same shape.

White mushroom (spruce) (Boletus edulis)

It is the most common type and has a typical form. The cap is brown or chestnut in color, 7-30 cm in diameter. It has a mainly convex shape, sometimes cushion-shaped. Its surface is smooth and velvety and does not separate from the pulp.

The shape of the boletus leg has a thickening at the bottom, reaches an average height of 12 cm and is considered high in this type of porcini mushroom. The surface of the leg is covered with a mesh and has a whitish-brownish tint. The taste is mild, the smell is delicate and individual, usually enhanced by cooking or drying. Under the cap there is a tubular layer 1-4 cm wide, which is easily separated from the pulp and has a yellowish tint.

The flesh of the mushroom is fleshy white and does not change color when broken. This species is found in spruce and fir forests in large areas of Eurasia, except Iceland, on all continents except Australia. Fruits singly or in rings. Forms mycorrhiza with foliage and coniferous species trees.

Often appears together with green russula and chanterelle. Prefers old forests with moss and lichen. Positive weather conditions for the mass appearance of porcini mushrooms are short thunderstorms with warm nights and fog. Prefers sandy, sandy loam and loamy soils and open heated areas. Harvesting takes place in June - October.

The nutritional quality of porcini mushroom is the highest. Used raw, boiled, dried. In terms of the content of nutrients and microelements, the porcini mushroom is not superior to other types of mushrooms, but is a powerful digestive stimulant.

Scientists have proven that porcini mushroom protein is difficult to digest by the body due to the presence of chitin, but after drying it becomes more digestible (80%). For medicinal purposes in folk medicine use the antitumor, immunostimulating properties of porcini mushrooms.

White pine mushroom (Boletus pinophilus)

This type is similar to general description porcini mushroom, but differs in some features. The hat is 8-25 cm in diameter, red Brown with a purple tint, but a little lighter around the edges. Under the skin of the cap the flesh is pink. The leg is short and thick, 7-16 cm in height. Its color is slightly lighter than the caps, but it is covered with a light brown thin mesh. The tubular layer is up to 2 cm wide and has a yellowish tint. There is an early form of pine porcini mushroom. It is distinguished by a lighter color of the cap and the pulp under it. Appears at the end of spring.

This species forms mycorrhizae most often with pine. Prefers sandy soils and grows singly or in small groups. Pine porcini mushroom is common in Europe, Central America, and the European part of Russia. Harvesting takes place from June to October.

White birch mushroom (Boletus betulicola)

Sometimes in Russian regions it is called spikelet because of the appearance of rye during heading. This species has a light yellow cap, the size of which is 5-15 cm in diameter. The pulp does not change color when broken, but has no taste. The leg is barrel-shaped, whitish-brown in color with a white mesh. A tubular layer of a yellowish tint, up to 2.5 cm wide. Birch boletus forms mycorrhiza with birch. Fruits singly or in groups. Likes to grow on the edges or along roads. It is found in Western Europe, and in Russia - in the Murmansk region, Siberia, Far East. Harvesting takes place from June to October.

Did you know? The growth of the porcini mushroom takes nine days, but there are some varieties that grow for 15 days.

Dark bronze porcini mushroom (Boletus aereus)

Sometimes this species is also called copper or hornbeam porcini mushroom. The cap is fleshy, convex in shape, reaches a diameter of 7-17 cm. The skin can be smooth or with small cracks, dark brown, almost black. The pulp is white, has a pleasant taste and smell, and turns slightly darker when broken. The leg is cylindrical, massive, pink-brown in color with a nut-colored mesh. The tubular layer has a yellowish tint and is up to 2 cm wide, but when pressed it becomes olive in color. This species is common in deciduous forests with warm climates. Most often found in Western and Southern Europe, Sweden, and North America. The fruiting season is from July to October, but in Austria it appears in May and June.

Included in the Red Books of Ukraine, Montenegro, Norway, Denmark, Moldova.

In terms of taste, it is valued by gourmets more than the white spruce mushroom. It has similar external characteristics to the edible Polish mushroom (Xerocomus badius), in which the flesh turns blue and there is no mesh on the stem. The semi-bronze porcini mushroom (Boletus subaereus), which has a lighter color, is also found in deciduous and mixed forests.

White mushroom (Boletus reticulatus, Boletus aestivalis) The white reticulated mushroom differs from the spruce mushroom in that the cap is lighter colored and the mesh on the stem is more pronounced. It is considered the earliest of all types of porcini mushrooms. The cap reaches a diameter of 6-30 cm and has a light brown color. The pulp is fleshy white, under the tubes it has yellow tint

. The leg is short, thick, club-shaped, brown in color and differs from other species by the presence of a large mesh pattern. The reticulated porcini mushroom has a pleasant smell and a sweetish, nutty taste.

The thickness of the tubular layer is up to 3.5 cm. Its color varies from white to greenish-yellow. A peculiarity of this species is the presence of cracks in the skin of old mushrooms. This species forms mycorrhiza with beech, oak, chestnut, hornbeam and grows on the edges of dry alkaline soils. It is rarely damaged by insects.

Grows in Europe, North Africa, North America. Harvesting takes place from May to October. The reticulated porcini mushroom is more similar to the birch mushroom, which has a lighter cap and a shorter net.

White oak mushroom (Boletus quercicola) Distinctive feature The white oak mushroom has a brown cap with a grayish tint.

Important! Very similar to a porcini mushroom - gall mushroom. It is classified as inedible due to its bitterness. Its main differences from the porcini mushroom are the pinkish tubular layer and the darker color of the mesh on the stem.

Semi-white mushroom (Boletus impolius)

The semi-white mushroom belongs to the genus Boletus and can be called yellow boletus. The cap reaches a diameter of 5-15 cm with smooth skin of a matte light brown color. The flesh of the mushroom is dense, light-colored yellow color. The taste is slightly sweet and the smell is reminiscent of carbolic acid.

The leg is thick, cylindrical, up to 15 cm high, straw color. There is no mesh pattern on the stem, but the surface is rough. The tubular layer is up to 3 cm thick and yellow. It grows in oak, beech, and hornbeam forests and prefers moist clay soils. Yellow boletus belongs to heat-loving mushrooms and is common in Polesie, Carpathian region, in the central and southern European part of Russia. Harvesting takes place from May to autumn.

In some sources, due to its specific smell, it is described as a conditionally edible mushroom. The taste is not inferior to the classic porcini mushroom. After drying and scalding, the smell almost disappears completely. By external signs It is similar to the maiden boletus, but differs from it in its specific smell and does not change the color of the flesh when broken.

A species of porcini mushroom (also known as boletus, cow mushroom) is an edible, tubular mushroom that belongs to the genus Borovik. Its appearance is significantly influenced by conditions environment, but despite this, the porcini mushroom always looks like a handsome giant compared to its other relatives.

The most common inhabitant of spruce and fir forests has a brown, smooth, dry cap with a reddish or chestnut tint, and a long stem, widened towards the bottom.

An abundance of brown caps with a grayish tint are found in oak forests, hence the clarification in the name oak porcini mushroom.

The proximity of birches makes the cap of the boletus light, almost white, and thanks to its proximity to pine trees, its cap is large, dark with a purple tint and brownish-red flesh under the skin.

Boletus can also have a cap that is bright yellow, purple, orange-red, light brown, black-brown, light bronze or ocher. But such specimens are not very common.

Photo of white mushroom

Structure

Mature individuals are characterized by a convex cap with a smooth or wrinkled surface. The hat is sticky during wet weather and looks disgusting; It is matte in dry, sunny weather. The skin does not separate from the pulp.

In young individuals, the juicy, dense pulp is always white, while in older mushrooms it has a yellowish tint, and just under the skin there may be a small layer of red-brown tint. Many people are interested in whether the porcini mushroom turns blue when cut. It is believed that this species does not differ in this property.

Porcini mushroom in its raw state has a faint odor and only during the cooking process does a pleasant mushroom aroma appear.

The leg of the boletus is massive, club-shaped and with a whitish surface, which can also take on a slight shade of the cap. At first, the white tubular layer gradually turns yellow and in mature individuals turns into an olive green color. Boletus spore powder is olive-brown in color.

Habitats

Boletus likes mature and old forests with an abundance of moss and lichens, but it also feels great on sandy, sandy loam, and loamy soils.

The white mushroom is common on all continents except Australia. Warm, foggy nights and short heavy rains, especially in the second half of August, are ideal weather when white people make you happy a huge amount

. Boletus is found from June to September.

Some general information

Why are these mushrooms called porcini? There is no reliable answer to this question. The most common theory is that the porcini mushroom retains its color white during processing; most other mushrooms tend to darken or turn brown.

In the summer, the life cycle of the porcini mushroom lasts 6–9 days, and already in September it increases from 9 to 15 days, but during this time it reaches impressive sizes compared to other mushrooms, which ripen in approximately 3–5 days.

Despite its large shape and wide distribution, the boletus is very skillfully hidden from view, so searching for it requires patience and perseverance.

The best specimens to collect should have a cap diameter of approximately 4 cm.

The description of methods for storing fresh mushrooms boils down to the fact that boletus mushrooms must be processed immediately, otherwise after 10 hours they will lose their beneficial properties.

The poisonous gall mushroom is very similar to boletus, which has the following main differences: the tubular layer is dirty pink, the flesh is bitter, and there is a dark mesh pattern on the stem. Another dangerous double of boletus is the satanic mushroom; it is found in damp forests, has a reddish tubular layer and quickly turns blue when cut.

The “fat” porcini mushroom has long been considered the master of the forest - for its beauty, excellent taste and composition rich in nutrients.

It’s easy to find an edible porcini mushroom among the grass and leaves if you know its habitat and distinctive features. With such knowledge, you can safely go into the thicket and treat yourself to a tasty and healthy snack.

How to recognize boletus

As soon as foresters call the porcini mushroom: boletus, capercaillie, bugbear, and ladybird. But despite the abundance of names and minor external differences, most belevyaks are easily recognized by their characteristic cap, stem, size and color of the flesh.

hat

The porcini mushroom is distinguished by a convex and slightly overhanging cap, which becomes more flattened with age, with a diameter of about 15-30 cm.

Depending on the air temperature, its outer part changes: in the heat it cracks, in the rain it becomes covered with a small amount of mucus, and in drought it shines.

The tubular layer at the bottom of the cap comes off easily and is olive-yellow in color, becoming green over time.

In the photo you can see that the color of the porcini mushroom cap is determined by the trees growing nearby.

A dark brown color with pinkish edges is characteristic of a pine forest, a coffee mushroom with a green tint is found among spruce trees, and near larches, boletus mushrooms acquire a light, beige tint or yellow ocher color.

Pulp

The pulp of the porcini mushroom is dense and light, but over time it turns noticeably yellow. The color does not change after contact with the knife.

The smell and taste of raw boletus are weak, but intensify during cooking.

Leg

The hallmark of the white hare is the “barrel” or “pin” leg, which on average has a height of about 10 cm and a thickness of up to 8 cm.

However, than older mushroom, the more the base stretches and thickens. Usually the legs of boletus mushrooms are brownish with whitish and reddish tints.

Places of growth

Porcini mushrooms can be found in forests on all continents except Australia. They especially love sandy and loamy soils, so they are widespread in Europe and North America. Found everywhere in Russia, with the exception of swamps, peat bogs and mountainous areas.

The mushroom is also unpretentious in its choice of neighbors: it gets along with many trees, especially pines, birches, oaks and spruces. There is a high probability of meeting boletus among pines over 25 years old and on the ground of a pine forest covered with mosses and lichens that is at least 50 years old.

As for the desired temperature, the porcini mushroom prefers 15-18°C in summer and 8-10°C in early autumn.

Strong changes or heavy rainfall completely stop the growth of the mycelium, but small thunderstorms or fogs stimulate its active development.

When to start searching

Porcini mushrooms ripen at certain periods. In a temperate climate, you can go for boletus mushrooms from the second half of June until the end of September, and the “mushroom boom” occurs in mid-August.

In forests with the warmest temperatures, the first belevyaks appear by the end of May and remain in their places until the first October frosts.

Both taste and benefits

White year can be consumed in any form: dried or pickled, salted or fried. This forest delicacy has a delicate and pleasant taste.

In addition to its excellent taste, the mushroom also has useful properties: it saturates the body with nutrients, improves the condition of the skin, hair and nails, has an immunostimulating and anti-inflammatory effect, and is used as a preventive measure for anemia and atherosclerosis.

The therapeutic effect occurs due to the selenium, iron, calcium, riboflavin, phytohormones, lecithin, and vitamins B and C contained in the mushroom pulp.

We grow mushrooms ourselves

Independent cultivation of porcini mushrooms in a summer cottage is possible if the main condition is met - creating a forest atmosphere.

It is necessary to create natural conditions for boletus, so it is better to choose a site near a forest or choose a place next to separately growing trees, which must be at least 8 years old.

If a place has already been selected for future belevyaks near a birch or pine tree, then it’s time to start choosing growing methods:

• Mycelium
• Hat controversy
• Excavated pieces of mycelium
• Overripe mushrooms

We buy mycelium

Homemade porcini mushroom can be obtained in a year from store-bought mycelium. It is planted in the ground from May until October in 15-20 cm of bare soil around the tree trunk. It is recommended to enrich the soil with a layer of peat or rotted compost.

The mycelium is placed in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 30 cm, covered with the previously removed top layer of soil and watered abundantly. Before the onset of severe frosts, the future mycelium is covered with leaves, moss or spruce branches.

New mushrooms from old caps

First, we find in the forest the caps of overripe mushrooms with a diameter of at least 15 cm and soak them in rainwater with alcohol or sugar for 24 hours.

After this, the mushroom spores are separated by straining and poured onto a pre-selected fertile area of ​​soil. The top is covered with a top layer of soil and straw.

Borrowing from the forest

Carefully dig out a mycelium measuring at least 5x5 cm in the thicket of the forest, divide it into small pieces and place it in shallow holes under a birch or oak tree, cover it with earth, and regularly and abundantly water it.

Dry method

Dry aged boletus mushrooms in a dark place for 24 hours and chop. Place the dry mass under the top layer of turf under the tree and water it with water.

Knowing what a porcini mushroom looks like and where to look for it, you can safely go into the thicket and finally treat yourself to this tasty, aromatic and healthy “fat little thing.”

Photo of white mushroom

Inexperienced and novice mushroom pickers, due to their ignorance, sometimes expose themselves to the danger of collecting inedible or poisonous mushrooms- in the kingdom of mushrooms there are a lot of specimens that look very similar to edible species, but are actually poisonous. How to distinguish a false porcini mushroom from an edible one, what are the symptoms of bitter bitter poisoning, where does it grow, and what does it look like - read more in the article.

Edible or not

Due to the fact that bitterling is often confused with a real porcini mushroom, it got its name - false. It belongs to the group of inedibles that cannot be eaten even after heat treatment.
Due to the fact that this inedible species It produces bitterness, which is why it was given the nickname - bitter mushroom (also called bitter mushroom and hare mushroom). It is noteworthy that bittersweet is not poisonous, but it is impossible to eat because of the inedible bitter pulp.

What does a false white mushroom look like?

The white mushroom's counterpart is very similar to its edible counterpart, and these two specimens can only be distinguished by minor external differences.

hat

The size of the bitterling cap can vary from 5 to 15 cm in diameter - when wet, it, like the boletus cap, becomes a little sticky and rough. The shape of the cap is standard for boletus mushrooms - a hemisphere.

The older the bitterling, the more rounded the cap becomes. The color varies from light brown to brown and may have light streaks.

Pulp

The bitter pulp is medium hard, white-pink in color, with pronounced fibers. A characteristic feature is that it is not susceptible to worm damage and, as a result, rarely rots. It does not have a rich smell, but its taste is very bitter, with a sour note. When cut and exposed to air, the flesh begins to turn red.

Important! Although bittersweet does not have a distinct aroma, with age it acquires a suffocating, putrid odor. Even one small instance of bitters, once in a dish, will immediately spoil the taste of the food with its pungent odor and bitter taste.

Tubular layer

It consists of small white tubes that are attached to the stem of the bitter plant. The color smoothly flows from milky to pink.

Leg

The stem of the bitterling plant is strong, wide and heavy. Its thickness ranges from 1 to 3 cm, and can grow up to 13 cm in height. Its characteristic feature is a swollen fibrous base, which is shaped like a club.
The color of the leg has shades of brown, without turning into a rich brown. In the upper part there is a yellow or gray mesh pattern that appears on the stem during the ripening process - the older the bitter, the more clearly this mesh is drawn.

Where and when does it grow

The favorite place for bitters to grow is coniferous or mixed forests. They love acidic fertile soil - they can grow both on sandstones and near half-rotten pine stumps or at the base of trees.

Bittersweet is widespread - it can be found on all continents. The time of formation and growth is the warm months (from mid-June to October). It loves bright light and moist soil, so bittersweet can often be found in open meadows and marshy areas. Formed in groups of 5 to 15 specimens.

Did you know? There is a mushroom museum in Zagreb, Croatia, which has more than 5,000 living exhibits.

How to distinguish from edible counterparts

In order not to make a mistake in choosing a mushroom, and not to pick a poisonous or inedible specimen, you need to know exactly what external characteristics a particular species has. The main feature of bittersweet, by which it can be distinguished from the edible type, is that when cut, the bittersweet immediately begins to darken, and the break point becomes a rich brown color.

Real white mushroom

There are three main points by which bittersweet can be distinguished from the edible white specimen:

• the color of the cap (the bitter mushroom has brown shades, and the white mushroom may have a reddish or cherry color of the cap);
• shape of the leg - bitterling always has a thickening, which gives the leg a resemblance to a club;
• the ability of a bitter mushroom to darken when in contact with air, whereas in a real porcini mushroom the flesh does not change its color.

Important! Inexperienced mushroom pickers, in order to distinguish a false porcini mushroom from a real one, taste the pulp, or lick the cap of the mushroom - the juice of the bitter mushroom has a characteristic bitterness, and also burns strongly. And although this method is very effective, it is not recommended to use it - there is a danger of getting food poisoning, and if you frequently try bitters on your tongue, you may get cirrhosis of the liver.

boletus

Another edible twin of bitter bitter is. Unlike bitterweed, boletus has a less thick stem, which does not have a thickening at the bottom.

Remember that bitterweed always looks perfect, it is not affected by worms and rarely rots (its bitterness repels insects and worms), but boletus often attracts worms that destroy its outer shell.

Also, boletus has a pleasant smell and white flesh, while gall mushroom does not smell, and the pulp and its tubular layer have a pinkish color.

Symptoms of poisoning

Unfortunately, not a single person is immune from mushroom poisoning - it happens that even experienced mushroom pickers cannot escape this scourge. Although bittersweet is not a poisonous species, its active components, when released into the human bloodstream, cause severe intoxication.

Also, consuming mustard has a negative effect on the liver and the functioning of the gallbladder - even 20 days after consuming such an inedible specimen, disturbances in the drainage of bile may still be observed.

Did you know? There are many cases in history when famous people and monarchs poisoned themselves with mushrooms. Thus, it is recorded that the Roman emperors Claudius and Tiberius (1st century BC), Emperor Alexander I (18th-19th centuries), French monarch Charles V (16th century), and Pope Clement VII (15th century) all fell victims of mushroom poisoning.

Symptoms of bitter bitter poisoning include:

• sharp abdominal pain, cramps;
• bitterness and dry mouth;
• dizziness, general weakness;
• temperature increase;
• gagging;
• in some cases - paleness of the skin, the appearance of bruises under the eyes.

If there is even one symptom from the list, it is necessary to perform gastric lavage - for this you need to give the patient a large number of warm water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and immediately seek medical help.

You should not give regular tablets for abdominal cramps - the active components of such drugs, as a rule, come into conflict with the bitter substances, which can lead to a worsening of the condition. Remember: any delay in the case of mushroom poisoning can cost your life, so you need to act quickly and confidently.

Bitterweed is the most famous and widespread twin of such edible species as boletus and porcini mushroom. Knowledge external characteristics bittersweet and its characteristic features will make it easy to distinguish this inedible mushroom from its edible twins, and protect yourself from possible poisoning.

A special delicacy on any table is the porcini mushroom - not only tasty, but also healthy. It can be used not only for food, but also as a medicinal product. For a mushroom picker, it is important not to make a mistake in choosing - to look at the handsome one among the forest grass and be able to distinguish it from its skillfully camouflaged poisonous and inedible counterparts.

The white mushroom or boletus (Boletus edulis) belongs to the class Agaricomycetes, genus Boletus, family Boletaceae. It has many names: ladybug, bearbird, capercaillie, belevik and others. Classified as edible.

The cap is convex in shape, gradually becoming flatter, with a span of up to 30 cm. The outer part is usually smooth, but may have wrinkles and cracks in hot weather. During periods of high humidity with a small mucous layer, in dry times it is shiny.

The color of the porcini mushroom cap varies depending on the place of growth:

• among pine trees - closer to chocolate, perhaps pink edging;
• in a spruce forest - brown with a coffee, sometimes green tint;
• Near deciduous trees– light, light walnut, yellow ocher.

The pulp is dense, in newly emerged specimens it is light, turning yellow with age. The color does not change when cut. It has a weak taste and smell when raw. A special pleasant aroma spreads during cooking or drying.

The stem of the mushroom is 8-12 cm high, up to 7 cm thick. The shape is “barrel” or “club”, elongated in aging specimens, thickened at the base. The surface shades are brown with whitish or reddish tints. The reticular layer is light, most often located closer to the cap. Rarely is it mild or absent altogether.

The tubular layer is from light in young to yellowish and greenish in older individuals; it comes off easily from the flesh of the cap.

Distribution and collection season

They grow next to many trees, but most of all they love the “community” of pine forests, birch or oak groves, and spruce forests.

In the fall, the boron form friendly shares space with the green russula in the oak forest and with the chanterelle next to the birches, appearing at the same time as the greenfinch.

There is a high probability of finding such whites in pine trees that are 20-25 years old, or in a pine forest that is at least 50 years old and covered with moss and lichen.

The best temperature for mushroom growth is 15-18 degrees Celsius in the summer months, and 8-10 in September. Serious temperature changes and rain inhibit the development of mycelium. White hare grows best after minor thunderstorms and foggy, warm nights.

They like soils with the presence of sand and loam, without excess water. Peat bogs and swampy areas are excluded. They also do not like hot places, although they prefer good lighting.

You can meet the hare on all continents except Australia. It grows especially actively in Europe, northern America and even Africa. In Asia it reaches Japan and China. In Russian forests - almost everywhere, reaching the tundra and Chukotka, but is not found in the steppes. Doesn’t like to “climb mountains” too much.

Fruiting is solitary, closer to autumn days– heap.

Porcini mushrooms grow in seasons: in more temperate climatic latitudes - from mid-June to the end of September, the most mushroom time is from the fifteenth of August. Where it is warmer, it may appear by the end of May and not disappear until October.

Species diversity and description

Scientists have counted 18 forms among white hare, but the average amateur will not want to climb into such jungle. And it’s possible to meet some only on other hemispheres of the planet. Therefore, let’s take a closer look at what grows in the forests of Russia.

Spruce

The white spruce mushroom (Boletus edulis f. edulis) is large in size, up to 2 kg per specimen. The hat is chestnut-brown or “brick with a red tint”, in the form of a hemisphere, turning into a plane over time. The top is wrinkled and velvety to the touch. In young mushrooms, the edges are slightly turned inward.

The tubes are white, gradually appearing yellow-green. Leg height 6-20 cm, thickness 2-5. The mesh layer is located closer to the cap.

Distribution and collection time

Collection is possible from early June to early October in spruce-pine and mixed forests - wild and park. They love the proximity to spruce.

Oak

The porcini oak mushroom (Boletus quercicola) has a cap most often of a coffee-gray color, with possible light inclusions, with a diameter of 5-20 cm, fleshy and dense. With age, it gradually begins to wrinkle. As humidity increases, the surface becomes shiny and slightly slimy.

The leg is widened or club-shaped, 6-20 cm high and 2-6 cm in diameter. The inner part is more fragile than that of other species.

Where and in what season is it collected?

Oak porcini mushrooms grow from May to October next to oak trees and mixed vegetation in the middle and southern zone of the center of the country, the forests of the Caucasus, and Primorye. They spread widely, sometimes in clusters.

Birch

Birch porcini mushroom (Boletus betulicola) – the fruiting body is much larger than that of its other counterparts. The cap reaches 5-15 cm in diameter, but at times grows to 25-27 cm. The color is light - from white to light coffee, it can wrinkle slightly and crack in the heat.

The tubes are white, with the decay of the mushroom comes a creamy tint. The interior is dense and remains white when dried. The leg is barrel-shaped, white-brown, the mesh is closer to the cap, 5-13 cm high, 1.5-4 cm wide.

Distribution and collection time

The white birch mushroom is present throughout the forests of the European part of Russia, the middle latitudes of Northern and North-East Asia, the Caucasus, and the tundra zone - among the northern birch forests. Any soil (but does not take root on peat bogs), the main thing is that birches or at least aspens grow nearby.

You can find it from early summer until October. Some beauties can survive until the first cold weather. Trim carefully 1.5-2 cm from the ground. You need to look for birch porcini mushrooms on the outskirts of the forest and along nearby roads.

Pine

The white pine mushroom (Boletus pinophilus), also called boletus, looks like a “fat mushroom.” The height of the leg is from 5 to 16 cm, with a diameter of 4-10 cm, thicker at the base. The surface is completely “enveloped” in a reddish or light brownish mesh.

The diameter of the cap is 5-25 cm. The general color is dark brown, there may be variability in reddish shades, the outline is slightly pink, in newly grown ones it is closer to light. The lower part is white-yellow, darkening with increasing age. The flesh at the break is white, under the skin it is brown with a red tint, with a weaker structure than that of the white birch mushroom.

Where and in what season is it collected?

Borovaya porcini mushroom is collected in the Siberian taiga, coniferous forests of the western half of the European part of the country and in the northeast from July to the 15th of October. Prefers sandy pine forest soils, old forests with mosses and lichens. Can be found in forests mixed with pine.

It is important to collect before the tubular layer acquires a greenish tint - old specimens can lead to poisoning!

Picking mushrooms - how to do it right?

When going to the forest, you need to understand where, when and how to collect porcini mushrooms. It is preferable to start “hunting” for them in July and August. They especially scatter across the soil after brief thunderstorms and warm fogs at night. In summer, the boletus mushroom grows for 6-9 days, in autumn – 9-15.

It is advisable to come to the forest before the sun has risen, when the white mushroom is clearly visible. Move slowly, carefully examining the ground. Especially places with sand and loam, where the soil does not flood. When the summer is damp, it is worth looking at a distance from trees, on hills and in places well lit by the sun. If the season is dry, whites hide near the trees, where the grass is thicker. They love to live next to morels.

The best specimens for collecting are those with a cap diameter of approximately 4 cm. Boletus is loved by various kinds of pests, so you need to look out for them carefully, especially in the cap. Be sure to cut it into pieces and remove the wormholes. Within 10 hours, the porcini mushroom must be processed (placed for drying, salting, fried, etc.), otherwise it will go away most of useful properties.

Collection rules

• cut off the porcini mushroom carefully, without damaging the mycelium;
• can be unscrewed;
• clean from possible pests (although it is better to take whole ones);
• place in a collection container with the cap down;
• if the legs are high, lay them sideways;
• leave overripe and questionable specimens on the ground;
• do not trample.

Healthy porcini mushrooms are not afraid of frost, so they can be harvested even after frost. After thawing, they do not lose their taste.

Nutritional quality

Freshly picked porcini mushroom has a calorie content of 34 kcal per 100 g of mass, dried - 286 kcal. Nutritional value – 1.7 g fat, 1 g carbohydrates, 3.5 g protein per 100 g weight. Also disaccharides and saturated fatty acids.
Praised great taste in any form. Special the nutritional value the fact that it makes the stomach work actively.

90% of the weight is water, the remaining 10 is divided into proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, minerals and fats.

It contains the most important microelements - iodine, copper, manganese and zinc. Vitamins – PP, C, B1, A. 22 amino acids. The amount of protein depends on the type, age of the mushroom (the younger the better), place of growth and method of preservation. Dried porcini mushrooms are especially good at preserving proteins.

Digestibility of mushroom proteins

It happens more slowly than in animals, since the proteins of the fungus are enclosed in special walls that “do not penetrate” the enzymes of the digestive tract. To improve absorption by the body, mushrooms need to be well chopped, boiled or fried.

Usage

White mushrooms without wormholes are allowed to be eaten in any form - dried, boiled, fried, salted, pickled and fresh. When dried, they do not become dark, leaving a pleasant forest aroma. The sauce goes great with meat and rice. Powder from such mushrooms can be used to season various dishes. Italians love them very much, adding them raw to the ingredients of a salad with Parmesan cheese, seasoning with oil, spices and lemon juice.

Dried mushrooms can be stored for 1 year by placing them in paper bags. The air temperature should be fixed and moderate, and regular ventilation is required.

The benefits and harms of porcini mushroom

Porcini mushrooms are both beneficial and harmful depending on their human use.

Beneficial features

• in pharmaceuticals – treatment of mastopathy, oncology, angina pectoris, tuberculosis;
• strengthen the immune system;
• improve the condition of eyes, hair and nails;
• are a preventative against anemia and atherosclerosis;
• when used externally – promotes rapid healing of wounds.

Harm

• collected near roads and industrial enterprises - absorb heavy metals and toxic substances;
• if stored improperly, porcini mushrooms can cause serious stomach upset, especially in children;
• Excessive consumption of dried mushrooms can cause obesity;
• use porcini mushroom with caution in patients with liver and kidney problems.

Mushroom look-alikes

A serious problem is created by dangerous doubles of the porcini mushroom. To distinguish the porcini mushroom from false poisonous and inedible mushrooms, use the table below.

It is clear that they are poisonous and inedible mushrooms In many ways they are similar to white ones, but upon closer inspection they can still be distinguished. An additional look at the external condition will help - false ones have an impeccable appearance.

Symptoms of doppelgangers poisoning, first aid

In case of poisoning in an adult, serious symptoms last up to 3 days. These are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and headache. But due to the unknown impact of poisons, psychogenic reactions are real, including hallucinations, absolute loss of self-control and memory, and even lethargic sleep or death.

As soon as symptoms arise, immediately rinse the stomach and take the poisoned person to the hospital or call ambulance. The effects of doppelgangers mushrooms, especially Satanic mushrooms, have been little studied and delaying first aid can be fatal.

Compare carefully appearance caught you on " quiet hunt» a copy with a description of the porcini mushroom, as you remember it and using the photos given in the article. Place only those in your cart that you are completely sure of. And then the beauties brought home will delight all gourmets with the amazing aroma and taste of forest gifts.