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Gigrofor reddening (Latin Hygrophorus erubescens) is an edible lamellar mushroom of the Gigroforov family. Another name for the species is reddish hygrophor.
What does a reddening hygrophor look like?
Gigrofor reddening is a mushroom with a rather classic appearance - its fruiting body consists of a high leg and a spreading dome-shaped cap. In young specimens, the latter is rounded, almost ovoid. As the fruiting body grows, it gradually opens, but a small tubercle remains in the center.
The color of the cap is light pink, approaching white. Occasionally, there are small, blurred yellow spots on the surface. Closer to the center, the hat darkens. It is uneven and slightly sticky to the touch, covered with many small scales. The diameter of the cap varies from 5 to 11 cm.
The hymenophore is represented by free white-pink plates descending to the stem. The spore powder is white in this species.
The leg can reach 5-8 cm in height, the diameter varies from 1 to 2 cm. It is straight and cylindrical in shape. There is a slight expansion at the base. The color of the leg is whitish-pink.
The flesh is dense and slightly grainy, light pink in color, which turns yellowish at the cut site. In young mushrooms, it has a rather bland taste, however, as the fruiting body grows, it begins to taste bitter. The smell of the reddening hygrophor is inexpressive.
Where does the reddening hygrophor grow
In large quantities, the reddening hygrophor is found in coniferous and mixed forests, while most often it coexists with spruces and pines. The fruiting peak of this mushroom occurs at the end of August - beginning of September.
Is it possible to eat a reddening hygrophor
It is an edible mushroom, although not very popular. The fact is that its taste is rather inexpressive, therefore this type is used mainly as an additive to other mushrooms.
False doubles
Most often, the reddening hygrophor is confused with the russula hygrophorus (lat.Hygrophorus russula) or russula, which in the common people is called cherry. They have an almost identical appearance, but the twin is generally larger than its relative, which is especially noticeable on the leg - it is much thicker. His flesh is white, at the cut site it becomes red.
This species grows in deciduous and mixed forests, primarily under oak trees. Alone, it practically does not occur, usually it is found in small groups. Fruiting occurs in August and September.
Another false twin is the poetic hygrophorus (Latin Hygrophorus poetarum), which is also classified as an edible species. It is distinguished from a reddening hygrophor by its lighter color and pleasant jasmine aroma.
This species grows in deciduous forests, usually in groups. Large clusters are also found in mountainous areas, most often the mushroom is found under beeches.Collect it from July-August to September.
Gigrofor maiden (Latin Hygrophorus virgineus) is a conditionally edible mushroom that can be eaten only after heat treatment. This species is distinguished from the reddening hygrophor by its color - there are no pinkish stains on its fruiting body. In addition, it is generally more graceful in shape.
Maiden hygrophor grows in mountainous areas, on plains and in places of deforestation. Fruiting from August to September.
Collection rules and use
During harvest, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:
- Abundant fruiting of this species is observed during periods of high humidity, so it is better to go to the forest 1-2 days after rain.
- Harvested more often in the morning. At this time, the air is saturated with moisture after the night coolness, due to which the harvested fruit bodies will remain fresh for longer.
- The mushrooms are placed in a wicker basket with sufficiently large gaps that allow air to pass through well. This way, the resulting crop will not deteriorate during the harvest and the way back. Plastic bags cannot be used, in which the cut fruit bodies begin to quickly soften and deteriorate.
- They look for mushrooms mainly under trees and shrubs; in open areas, a reddening hygrophor is rarely found. Sometimes the fruit bodies are covered with leaves, so it is better to take a stick on a hike so that it is more convenient to look for them.
- It is strictly forbidden to pick fruits near roads and industrial buildings - the pulp of mushroom bodies quickly accumulates lead contained in the exhaust gases, as a result of which they become unsuitable for human consumption.
- Also, it is impossible to pick mushrooms in the field-protective forest belts - the fields are treated with potent chemicals, which, through groundwater, can negatively affect the mycelium.
- You cannot pick mushrooms from the ground. It is recommended to carefully cut them off with a knife or twist the leg out of the mycelium.
There is no consensus on the last point to this day. Some scientists are convinced that it is safest to cut the fruit body, since twisting can still damage the mycelium. Opponents of this opinion argue that cutting, on the contrary, is more dangerous than twisting - a decay process can begin at the cut site, which subsequently passes to the entire mycelium.
The taste qualities of the reddening hygrophor are average, the mushroom is not considered valuable. The smell of fruiting bodies is also inexpressive and weak. Due to this, the variety is usually used as an additive to other mushrooms.
Despite the fact that the reddening hygrophor can be consumed raw, this is rarely done - without additional processing, its pulp can taste bitter, especially if the fruit body is old. On the other hand, it is great for winter pickling.
Conclusion
Gigrofor reddening is an edible, but not very valuable mushroom. Its taste is rather mediocre, so most often this type is used in cooking in combination with other mushrooms. The reddening hygrophor has no dangerous twins, but it is easy to confuse it with related varieties, some of which are conditionally edible - they cannot be eaten without preliminary processing.
For more information on how to pick mushrooms correctly, see the video below:
