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Many people are happy to give a "quiet hunt" in the summer-autumn period. Watch out for a wide variety of surprising mushroom blushing umbrella (Chicken Coop). It is all due to the shape in the form of an umbrella and a reddish color, which appears when pressed hard, a cut in a cap or a leg, as if warning of danger.
The flesh of the chicken coop turns red when damaged
Where the blushing umbrella grows
The favorite places of the chicken coop mushroom are open forest glades. They can be called light-loving enough. They are often found in open areas of meadows, meadows and plantings. The habitat is very vast. The blushing umbrella can be found on almost all continents of the globe, with the exception, perhaps, only of the harsh, icy Antarctica. The composition of the soil is important for him. There should be enough humus in the soil.
A blushing umbrella is an easy profit for a seasoned mushroom picker. According to the photos and descriptions of the chicken coop mushroom, it grows in groups, moreover, quite numerous, which greatly facilitates the task of collecting.
A blushing umbrella grows in open areas
What does a chicken coop mushroom look like?
Among the people, the blushing umbrella has gained its popularity as a mushroom "chicken coop". This is due to the unusual shape of the young fruiting body. According to the descriptions and photos, the mushroom umbrella reddening only slightly rising from the ground is very similar to an egg with a cracked shell. In addition, according to many gourmets, the taste of this mushroom strongly resembles chicken meat.
The name "red umbrella mushroom" says a lot. With its appearance, it repeats the outline of an umbrella, which opens in rainy weather, gently and carefully envelops its leg, protecting it from bad weather.
The difference between the blushing umbrella:
- The diameter of the cap is on average from 10 to 20 cm, the surface is scaly, the color is gray, smoothly turning into beige, the color darkens towards the center and becomes brown-brown.
- The structure of the pulp is loose. The cap is delicate, the stem is fibrous. The pulp initially has a white color, when damaged it turns red, has no pronounced odor.
- The inner side has white or slightly cream colored plates.
- Another distinctive feature of chicken coops mushrooms is the so-called leg rings, somewhat reminiscent of the skin of a snake.
- Spores are white, oval, smooth.
- The length of the leg is from 10 to 30 cm, the thickness, in some specimens, reaches 5 cm. The color is beige or slightly brownish. There is a thickening at the base.
The diameter of the cap can be up to twenty centimeters
Chicken coop mushroom - edible or not
The shaggy (reddening) umbrella mushroom attracts with its exotic appearance and is considered one of the most delicious mushrooms, belongs to the conditionally edible group. The appearance is also not inferior to the taste characteristics.Despite the small popularity among mushroom pickers (due to the similarity with dangerous relatives), the chicken coop takes pride of place in the kitchens of many housewives. Basically, they prepare only the blushing umbrella hats. The legs are harsh, I rarely use them in cooking.
But still, along with the positive qualities and reviews, the umbrella mushroom also poses a certain threat to people with sensitive digestive tract. Trace elements that make up the pulp can cause digestive upset when eaten raw or undercooked.
The blushing umbrella is considered edible.
False doubles of the blushing umbrella
The main reason for such a small popularity of the blushing umbrella is believed to be its resemblance to very dangerous and poisonous mushrooms. The main ones are: comb umbrella, chestnut lepiota, Morgan's umbrella.
Lepiota chestnut
Most often, the blushing umbrella mushroom (Macrolepiotarhacodes) is confused with poisonous fly agarics and toadstools. Even experienced mushroom pickers are mistaken.
The first step is to pay attention to:
- the shape and thickness of the leg;
- shade and pattern on the hat;
- coloring of the inner surface of the cap;
- texture and relief on the leg.
Also, not the last place in the list of dangerous doubles is occupied by the so-called false umbrellas. The species belong to the same family and it is often difficult to distinguish a poisonous specimen from an edible relative.
One of the most dangerous on this list is the comb umbrella. In young specimens, the cap is shaped like a small bell; as it grows, it becomes like a dome with a diameter of 12 to 15 cm. Its surface is reddish-brown or dark brown, covered with orange or pale yellow pointed scales. Cylinder-shaped leg, low, thin. In young mushrooms, a wide membranous ring is clearly visible, it is white or pink, but as it ripens, it quickly disappears. Unlike its edible counterpart, it has an unpleasant odor.
Comb umbrella
Morgan's Umbrella
Against the background of all this wealth of species and classes, the main thing is not to get confused and not get confused at the right moment, to identify "our own among strangers."
Rules for collecting a chicken coop
The season for collecting blushing umbrellas does not differ from others, since it coincides with the fruiting of most species and classes of mushroom families. In forests, this mushroom appears at the end of summer and is most often found in September. This is considered to be the first wave of collection.
The second wave of fruiting is the month of October. An edible chicken coop, even at the time of harvest, has a typical light aroma. Experienced mushroom pickers know that you can find mushroom glades not only in the forest, but also in glades, in plantings, in the open spaces of pastures.
Redness at the cut site is a characteristic feature of the blushing umbrella, which helps the mushroom picker not to confuse it with other relatives of this species directly during harvesting.
How to cook mushroom chicken coops
Mother nature gives a huge amount of blessings, demanding in return only a careful attitude. Each region is rich in different types of dishes, which, in the skillful hands of the hostesses, turn into exquisite dishes, individual culinary masterpieces. Mushrooms have always occupied an important place at the festive table. And not in vain, because for all their availability and popularity, they contain many vitamins of groups A and B, trace elements and useful properties that have a beneficial effect on the body.
You can cook chicken coops mushrooms in various ways.
There are several general preparation rules that apply to blushing umbrellas:
- clean from forest dirt;
- rinse under running water;
- dry, salt, boil.
Well, then a flight of imagination - fried, boiled, stewed, pickled, in batter, with and without sauce. There are many recipes for cooking chicken coops mushrooms. At the same time, each hostess strives to add her own flavor to the dish.
There are many recipes for making mushrooms
Conclusion
The blushing umbrella mushroom is a fairly easy catch. After all, it grows in large groups. And although many know about its edibility, the similarity with poisonous species alarms even experienced mushroom pickers.
