Content
The tender milk mushroom belongs to the Syroezhkov family, the Mlechnik family. The name of this species has a number of names: stunted lactarius, stunted milk mushroom, lactifluus tabidus and lactarius theiogalus.
Where the tender breast grows
Most often, this species is found in the temperate climatic zone. Grows in mixed and deciduous forests, prefers moist and mossy places. The optimal time for development is the period from July to September; under favorable conditions, tender milk mushrooms can be found in October.
What does a stunted milky mushroom look like?
Most often, this species is found in humid and mossy places.
The fruiting body consists of a cap and a stem with the following characteristics:
- Initially, the cap of the stunted lactarius (lactarius tabidus) is convex, with age it acquires a prostrate-deepened shape with a tubercle located in the center. The size varies from 3 to 5 cm in diameter. The surface is smooth to the touch, dry, painted in reddish or ocher-brick shades.
- The plates are rare, descending to the pedicle. Their color coincides with the hat, sometimes it can be a little lighter.
- Creamy spore powder, ovoid particles with an ornamented surface.
- The leg is cylindrical, widened at the base. It reaches a height of 5 cm, and its thickness is no more than 0.8 cm in diameter. Loose in consistency, old mushrooms have cavities inside. The color is close to the color of the cap.
- The pulp of the tender mushroom has a slightly pungent taste. The milky juice that comes out of it is not too abundant. Initially painted white, after a while it acquires a yellowish tone.
Is it possible to eat tender milk
This species is classified as conditionally edible mushrooms. Due to the tangy taste and long processing time, it is not so often used in cooking. However, once soaked, they are believed to be good when salted.
False doubles
The mushroom has a bitter taste that can be eliminated by soaking
The tender milk mushroom is similar in appearance to the following gifts of the forest:
- Rubella... Also known as sweet milk. You can recognize it by its reddish-red hat with the edges bent inward. The pulp of the twin secretes abundant whitish milky juice, which remains unchanged under the influence of atmospheric air.
- Bitter - conditionally edible mushroom of the 4th food category. The shape and size of the cap is similar to a tender mushroom. However, the color of the fruit body of the twin is red-brown with lighter edges, which is a distinctive feature. In addition, the milky juice of this species is white, which does not change its color. Prefers to grow on acidic soils, settles under coniferous or deciduous trees.
Collection rules and use
Going in search of the gifts of the forest, a mushroom picker should know the following rules:
- It is advisable to collect tender milk mushrooms in dry weather, since during heavy rains they can deteriorate faster.
- It is not recommended to cut specimens with a knife, as there is a possibility of damaging the mycelium.It is better to remove them from the ground by twisting or rocking.
- Store in a well-ventilated container.
Tender milk mushrooms are best suited for pickling. Before cooking, it is necessary to process the gifts of the forest. To do this, the fruits are cleaned of debris, only the caps are left and soaked for 24 hours. The present water should be changed at least 2 times during the entire time. For hot salting, the mushrooms must be boiled for about 10 minutes.
Conclusion
The tender milk mushroom, like most milkmen, belongs to conditionally edible mushrooms, it is edible only after preliminary processing. In Europe, this specimen is not valued and is considered weakly poisonous. However, in Russia it is often used for culinary purposes, traditionally in the country it is considered "salted".
