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Milk mushrooms have been collected in forests since the times of Kievan Rus. In the same period of time, they got their name due to the peculiarities of growth. A photo and description of a black mushroom indicate that it grows in a bunch. The mushroom is prized for its taste and ease of collection. If a glade is found, then a whole basket can be filled on it.
Black milk mushroom: photo and description
An experienced mushroom picker knows all the edible and poisonous mushrooms in their region. And beginners will need time to correctly recognize which mycelium he has come across. This is a conditionally edible mushroom belonging to the genus Millechnik and the russula family. Also received the names "Chernushka", "Gypsy".
What a black lump looks like: photo and description
It grows straight and in small groups. The appearance is well shown by a photo of a black mushroom. He is identified by:
- Hat... Regular rounded in diameter from 7 to 15, less often 20 cm. Funnel-shaped with edges slightly curved inward and straightening in old mushrooms. It is dark olive or dark yellow in color. Colored unevenly. In the center of the funnel it is always a couple of shades darker. Concentric color transition circles may be visible. At high humidity, it becomes slimy and sticky, smooth.
- Leg... The height is from 3 to 8 cm, and the thickness is 1.5-3 cm. Slightly tapers downwards. Uniform whitish color. With age, a cavity appears inside.
- Plates... The inner part of the cap is occupied by thin white fork-type plates. They fit snugly against the leg.
- Pulp... On the cut, it turns gray quickly enough. When fresh, it is white, dense, but crumbles easily. In old mushrooms, it can be eaten by worms. Contains white juice with a pungent taste.
Varieties of black milk mushrooms
There are several similar species in the forests:
- Present - a very tasty mushroom with a fleshy white cap. At the edges of the fringe, the cap may have a yellowish tint or red spots. It grows near birches and lindens in deciduous forests.
- Aspen - edible milk mushroom, settling near aspens, poplars. He has a white hat and leg, and the plates are pinkish. Very rare.
- Yellow - tasty, is a double of a real milk mushroom. It is distinguished by small dots on the caps and a bright golden color. Selects coniferous and fir forests for growth.
- Oak - an edible mushroom with yellowish caps on a white straight leg. They grow in thickets of hazel and oak forests.
- Dry or underload white - a fragrant russula with a cream-white hat and brown stains.Found in mixed forests, birch and oak groves.
Mushrooms that look like black milk mushrooms
The Millennium family includes several types of mushrooms, all of them differ in color, so it is very difficult to confuse them with each other. The most similar to him is the black one. But it's not that dark. It is important to distinguish a black milk mushroom from a lactarius or other double, or a false mushroom, so as not to collect excess and not put health at risk.
The following similar mushrooms can be found in the forest:
- Pepper - looks like a lump and grows in the same forests, but has a white cap. White juice has a pronounced peppery flavor. It is used only in salted form and after prolonged soaking. Dried it is used as a seasoning.
- Camphor - grows in conifers among moss. Has a small reddish-brown cap up to 5-6 cm. The stem and plates are pinkish. If you break it, a strong smell of sweet clover or camphor will appear.
- Violinist - chose birch groves and oak groves. Hat up to 25 cm in diameter, white. The leg is short, almost completely hidden in the ground. Distinguished by hairiness on the cap. Can be eaten after prolonged soaking.
- Golden miller - has a yellow-red hat, found in mixed and coniferous forests. The pulp is creamy. After soaking, they are consumed only as pickles or in a marinade.
How to distinguish black milk from other mushrooms
Mushroom pickers notice that poisonous mushrooms eventually mimic their edible counterparts. Poisoning is becoming more frequent, so it is very important to be able to recognize a poisonous mushroom. Most often, mushroom pickers try to distinguish between a black mushroom or a pig, a false brother.
There are three ways to identify an edible mushroom:
- They only grow straight.
- The plates are evenly attached to the leg.
- Plates are only light in color.
The most difficult thing is to distinguish it from its poisonous counterparts. Dangerous mushrooms look like this:
- Piggy, recognized as dangerous due to the tendency to accumulate toxic substances in large quantities, often grows near myceliums in a mushroom. It is distinguished by its larger cap diameter up to 20 cm. In shape, it is flatter and convex with a curved edge. The color is predominantly yellow-brown with a rare deviation to olive tone. The leg narrows slightly and is shifted to the side, up to 9 cm in length. The flesh has a brown tint. The plates run down the leg and turn brown when touched.
- False black lump the photo will help you see the differences. The diameter of the cap is up to 12 cm, it is fleshy and dense, it may have a small tubercle. As the mushroom grows, its cap is exposed. The color is reddish or dirty pink. The plates are beige with a pink or orange tint. The leg becomes hollow as it grows. The pulp is yellow with a red tint.
Where black milk mushrooms grow
The mycelium lives in symbiosis with the roots of birches and other higher plants. They prefer to grow in birch groves, spruce forests and mixed forests. It is not easy to find black milk mushrooms from the photo in the forest. They settle in large groups on a bed of grass or moss. They are found near old forest roads, in clearings, mountain slopes. Choose well-lit places.
They blend well with the environment. They can be covered from above with fallen leaves, earth and grass.
Black Milk Harvest Season
The first mushrooms are picked in July. And the last ones - in mid-October, when there will be first frosts. They grow most massively in the period from August to September.
Collect black milk after light rains. At other times, old wormy mushrooms can be found. After heavy rain, it is also not recommended to collect them, as they are less tasty. They put them in a basket, carefully cutting off so as not to damage the mycelium. Do not ram, as they are brittle and fragile.
Edible black lump or not
Research by scientists has determined that there is non-catorin in the composition - this is a toxic mutagen. Its concentration in the raw product is up to 20 mg / kg. Heat treatment destroys the substance by 75%.For this reason, there is a question: is the black lump edible. Some sources claim that it should not be eaten.
There are no signs of poisoning. It is believed that non-catorin accumulates in the body and can last for a long time. However, there are studies that did not confirm the mutagenicity of non-catorin and did not recognize this substance as harmful.
Black milk: benefit and harm
Regular consumption of mushrooms is good for the body. According to observations and studies, the beneficial properties of black milk mushroom are as follows:
- Anti-inflammatory effect. It is present in a salty product as a result of fermentation processes. In the treatment of purulent inflammations, it is consumed 3 times a week.
- Treatment and prevention of liver diseases, including kidney stone disease.
- A source of nutrients for recovery from illness.
- When exhausted, it quickly replenishes the body's energy reserves.
- Calming effect on the nervous system due to the high vitamin B content. It is eaten as a medicine for depression, prevention of nervous breakdowns, mood swings.
- Improved skin and hair condition with vitamin D.
- The benefit of black milk mushrooms is that it is a source of protein; there is more of it in a dried product than in meat.
- The amount of calcium is about the same as in prunes and raisins.
- Inhibits the spread of tubercle bacillus.
- Psilocin is used to treat alcoholism and memory loss.
- Salted milk mushrooms stimulate the cleaning of blood vessels, have an anti-sclerotic effect.
- Prevention of diabetes mellitus and help in the fight against excess weight.
The harm from black milk mushroom lies in poisoning. It can be caused by:
- The use of nigella in very large quantities.
- Errors in cooking, ingestion of microorganisms in conservation.
- Diseases of the stomach. Since mushrooms are heavy food, it should not burden a sick stomach and intestines.
- Collecting mushrooms in ecologically dirty places. The lump, like a sponge, absorbs and accumulates radioactive elements, heavy metals and other chemical compounds. Mushrooms harvested during the dry season are especially dangerous.
It is worth trying this dish carefully for people with allergies.
Is it possible to eat black milk
Nigella is classified as conditionally edible due to the presence of caustic juice, which comes out of the pulp by prolonged soaking. The benefits of black mushrooms are due to their composition. They contain a lot of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins C, D, PP, B1 and B2, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and sodium.
Which milk mushrooms are tastier: black or white
The white lump differs in the white color of the cap from the black. This mushroom belongs to the first category - edible. They differ in taste:
- white is sharper and more tart, and black is watery;
- when salted, black gives more juice, and brine is added to white;
- black requires more spices;
- white is more difficult to peel and cook.
To decide which mushroom tastes better, you need to try. Those who know how to properly cook milk mushrooms eat both.
How to handle black milk mushrooms
Despite the fact that milk mushrooms are very tasty, they require careful processing and preparation before eating. If you skip the preparatory measures, eating the mushroom will be tasteless.
How to clean black milk mushrooms
Due to the fragility, they are cleaned carefully. Freshly picked black milk mushrooms are washed under water, thoroughly washing off adhering grass, earth, sand from the caps. These inclusions will ruin any dish. A large mushroom can be cut into several pieces. They sort out mushrooms for rot and worms. Such a product is discarded.
How much to soak black milk mushrooms
They refer the black milk mushroom to the milkmen. It contains a bitter and unpleasant juice. You can remove it from the mushroom by soaking. Ideally, they should be soaked for 3 days before cooking. The harvested crop is washed under running water, then left in cold water. It is changed regularly, about 3 times a day. This way harmful substances are removed faster. After the procedure, the water is allowed to drain and the mushrooms are dried.Before frying, the soaking time can be reduced to 2 days.
How much to cook black milk mushrooms
Boil the product before frying. Usually only hats are used in the recipe. After washing and soaking, it is enough to cook the black lump for 5 minutes after boiling, changing the water twice. After the water has drained and the mushrooms have cooled down, the black milk can be eaten or cooked in any other way.
What to cook from black milk mushrooms
The mushroom has a high taste. With him, cooks offer many recipes, but pickling remains the main one. Heat treatment allows you to eat black milk mushrooms without fear of poisoning.
In addition to the marinade, they, like all lamellar mushrooms, are suitable for hot or cold pickling, canning, and preparation of second courses. Freshly picked milk mushrooms are fried and eaten immediately. You can cook soup. Lack of appearance in the long soaking process, which stretches the cooking process for at least 2 days.
Conclusion
Photos and descriptions of black milk mushrooms indicate that this is a delicious mushroom, well suited for pickles and salting. It always grows together, but hides well. It is enough to find one clearing to completely fill the basket. It is difficult to confuse it with other mushrooms and milk mushrooms due to the dark color of the cap. Requires mandatory soaking to get rid of bitterness.
