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Pine boletus is a representative of the Boletovye family, the Obabok genus. Typically found in mixed and deciduous forests. Very similar to other relatives of this family. However, there are also distinctive features.
What pine boletuses look like
At the slightest touch, pine boletus is able to change its color
At a young age, the cap has a hemispherical shape; as it matures, it becomes flat-convex. The skin is velvety, dry, colored in brown tones. The diameter of the cap varies from 7 to 15 cm, however, under favorable conditions, its size can be larger.
The leg is cylindrical, thickened at the base, solid. In length it reaches up to 15 cm, and the thickness in diameter is up to 5 cm. It is painted white, at the base there may be a greenish tint. The pulp is dense, without a pronounced odor and taste. The hymenophore consists of a tubular layer, which is colored white at the initial stage of maturation, and at a later age acquires a grayish-cream tone. When pressed, turns red. The spore powder has a yellow-brown tint.
Where pine boletuses grow
A favorable time for the development of this species is the period from June to October. Pine boletus grows in a territory characterized by a temperate climate. Most often they live in coniferous and mixed forests, form mycorrhiza exclusively with pines.
Is it possible to eat pine boletus
Pine boletus is an edible mushroom. Suitable for any kind of processing, so they can be fried, boiled, frozen, salted, dried and pickled. In the process of cooking, it acquires a darker shade, which is characteristic of these mushrooms.
False doubles of pine boletus
Mushrooms tend to accumulate toxins, so experts do not recommend picking overripe fruits.
The considered specimen has external similarities with many species of boletus. The brightest twins are:
- Boletus yellow-brown - belongs to the edible category. The hat of this variety has more saturated orange tones, and forms mycorrhiza exclusively with birch. Another distinctive feature is that the mushroom becomes pink when cut, and after a while it turns blue or green.
The yellow-brown boletus is found in the same climatic zone as the pine
- Spruce boletus is an edible mushroom that forms mycorrhiza only with spruce trees. Unlike the species under consideration, the double on the cap has a slight roughness.
This specimen prefers to grow in pine or spruce forests next to berries or mosses
- Boletus is oak.The main differences are the more brown shades of the fruiting body and the stem with red scaly outgrowths.
Pine boletus is an edible mushroom that grows nearby oak trees
- Boletus is white. Most similar to the specimen in question in adulthood. At the stage of ripening, the cap is painted white, and after a while it acquires brown shades.
In adulthood, the hat of this species always turns from white to yellowish or brown.
- Red boletus is an edible specimen. You can distinguish it from pine by the crimson color of the cap.
As a rule, red boletus forms mycorrhiza with aspens, in some cases grows close to other deciduous trees
- The gall mushroom is the only inedible species among the twins. Distinctive features include a darker brown hat and a slightly curved stem.
The second name of this mushroom is gorchak, which it received because of its unpleasant bitter taste.
Collection rules
Going in search of pine boletuses, you should head for mixed and deciduous forests. Also, do not forget that this species forms mycorrhiza only with pines. Each piece should be carefully cut with a knife so as not to damage the mycelium. After harvesting, the primary processing should be carried out as soon as possible, since pine boletuses quickly deteriorate. You should not add rotten specimens to the general basket, since there is a high probability of poisoning with them. It is also not recommended to collect old gifts of the forest, because of the inherent unpleasant taste.
Use
There is a fairly wide variety of recipes for this ingredient. It was previously mentioned that pine boletuses are suitable for all types of processing. It is believed that they are especially good fried or boiled as a main course. However, before proceeding to cooking, it is necessary to carry out preliminary processing. For this, the gifts of the forest are washed, cleaned of twigs, leaves and other debris. Many experienced chefs recommend leaving them in salted water for an hour before cooking. And so that the mushrooms do not darken during the heat treatment, you can add a small amount of citric acid to the soaking solution. And when drying, on the contrary, experts do not recommend washing them, let alone soaking them, since otherwise the process will drag on for a long time.
Conclusion
Pine boletus is not only edible, but also a delicious mushroom that is used to prepare various dishes. Despite this, it should be remembered that it is quite dangerous to include this product in the diet for children, pregnant and lactating women, as well as people prone to allergies or suffering from chronic pathologies of the digestive system.
