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In the forests you can find quite a lot of lactic mushrooms. Their main difference is the secretion of milky juice when the tissues of the fruiting body are damaged. Gladysh also belongs to this variety, and its preparation requires pre-soaking. Due to the presence of milky juice, such mushrooms are often classified as conditionally edible.
What does a smooth mushroom look like?
According to the photo and description, smoothie is a large mushroom with a classic fruiting body shape. The diameter of its upper part can reach 7-15 cm. In young specimens, the cap is hemispherical, and its edges are turned down. It is convex in the center. As it matures, the upper part of the mushroom opens and takes on a funnel-shaped shape. With slight physical impact it easily breaks and crumbles.
The color of the cap includes bluish, lead and lilac shades. Young mushrooms most often have a light lilac cap, and then it becomes pink-brown or yellowish-lilac. The surface is smooth, but with high air humidity it becomes slippery.
The pulp is fleshy, dense, yellowish in color; when it is broken, a milky juice appears, which is white in the smoothie, but turns a little green when exposed to air.
The mushroom smell of the smoothie is practically undetectable
On the reverse side of the cap there are frequent descending plates of a light cream color. In ripe smoothies, yellowish stains or stains from leaking milky juice may appear on them. The spores are round, spiny, colorless. Their size is 8-11 x 7-9 microns. Creamy spore powder.
The leg of the smoothie is cylindrical, its length can reach from 5 to 15 cm, depending on the growing conditions. The thickness varies from 1 to 3 cm. The color is identical to the cap, but a shade lighter. At a young age, the mushroom forms a small cavity inside the stem, which only increases as it grows.
Important! Gladysh is not affected by worms, so its flesh always remains clean, regardless of age.
Description
Gladysh, or common milkweed (Lactarius trivialis) belongs to the genus Mlechnik, family Russula. There are also other names: alder, gladukha or gladushka, etc. Common milkweed is conditionally edible. Russian mycologists classified it in this section due to the need for additional processing and some limitations in preparation.
The cap is large, from 6 to 20 cm in diameter, fleshy, smooth and slippery. The shape of the cap is hemispherical, tucked at the edges and depressed in the center. Over time, it opens up to a funnel-shaped shape. Color, depending on conditions or age, can vary from violet-lilac to pinkish-brown or yellowish-lilac; There are bluish, lilac, lead shades.
Plate-type mushroom. The plates are frequent, whitish, darken over time, becoming pale cream; when pressed, they change color to gray-green from the milky juice. Descend onto the leg.
The leg is smooth, cylindrical, and becomes hollow with age. Painted to match the hat.
The pulp is white or creamy, dense, fragile. When damaged, a caustic white milky juice is released, which quickly turns yellow in the air. The smell is not pungent, the taste is pungent.
Is smooth mushroom edible or not?
According to official data, the common milkweed is classified as an edible species. But due to its peculiarity of secreting milky juice, it requires preliminary preparation before cooking. In terms of taste, it belongs to the second category.
Gladysh mushroom is considered the best for pickling, since during the cooking process it loses its bitterness and acquires a pleasant elasticity.
Important! The common milkweed should not be consumed raw, since its juice, which it secretes, disrupts the functioning of the digestive organs. This is manifested by vomiting, abdominal pain and a feeling of heaviness.
Role in medicine
Some species of lacticifers are used to make various preparations. For example, from Lactarius sanguifluus
An antibiotic, lactarioviolin, was isolated and used in the treatment of tuberculosis.
But gladysh has not yet found widespread use in folk and traditional medicine. Perhaps, due to its high content of vitamins and minerals, it will someday attract more attention from scientists.
False doubles of Gladysh vulgare
As can be seen in the photo, it is difficult to confuse the common milkweed with other species due to the peculiar color of the fruiting body. But not all novice mushroom pickers are able to accurately distinguish smooth mushrooms from their doubles. Therefore, similar species and their characteristics should be studied.
Faded milkman
This is a close relative of the common smoothie and also belongs to the Russula family. The upper part is gray-brown or wine-brown. Moreover, its center is much darker. The leg is slightly lighter, tapering at the base. The size of the fruiting body is smaller than that of the smooth one. The diameter of the cap is 4-10 cm, and the length of the stem is 4-8 cm. When the pulp is broken, milky juice oozes abundantly. It is white in color, but acquires an olive tint when exposed to air. The mushroom is considered conditionally edible and requires pre-soaking. The official name is Lactarius vietus.
The taste of the pale milky pulp is hot-sharp
Serushka
This species also belongs to the Russula family and is considered conditionally edible. You can often hear other names for the fungus: gray hollow, seryanka, putik, podoreshnitsa, plantain. The diameter of the upper part reaches from 5 to 10 cm. Its shape is initially convex and then becomes funnel-shaped, but a small elevation remains in the center. The edges are uneven and wavy. The surface has a grayish-lead tint, the mucus is an order of magnitude less than that of smoothie. On the reverse side of the cap you can see sparse wide plates, often sinuous. The leg is cylindrical, matching the top part. Its structure is loose. The official name is Lactarius flexuosus.
When broken, the pulp of the serushka exudes a light fruity aroma.
Breast gray-pink
Another representative of the Russula family. In foreign sources it is listed as a mildly poisonous mushroom, in Russian sources it is conditionally edible, but of little value. The fruiting body is large. The size of the cap reaches 8-15 cm in diameter. It is characterized by an irregularly rounded shape. Initially hemispherical, and later it becomes like a funnel, but in some specimens the elevation in the center remains. The color is dull and includes pink, gray, brown and brown. The surface is velvety, it remains dry even with high humidity. When broken, the pulp emits a strong spicy odor and has a pungent-burning taste. The leg is thick, 5-8 cm high. The official name is Lactarius helvus.
The milky juice of gray-pink milk mushrooms is transparent and scanty; in overripe species it may be completely absent
Benefits and contraindications
Gladyshi are delicious pickled mushrooms, rich in microelements. By adding them to your menu, you will replenish your diet with phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and iodine.
But at the same time, smoothie is a conditionally edible mushroom, so you need to process and prepare it very carefully: be sure to pre-soak the mushrooms, then blanch them, and only then salt them in enamel, wooden or glass containers.
You should not eat mushrooms in large quantities, especially for those who suffer from diseases of the stomach, liver, etc., since their fiber is difficult to digest. And there is absolutely no need to give mushrooms to children under 14 years of age, so as not to cause gastrointestinal irritation and digestive disorders.
Important! Do not use plastic or polyethylene containers for pickling - brine destroys these materials, and some toxic substances can get into the food.
Rules for collecting common lacticaria mushrooms
The fruiting period of the smoothie occurs in the second half of July and lasts until the beginning of September. At this time, you need to go into the forest in search of him, taking with you a sharp knife and a basket.
Advice! This species forms mycorrhiza with pine, alder, spruce and birch, so you need to look for it near these trees.
Gladysha mushrooms for pickling should be collected small, since young specimens have denser flesh. Cut them off at the base, leaving a small stump in the soil. This method ensures that the mycelium remains intact and will be able to bear fruit next year. Before putting the mushroom in the basket, it must be thoroughly cleaned of soil and fallen leaves.
Advice! The smoothie mushroom should be placed in a basket with the cap down so as not to break it during further collection.
Where does it grow
Gladysh can be found in deciduous and mixed forests. It often grows under spruce, pine, and birch. Rarely found where there is little sunlight. The growing season begins in August. The mushroom is collected until October.
This species is demanding on soil moisture. Therefore, the fungus chooses places where the ground is covered with dense moss. It is found in swamps, fields, and among the grass in forest clearings. The smoothie loves alder thickets, which is why it is called alder. It prefers sandy loam, clay soils that are rich in lime.
Smoothie grows in groups. Its mycelium extends for several meters. Having found one instance, you should look around. Surely, you can collect a whole basket of milkweeds. Gladyshas are rarely affected by pests, which is good news.
How to cook smoothy mushroom
The common lacticaria mushroom for pickling should be used only after initial processing. This is necessary to neutralize the acrid taste of the pulp.
Initially, the laticifers need to be cleared of remnants of forest litter and soil. If necessary, remove all damaged areas and wash thoroughly. After this, the smoothie mushroom must be soaked in water for 24 hours, and the liquid must be changed at least five times during this period.
After completing this procedure, you can begin further cooking.
Interesting Facts
In most European countries, milkweeds are considered inedible and even poisonous, all because of the bitter juice. They give preference to those mushrooms whose processing takes minimal time.
In Ancient Rus', gladysha mushrooms were the main dish during Lent.
The special taste of the milky juice allows the mushrooms to remain intact, because most insects and slugs do not feed on them, which means there is every chance of collecting a rich harvest of intact and beautiful mushrooms.
Common milkweed is one of the most delicious and easily distinguishable mushrooms in the forest. It is found quite often, and grows in large groups, so the lover of quiet hunting who finds it will be very lucky. You should not eat large quantities of mushrooms at once or consume them raw; the juice can cause undesirable consequences.
Gladysh mushroom recipes
The method of salting the common milkweed can be hot or cold. But any processing must be carried out after preliminary soaking.
Smoothies are great for pickling, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be pickled
Hot salting
To salt 2 kg of smoothies using the hot method, you will need:
- vegetable oil – 150 ml;
- salt – 50 g;
- water – 1 l;
- garlic – 1 large head;
- bay leaf – 2-3 pcs.;
- currant leaves, dill - optional;
- allspice – 5 pcs.
Procedure:
- Boil water, add salt and add mushrooms.
- Add spices and then simmer over low heat for 50 minutes.
- Drain the liquid into a container.
- Place milkweed, garlic, and spices into steamed jars.
- Pour salt into the marinade, add oil, mix well.
- Fill the mushrooms with the resulting liquid to the top.
- Place garlic on top and roll up.
After cooling, move the jars to the basement.
Lacteals prepared in this way can be stored for one season.
Conventional salting method
To pickle mushrooms (2 kg) in the classic way you will need:
- salt – 70 g;
- cloves – 6 pcs.;
- bay leaf – 3 pcs.;
- allspice – 8 peas;
- garlic – 6 cloves.
Procedure:
- Pour salt into the bottom of a wide enamel container in an even layer.
- Place the mushrooms on top, top down.
- Sprinkle chopped garlic and spices on them.
- Then repeat from the first step until all the mushrooms are layered.
- Sprinkle salt on top.
- Cover with multi-layer gauze and place the load.
- Place the pan with mushrooms in a cool place.
With this method of preparation, the common milkweed can be consumed within a month. And after two days, the mushrooms should be completely immersed in liquid.
During the entire waiting period, the gauze must be rinsed periodically.
Marinated smoothies
To marinate 2 kg of smooth mushrooms, you will need:
- water – 1.5 l;
- salt – 70 g;
- vinegar – 100 ml;
- sugar – 20 g;
- allspice – 5 peas;
- bay leaf – 2 pcs.
Preparation procedure:
- Boil water (1 l), adding 20 g of salt.
- Add milkweed, boil for 40 minutes.
- When finished, rinse with cold water.
- Pour 0.5 liters of water into a separate container, add the remaining ingredients, and boil.
- Add mushrooms to the marinade and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Place milkweed into sterilized jars and fill to the top.
- Sterilize for 20 minutes, roll up.
After cooling, transfer the pickled smoothies to the basement.
Marinated smoothies are no less tasty than salted ones
Botanical characteristics
The cap of the smoothie mushroom grows up to 8-15 cm in diameter. It is thick-fleshy in structure. The shape of the cap in young specimens is hemispherical or convex; as the mushroom matures, it becomes depressed and flattened, with a depression in its central part. The cap edges are curved towards the mushroom stem. Concentric circles on the surface can be seen only in very young mushrooms, and then they will be extremely weakly expressed. The surface is mucous, and in humid weather its amount increases. The shape may not be correct. The color is different: from lilac with purple to brown. Overripe mushrooms change color to yellowish with a lilac tint or brown with pink.
The scientific name of the mushroom is common lacticaria. People call it blue milk mushroom, smooth milk mushroom, pig milk mushroom, alder milk mushroom and yellow hollow milk mushroom.
The length of the mushroom stem is 5-10 cm, in some cases up to 15 cm. The shape is even, smooth, in the form of a regular cylinder, less often - swollen at the base. Mature mushrooms are empty (hollow) inside. The color of the mushroom stem is similar to the color of the cap, sometimes it has a yellow tint.
The mushroom cap has an irregular shape, its surface is covered with mucus.
The hymenophore plates descend onto the mushroom stalk. The color is initially closer to white, then acquires a fawn tint. When subjected to mechanical action, it turns gray-green as a result of the action of the secreted milky juice.
Smoothies are classic representatives of the genus Mlechnik of the class Basidiomycetes. They produce a creamy spore powder in basidia.
The mushroom pulp of young mushrooms is strong in structure, but loosens over time. White color. When pressed or broken, a burning white milky juice is released, which when dried becomes olive-brown. The milky juice has a pungent odor, similar to that of herring, as well as a bitter taste.
Danger to humans
Smoothie is safe for people if you do not touch it. Adults are rarely bitten by these bugs, as they do not attack large creatures. You can only be attacked by accidentally hitting it in the water. But children are bitten by the water bug more often, since they often want to catch the beautiful insect in their palms.
Find out more about the waterbug bite from our article - Waterbug bite: how to live after it?
It is impossible not to notice the attack of the smoothie, as it is accompanied by sharp pain. Soon the bitten area swells. As first aid, you can apply cold to the bitten area or burn it with brilliant green. There are no terrible consequences for a smoothie bite, and on average, after a week there will be no trace left of it. However, any person, especially those prone to allergies, can develop an individual allergic reaction, just like to a wasp or bee sting. If you have already been allergic to insect bites, it is advisable to take an antiallergic drug. If, after a bite, difficulty breathing, dizziness, loss of consciousness and other similar symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. However, it is worth noting that there is no data on deaths as a result of Gladysh attacks.
A sharp pain when bitten by a smoothie is felt not because of the bite itself, since the bug’s proboscis is very small, but because of the insect’s caustic saliva getting into the wound
Because of their painful bites, smoothies are also called “water wasps” or “water bees.”
If a water bug somehow gets into the aquarium, it must be removed immediately before the fish are harmed. Although some people even keep smoothies in separate aquariums, admiring their unique beauty.
Practical use
Gladushka belongs to the 4th, relatively low, gastronomic category, which includes conditionally edible mushrooms. However, smoothie is not inferior in taste to classic volushka and has health-promoting iodine, potassium, sodium and phosphorus in its chemical composition. Since it is a conditionally edible mushroom, it is permissible for food consumption only after prolonged soaking.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
Unlike Russian cuisine, where smoothies are subjected to long-term pre-treatment (soaking, repeated boiling with removal of the broth) and then used for food, in European cuisine the common lacticaria is classified as a poisonous mushroom and is prohibited for consumption.
However, lacticiferous proteins contain a number of amino acids valuable for the human body (for example, tyrosine, glutamine, leucine, arginine) that are easily digestible and there is no large energy expenditure for their breakdown. Fats include lecithin and fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, butyric) and acetic acid. As a percentage, the amount of fat is 0.1-0.9%. They contain phosphatides, essential oils and lipoids. The amount of carbohydrates reaches 16%. Although there is no starch in the fruiting bodies, there is glycogen, which in its structure resembles the same substance of animal origin. Mycoinulin and parodextrin present in the pulp are responsible for the fact that during long-term storage these mushrooms become covered with mucus; tregazolyte and lycosote provide taste and nutrition.
During the cooking process, the smoothie is initially blanched by placing it in boiling water for 5-7 minutes. As a result, the bitterness of the mushroom milky juice is neutralized, and the mushroom pulp acquires noticeable elasticity. Then the mushroom is placed in cold water and salted. Salted common milkweed acquires a bright yellow color and a slightly pungent taste.
Gladyshi MUSHROOM: GLADYSH How earrings grow and how to salt them.
Nutritional quality
To the question whether the smoothie mushroom is edible or not, you can easily give a positive answer. Moreover, in terms of nutritional value and taste, it is in no way inferior to pink trumpet. Despite this, it is quite rarely collected.
Gladysh requires additional processing - perhaps this is the secret of its unpopularity. It can only be eaten in salted form. Before salting, it must be soaked for several days, periodically changing the water. This will remove the bitterness. Then the product is blanched (boiled in boiling water for 7 minutes). Violation of these procedures is fraught with spoiled taste of the dish and possible eating disorders.
There is no consensus on how to properly salt smoothies. Both cold and hot methods are suitable. In both cases, the fruiting bodies of the common milkweed are fermented an order of magnitude faster than the same butter, acquiring a pleasant sour taste and a beautiful bright yellow color.
