What does the violin mushroom look like and what is its description (+21 photos)

It's popularly known as the "skripun" (fiddlehead mushroom) due to the distinctive sound its fruiting bodies make when they touch each other or foreign objects. This characteristic and its pungent juice can be easily identified by experienced mushroom pickers, but a completely inexperienced beginner would be better off studying both a photo of the mushroom and its detailed characteristics.

Characteristic features of the squeaker

This species is widespread in Russia and is popular with seasoned hunters. It is quite large and is distinguished by the presence of a milky sap in its flesh.

Appearance, photo and description

The scaly-sided mushroom has a wide, light-colored cap that is dense and fleshy. Adult scaly-sided mushrooms are short and covered in characteristic down. The flesh oozes fluid when broken or pressed. A photo of a scaly-sided mushroom in its natural habitat and a detailed description will give a complete picture of its appearance.

Felt milk cap, milkweed, squeak, and podsukhar are other names for this mushroom. It belongs to the genus Lactaceae, family Russulaceae.

The structural features are:

1. The cap is 8-26 cm, convex in young specimens, becoming funnel-shaped as the mushroom matures. Its edges become wavy. The cap is white when young and turns yellow or even reddish with age. The surface is covered with fine hairs, and its texture is dense and fleshy. The surface is dry, without a slimy layer.
2. The spurge stem is small, up to 8 cm in height and up to 5 cm in diameter, dense and hairy. It tapers toward the base.

   

   

   

   

   

3. The flesh of the squeaky mushroom is very dense but brittle, white in color. It has a pleasant aroma and releases a milky juice when pressed. When broken, the flesh takes on a yellow tint, and the juice turns reddish.
4. The leaves are small, narrow, and white, cascading down the stem. They may have a green or yellow tint.

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The felt milk cap has a typical rough surface, which is why it received such a synonymous name.

Place of distribution and collection rules

The squeaker's habitat extends from Western Europe to the Far East. Many mycologists consider it inedible, and for this reason, it is not popular in European countries.

Because this species often forms mycorrhiza with aspen and birch trees, it is also known as the aspen creaker. It prefers sunny clearings and well-lit areas with moss, lichen, and fallen leaves. It can also be found in mixed forests, and much less frequently in pine forests.

Milk mushrooms can be found in deciduous forests in the central part of the country, growing in small clumps. A single family typically contains milk mushrooms of different ages. Forest edges and sunlit clearings are ideal habitats for felt milk mushrooms. The fruiting bodies are hidden in moss and lichen.

Collecting a whole basket of these mushrooms is quite difficult, as they don't grow in large quantities, but they are worth looking for at the base of trees between July and October. In dry weather, the caps are clean and neat, requiring little care when harvesting.

Consumption

Since milkweed is classified as a fourth-category conditionally edible mushroom, it can only be consumed after pickling. Because of the caustic juice inside the pulp, it is unsuitable for cooking without first being processed.

Useful properties and restrictions for the use of violin

Although many mushroom pickers consider the violin mushroom to be a mediocre representative of its species, it contains a whole range of substances beneficial to humans:

• minerals: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, zinc, manganese, selenium, copper;
• vitamins: B12, B6, C, E, D, as well as thiamine, riboflavin, choline and nicotinic acid;
• proteins;
• carbohydrates;
• fats in small quantities.

This mushroom should not be consumed by children, pregnant women, or breastfeeding mothers, as well as those with an individual intolerance or allergy to its components. It should also not be consumed by people with kidney, liver, or gastrointestinal diseases, or gout.

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Recipes and cooking features of the mushroom

It's important to follow the proper procedures for processing milk mushrooms before using them in your culinary creations. The bitter juices from the pulp will ruin any dish if not removed beforehand. The steps for making this mushroom edible are as follows:

1. Clear the squeakers from forest debris and leaves.
2. Rinse the cleaned mushrooms under running water.
3. Place them in a container and cover with raw water. Drain and replace the water 3-4 times a day. The soaking period should be 5 days. You can shorten it to 3 days by pouring boiling water over the felt mushrooms.
4. After the required period of time has passed, drain all the liquid and wait until the milk mushrooms dry out.

Thanks to this processing method, the skripun completely loses its bitter taste and any dish can be prepared using it.

Mushrooms can be pickled. To do this, place the mushrooms in layers in any container, sprinkling each layer with salt. Press down with a weight and store in a cool place. The pickling process should last 30-60 days for the mushrooms to be fit for consumption.

Potatoes with mushrooms in sour cream

Ingredients:

• potatoes – 800 g;
• skripukhi - 500 g;
• sour cream – 300 ml;
• vegetable oil – 30 ml;
• garlic – 3-4 cloves;
• greens – to taste;
• salt, pepper – to taste.

Preparation:

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into slices.
2. Fry in a frying pan with vegetable oil until half-cooked. Add salt and pepper.
3. Chop the mushrooms and fry until soft, add salt.
4. Mix sour cream and garlic passed through a press.
5. Add the sauce and milk mushrooms to the potatoes and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
6. Wash and chop the greens.
7. Place the resulting mixture on a baking sheet and sprinkle with herbs on top.
8. Bake for 25 minutes at 200⁰. Serve hot.

Pilaf with skripuns

Ingredients:

• mushrooms – 300 g;
• rice – 200 g;
• onion – 1 pc;
• carrots – 1 pc;
• seasonings and spices;
• vegetable oil – 3-4 tablespoons.

Preparation:

1. Soak rice in water for 20-30 minutes, drain the water.
2. Cut the mushrooms into pieces.
3. Heat oil in a cauldron and fry the skripuni.
4. Peel the onion and carrot, dice the onion and grate the carrot.
5. Add to the mushrooms and sauté, adding half a glass of water.
6. Place the rice and seasonings on top, pour in two glasses of water.
7. Simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes until the dish reaches a crumbly consistency.

Pickled molochaki can be used to bring to life any culinary recipe, they will add variety to your table.

Answers to frequently asked questions

The skripun isn't one of the best representatives of its kingdom, but it can still be used as a decent option in dishes. The flesh of the cooked mushroom is very similar in taste to the milk mushroom. An important factor is the absence of poisonous lookalikes of this species, allowing for peace of mind when harvesting.

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