Most mushroom lovers only encounter champignons in stores. But seasoned mushroom pickers know that there are many places where these delicacies grow naturally, giving them an even more intense flavor. Before a quiet hunt, a novice mushroom picker should familiarize themselves with photos and detailed descriptions of the champignon mushroom, as it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish an edible mushroom from its poisonous counterpart.
Characteristic features of the variety
The champignon belongs to the Agaricaceae family. The fruit is also known as the pecheritsa.
Appearance, description and photo
Nowadays, there's hardly a person who doesn't know what a champignon looks like—it's the most common mushroom sold in stores. However, it's important to understand that recognizing its wild cousin isn't so easy.
Depending on the species, the mushroom's surface can be brownish or white. Young specimens form small, smooth, hemispherical caps.
You may be interested in:As young mushrooms grow, their caps straighten and can take on a prostrate shape. A small, convex tubercle can often be seen in the center of the cap. The skin is smooth, velvety, and dry, often covered with small scales. All varieties are compact in size. For example, the cap diameter of a true button mushroom ranges from 8 to 15 cm.
A distinctive feature of this species is the presence of a wide ring on the stem, which is off-white or white. The common button mushroom has a cylindrical stem. It is smooth but widens toward the bottom. The stem diameter is 1-2 cm, and the color matches the cap or is a shade lighter.
The white flesh, when broken, takes on a reddish hue over time. It is meaty and has a pleasant aroma. Pay particular attention to the flesh color, as edible varieties have look-alikes.
The gills of a young mushroom are white, but as they mature, they first acquire a pinkish tint, then a light brown hue. The gills are sparse, thin, and not very long.
Distribution area of champignons
This fruit is most common in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of Eurasia. The most diverse species of this mushroom are found in open areas, meadows, and prairies of Africa and Australia. In Russia, they should be sought in moist soils rich in natural fertilizers and compost.
Mushrooms are abundant in the Volgograd region. The following areas are the most mushroom-rich:
- Olkhovsky;
- Rudnyansky;
- Zhirnovsky;
- Novoaninsky.
They can be collected as early as the end of June. They are found near spruce trees, in oak groves, pastures, and meadows.
You may be interested in:Consumption
This mushroom can be safely consumed even raw. It's the most common mushroom in Russia. Chefs have developed numerous ways to prepare it. Furthermore, it's safe for pregnant women and children.
It's highly prized by vegetarians and those looking to lose weight. The pulp is very low in calories, yet it contains a large amount of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Types and their descriptions with photos
Champignons grow in forests, fields, and meadows. Depending on this, experts distinguish several types of mushrooms, each with its own distinctive features.
Forest
The wild champignon is often known by another name, the blaguska (blagushka). The cap reaches 5-10 cm in diameter. It is brownish-pink in color, and the surface is covered with large brown scales. These scales give the mushroom a purple or lilac hue. If you press on the flesh, it first turns red, then brown. The flesh has a pleasant, mushroom-like taste and aroma. The light-colored flesh turns red where it's cut.
The stem is 5-10 cm long and about 1.5 cm thick. The fruit forms a cylindrical stem, which often becomes curved. Young specimens have a solid stem, while in more mature specimens it becomes hollow. The stem is whitish in color and covered with small scales. The pendulous ring is located closer to the cap.
You may be interested in:Meadow
Meadow champignons are often called "pecheritsa" or "common champignons." The cap grows up to 15 cm in diameter. Young mushrooms form a spherical cap, then a hemispherical one. When ripe, the cap becomes spread out and silky to the touch. The dry cap of older mushrooms is covered with small scales and takes on a brownish tint in the center.
The stem is 3-10 cm long. The cylindrical stem is solid and the same color as the cap. Its base is often brownish. A thin ring is located closer to the middle of the stem. This ring often disappears in mature fruiting bodies. The flesh is white, with a pink tint where cut.
Field
The field button mushroom is characterized by a silky white cap, ranging in diameter from 5 to 15 cm. For a long time, the cap remains closed and hemispherical. Mature fruits have a prostrate cap, which droops with age. The sturdy stem is quite thick and white. It develops a two-layered ring, the lower part of which is radially torn.
The curved gills are dirty white when young, but as the mushroom matures, they become brown and loose. The white flesh turns yellow when broken and smells of anise.
Rules and meeting places
It's best to twist the mushroom out of the soil rather than cut it. The cut may cause rot, which could destroy the entire mycelium.
Meadow champignons can be found in open areas with humus-rich soil. After rains, they are found near farms, in meadows, pastures, gardens, parks, and vegetable plots. Sometimes, they are found at forest edges, where they typically grow in clusters. Fruiting bodies sometimes form "fairy rings." The field champignon can be found in mountainous areas, near spruce trees and nettle thickets. The forest champignon most often forms mycorrhiza with spruce trees. It is also found near anthills.
Difference from other species
Inexperienced mushroom pickers are advised to go on a quiet hunt with a more experienced companion, as there are many dangerous lookalikes that are very similar in appearance to champignons.
False, inedible champignons
Inedible species are most often found in woodlands, but can also be found in gardens, parks, and meadows. In appearance, inedible fruits are very similar to champignons, but have distinctive characteristics. When pressed, the look-alikes immediately turn yellow, and the cut at the base turns bright yellow, gradually turning orange or brown. Edible ones have a pleasant aniseed scent, while their look-alikes have a "pharmaceutical" smell of iodine or carbolic acid.
The following species pose a great danger to human health:
- reddish (A. xanthoderma);
- yellow-skinned (A. xanthodermus);
- flat-capped (A. placomyces).
The most accurate way to determine if a mushroom is unsuitable is by heat treatment. When placed in boiling water, the mushrooms turn bright yellow for a few seconds, along with the water. When boiling, the unpleasant medicinal odor intensifies, but only for a few seconds. These fruiting bodies should not be consumed, as the toxic substances are not eliminated by boiling.
You may be interested in:Mushrooms similar to champignons with white gills
Besides its close relatives, this mushroom can be confused with other similar mushrooms. Young edible fruits are very similar to the death cap and light-colored fly agaric species.
These poisonous species with white gills inhabit coniferous and mixed forests, so they can be mistaken for the coppice mushroom. Their appearance is virtually identical to that of the poisonous mushrooms: the cap has scales on the surface, the cap shape is identical, the gills are white, and there is a ring on the stem.
As is well known, the gills of champignons change color with age, while those of toadstools and fly agarics remain snow-white. The poisonous fruit does not turn yellow when pressed, and its stalk always grows from a volva, which is not always easily visible.
The benefits and harms of champignons
If the fruits were grown in good conditions and have not absorbed environmental toxins, they can be consumed even by pregnant and nursing mothers.
The mushroom contains a lot of substances useful for humans:
- Minerals: manganese, magnesium, calcium, zinc, sodium, iron.
- Vitamins B, E, C, PP, D.
- They contain easily digestible protein. The minerals and protein, combined, speed up metabolism, so this product is often included in various dietary dishes.
The product is also eaten raw, in appetizers and salads. Cooking removes some of the nutrients, but reveals its excellent flavor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFgFGofSxGc
Recipes and cooking instructions
The champignon is such a common mushroom that there are many recipes that include it. Let's look at the most versatile ones.
Processing
After picking or purchasing mushrooms, they should be processed before cooking. To do this:
- rinse under running water;
- wipe with a damp cloth;
- remove the top layer of skin from the cap;
- If the cut on the stem is old, it should be updated;
- skirts and dark plates are removed;
- The damaged areas are cut off.
Peeling the caps is not necessary. This procedure is only performed on larger mushrooms, as their skin becomes tough. If the skin can be easily removed with your fingers, it's best to remove the top layer.
You may be interested in:Cooking time and methods
Store-bought champignons should be boiled for only five minutes, while wild mushrooms are best boiled for 10 minutes. If you have a slow cooker, you can cook them without adding water, using the "Stewing" program for 40 minutes. Frozen mushrooms should be defrosted and then boiled for 10 minutes.
For a salad, boil them for 5 minutes, adding salt, black pepper, bay leaf, and citric acid. If you're using the fruit for soup, boil them in lightly salted water for the same amount of time.
How to fry champignons
There's no need to pre-boil the fruiting bodies for frying. To fry them properly, follow these steps:
- Heat the frying pan well over medium heat;
- pour in some vegetable oil or butter;
- Place the chopped mushrooms in a container in small portions and fry, stirring regularly;
- At the end of frying, add salt and pepper to taste.
Frying time should not exceed 7 minutes. The mushroom mixture can be used as a stand-alone appetizer or included in a wide variety of dishes.
Answers to frequently asked questions
You may be interested in:Today, champignons are the most popular mushroom. They can be found not only on every supermarket shelf, but also a great way to spend time hunting for them in the forest.
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