Umbrella mushrooms have their own Latin name. The initial part of the word – macro – is translated as large. The second means a variety or genus of plants. In general - macrolepiota. They called it an umbrella because of the similarity of the shape of the dome, the head of the mushroom.
Umbrellas stand on thin long legs with a large cap, shaped like the dome of a rain device. Groups are divided into edible and poisonous. Separate subgroups are separated into a special variety - gourmet. The diameter of the cap can reach up to 35 cm, the stem grows up to 40 cm. The shape of the head is similar to half an egg. Small umbrellas are especially close to the dome of half the egg. Main appearance characteristics:
- The color of the dome skin is white;
- Along the dome there are growths of various ornate non-geometric shapes;
- The tone of the growths is pale brown;
- The head gradually cracks, dividing into raised scales;
- the base can be smooth and straight or slightly curved;
- The cavity of the leg is empty;
- Under the dome on the leg there is a fringe resembling a skirt;
- The fringe ring moves easily.
- The bottom of the head consists of parallel plates.
- The color of the plates is perfect white.
The mushroom can be found almost everywhere to the globe. Being saprophytes, umbrellas grow on any type of soil and various areas of the forest belt. Mushrooms are well cultivated, so they can be grown near the house, in garden plots or in special greenhouse buildings.
They called it an umbrella because of the similarity of the shape of the dome, the head of a mushroom
Edible mushroom umbrellas
White umbrella mushroom (field)
The field variety is common in certain areas:
- steppe areas;
- coniferous and mixed forests;
- clearings of forest roads;
- animal pastures and pastures;
- glades.
You can find field umbrellas from the beginning of summer until the end of October. The field species has a thick, fleshy main part, up to 12 cm in diameter. At first, the cap has elongated circumferences, then it becomes lower and flatter. A dark bump appears in the center of the dome. Along the edge there are white fibers, formations in the form of flakes. When cut, the color of the cap flesh does not change. It rises up to 12 cm, the dome is dense - up to 1.2 cm. The white, smooth and hollow leg stands firmly. If you touch it, the surface begins to turn yellow or acquire a brown tint. The plates change with age: first - white, then - cream, and finally - brown. Umbrella pulp with pleasant aroma and tart taste.
Gallery: mushroom umbrella (25 photos)
Properties of umbrella mushrooms (video)
Due to its taste characteristics, the field variety is a component of Chinese gourmet cuisine. Besides white look growing in other countries:
- Europe;
- Iran;
- Türkiye;
- Siberia;
- Far East;
- America;
- Africa.
Experienced foresters warn about a similar description to the toadstool: a stinking fly agaric. The forest guest, which is fatal to humans, has a bag-like covering that goes into the ground. The hat is slimy and strewn with filmy flakes.
White umbrella mushroom (field)
Elegant umbrella mushroom (thin)
The species is included in the edible variety and grows in open clearings of short grass in forests, field and meadow areas. Harvested from August to October. The appearance and name are synonymous - a thin curved leg and an elegant head. The shape of the dome is similar to a field bell, gradually expanding during growth and becoming almost flat. Scaly formations on the dome are yellowish in color. The circumference is up to 15 cm. The fringe skirt is white and fluffy. The scales fill not only the cap, but also the stem. Gradually the yellow tone changes, darkens to brown. The pulp is pleasant when cooked, with a special unique aroma. The color of the mushroom pulp is bright white.
Elegant umbrella mushroom (thin)
Conrad's Umbrella Mushroom
Prefers to grow in forested areas. The fleshy head at a young age is more rounded and ovoid, then straightens, leaving a protruding tubercle in the center, similar to a baby's pacifier. The skin is white or gray-dirty, in the center it can be pink or black-brown. The skin does not reach the edges of the cap. The pulp does not change color after cutting the mushroom. The leg rises up to 15 cm. It has Brown color, brown scales. The skirt can be moved. It is light on top and brown underneath. The plates are white and cream in color. Umbrellas are found in European and Asian countries.
Conrad's Umbrella Mushroom
Blushing umbrella mushroom (shaggy)
The edible species chooses soils rich in humus. The name was given due to the change in color of the dome. The shaggy cap gradually turns reddish. The edges of the cap are turned inward, gradually they straighten out and crack. The skin becomes covered with scales and takes on a shaggy appearance. The taste is pleasant and bright mushroom aroma.
Blushing umbrella mushroom (shaggy)
Girlish umbrella mushroom
A type of blushing umbrella. The species is very rare and protected. The shape of the cap has fringe around the edges. The surface is light and white. The scales are fibrous. The smell is similar to radish. Height up to 12-16 cm. Loose plates, white or pink.
How and when to collect umbrella mushrooms (video)
Inedible and poisonous umbrella mushrooms
False mushrooms are similar to edible species appearance. Doubles with poisonous properties are dangerous and cause death and serious complications to humans.
Amanita stinking
Another name is white grebe. The mushroom is highly toxic, if ingested, leads to death or serious poisoning. All components differ in shades: gray, dirty. The cap - the hemispheres becomes convex, the color changes from white to pale pink or gray. The ring on the stem is filmy and quickly disappears, leaving fragments of fibers.
Amanita stinking
Panther fly agaric (gray)
The poison dome hat has a hemispherical shape that becomes flat with age. In addition, it is gradually torn to pieces. The mushroom is poisonous and dangerous to humans. Even Not a large number of, if it gets into food, it is fatal. The leg is missing a velvety ring. The head is lamellar and white, sometimes with distinct brown spots. The pulp has an unpleasant aroma and tastes sweet. When cut, the flesh remains white.
Panther fly agaric (gray)
Chlorophyllum dark brown
Dangerous look like umbrella mushrooms. The cap has the same scaly plates. The color of the dome is close to edible - gray-brown. The shape of the head is also similar. The leg is denser and thicker; towards the ground it begins to thicken and form a tuber. Mushrooms have hallucinogenic properties. Its toxicity has not been fully studied, so the effect on humans is very dangerous and poisonous mushrooms should be avoided.
Chlorophyllum dark brown
Chlorophyllum lead-slag
The shape of the cap makes the mushroom look like an umbrella when young. The white heads are ovoid. The legs are thin and smooth, in the upper part under the head there is a skirt. The pulp changes when cut and becomes reddish. The pulp has no taste or smell. False umbrella changes color when pressed, turns yellow or brown.
Chlorophyllum lead-slag
Methods for preparing edible umbrellas
Umbrella mushrooms have excellent taste characteristics. Only young specimens are collected for cooking. Start cooking with heat treatment. A large number of technologies are chosen for umbrellas:
- pickled;
- dried;
- salty;
- boiled.
Umbrella dishes edible mushrooms:
- broths;
- sauces;
- second;
- salads;
- fillings for pancakes and pies.
Only young specimens are collected for cooking.
There are many varieties of mushrooms, but most mushroom pickers prefer to collect only proven species that have never failed. And they are right, since in the forests of our country there are a huge number of poisonous mushrooms, which are very similar to edible ones. And an inexperienced person in such a situation can become confused and seriously harm himself or his family. But, fortunately, today we all have access to the World Wide Web - to information. And today we will look at what umbrella mushrooms are, we will provide photos and descriptions of them, and also clarify how to prepare them.
Umbrella mushrooms got their name due to an interesting appearance. They really look like umbrellas that were opened in rainy weather. It is believed that they are very tasty, but when going on a hike to get them, you need to have accurate information about the characteristics of such mushrooms.
In the photo there are white mushrooms Umbrellas
Description of the White Umbrella mushroom
As the name implies, the cap of this mushroom is mostly gray-white. It is fleshy and you can easily see the loose scales on it. Sometimes such mushrooms, however, look creamy or light brown. Young mushrooms have an egg-shaped cap, but over time it straightens out, becoming almost flat, and a pronounced brown tubercle is visible in its center. Whitish fibers are visible on the edges of the cap.
This mushroom is characterized by a stalk cylindrical, which is hollow and most often slightly curved. It is painted white, but below the ring it looks a little darker. When touched, the color changes noticeably towards brown.
The base of the leg appears thickened. The ring on the stem of the mushroom has a filmy structure, white or brownish color, and moves easily. Most often it looks wide, white on top and slightly darker below.
Umbrellas are characterized by white flesh and a pleasant, unbearable odor. The color does not change during oxidation.
Description of the Umbrella Blushing
This mushroom is very similar to the previous one, but its cap is beige, gray or light gray in color. It is covered with fibrous scales and, as the fungus grows, changes its shape from shape to shape. chicken egg to bell-shaped, and then to almost flat. The edges usually remain turned up. The stem of the mushroom can reach six to twenty centimeters in height (sometimes more), looks especially smooth, light brown or white. Over time it becomes darker. It tapers noticeably from bottom to top. The plates of the mushroom are white or cream in color, and pressure changes their color to orange or reddish (sometimes pink). The pulp is white in color, fibrous and brittle. On the cut you can see the presence of red-brown stains (especially on the stem). The mushroom smells nice.
What does a variegated umbrella mushroom look like in the photo??
This mushroom has a fibrous cap of gray or beige color; its diameter can range from fifteen to thirty-eight centimeters. The cap is covered with dark brown scales. At first it looks ovoid, but as the mushroom grows it changes shape to a cone, and then to an umbrella. A dark roundish tubercle is noticeable in the central part of the cap, and its edges are turned inward.
The leg appears uniform and brown, often showing rings of scales and a ring or remnant of the spathe. The structure of the stem is hollow and fibrous, has a cylindrical shape and is easily separated from the cap. A rounded thickening is observed at the base.
The plates of such a mushroom look frequent, loose, white or light gray. They are easily separated from the caps. The pulp is loose and white, has a weak and pleasant mushroom aroma.
How to cook mushrooms Umbrellas?
Umbrellas are prepared very quickly, but require some preparation. They need to be washed thoroughly, the stem is separated from the cap (you should only use the cap) and the scales are removed. Afterwards, it is advisable to boil the mushrooms in slightly salted water for twenty minutes. Mushroom pickers usually do not boil proven umbrellas that they assemble themselves.
Mushrooms in batter
This is a very simple dish, for which readers of Popular About Health will need ten to twelve mushrooms, a couple of eggs and six tablespoons of flour. Also prepare vegetable oil and salt and pepper.
To prepare the batter, combine flour with eggs and mix. Pour about one hundred and fifty milliliters of water into this mixture and whisk. Add salt and pepper.
Dip the mushroom caps into the batter so that it covers them on all sides. At this time, heat a frying pan with vegetable oil. Place the battered mushrooms in it and fry. Umbrellas need to be prepared before they are formed. golden brown crust.
Fragrant soup
To prepare such a dish, you need to use three hundred grams of mushrooms, one carrot, a couple of onions, three potatoes, two and a half liters of water, six tablespoons of vegetable oil, a certain amount of salt, spices and herbs.
Fresh mushrooms wash, fill with cold salted water. After a couple of hours, rinse thoroughly and chop. Chop the potatoes and onions, grate the carrots.
Heat a frying pan with vegetable oil, fry the onion a little (until golden), add the carrots, and heat through. Then add salt and sauté until the carrots become soft.
Place the mushrooms in a saucepan, add water and place on the fire. Add salt and cook for twenty minutes. Next, add potatoes to them and continue cooking until they are ready. Then add the contents of the frying pan and spices into the soup. Wait for the soup to boil, turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Serve the soup after twenty minutes, sprinkled with fresh herbs.
While winter has not yet come into its own and the “silent hunting” season has not ended, I will tell you: how to cook umbrella mushrooms.
Recently we went with the whole family to the forest to pick mushrooms. Because There had been no rain the day before for more than a week, so we didn’t count on a big “catch”; we perceived the trip as a walk with children in nature.
Surprisingly, our trip was fruitful - together we collected 2 buckets of white-Polish mushrooms and took about 8 umbrellas for “dessert”, which we had not collected for a long time before, giving preference to sponge mushrooms that came across a huge number. They didn’t take any more to avoid a sleepless night, because we had covered quite a few kilometers through the forest.
The umbrella mushroom is not just edible, but universal: it can be dried, boiled, fried, salted, added to salads, made sandwiches with them - even in its raw form, just like store-bought champignons are used!
Cleaning them is very simple: just wipe with a cloth, remove rough scales and cut out the center of the cap (it is hard). Often it is not even recommended to wash them, so that the records do not take on water. I washed it, and then just briefly put the mushrooms in a colander to drain off excess moisture. The stem of umbrellas is fibrous and rough, and therefore it is also cut off, dried, crushed, turning it into a most aromatic mushroom powder, which can be used for the most different dishes. The hat is usually cut into 4 segments, but this is not necessary.
How to cook umbrella mushrooms:
Most often they are fried, first rolled in batter, beaten at the rate of 1 egg, 4-5 tablespoons of flour and a pinch of salt for 3 mushrooms. This amount of food will make a very decent snack for two.
I like to fry umbrellas like this:
First, I dip the triangles in an egg beaten with salt and spices, and then bread them in flour or breadcrumbs and put them in a frying pan. In just a couple of minutes it turns out delicious!
In my opinion, when hot, this dish really resembles chicken chops, and when cooled, the consistency is similar to fried fish. This is the trick
After tasting the mushroom chops, the husband really regretted not cutting off all the umbrellas that came along the way.
A small lyrical digression. About 16 years ago I went with my husband and his friend to pick mushrooms. Then we collected less than half a bucket for the three of us: a few boletus, a handful of chanterelles, a couple of small white ones - that’s the whole harvest. So we would have had to return home almost empty-handed if our friend had not started encouraging us to collect umbrellas. We had heard that they were eaten, but we had never tried them ourselves until that moment. We cut up huge shaggy hats and proudly stomped towards the station. You should have seen the eyes of the grannies you meet along the way! Some compassionate people came up and said: “Children, why did you cut up these toadstools?!” Get poisoned!!!…” And we just smiled and joked - in our youth, any risk seems like an adventure. But then there was no Internet - all you could do was take the word of a friend who claimed that these were edible mushrooms. He said that fried umbrellas looked like chicken chops, so that's how I cooked them. I even experimented a little by adding garlic and homemade ketchup. We devoured them with great appetite!
Quite a lot of time has passed since then, the World Wide Web has reached every home and information has become available to the people - now there is an active hunt for umbrellas. Is it possible to confuse these huge hats, the size of a plate, proudly rising on legs 30 centimeters high with something else?! Collecting them is a pleasure! And eat too. It’s a pity that we didn’t take a camera with us into the forest, because... they were collected “spontaneously,” but Google will certainly help you find images.
Umbrella mushrooms are the fourth category, which belong to the champignon family and have a very original umbrella appearance and excellent delicacy. taste qualities. Experienced mushroom pickers They are highly valued and considered one of the best. Only the caps of young mushrooms can be used for food, as their flesh has a delicate, loose structure and a pleasant aroma. The legs, as well as old and large specimens, are unsuitable for food and preparations due to their rigidity.
Description of the species
The name of the species justifies itself: an adult mushroom reaches 45 cm in height, and the diameter of its outstretched cap can be more than 35 cm. In size and shape, it really looks like a child’s umbrella. Most of the slightly pubescent surface of the caps of young specimens is covered with scales, only the middle remains smooth and has a darker color than the main one. Old mushrooms usually lose their scales. The hollow legs, which can be either smooth or ribbed, have three-layer rings that move freely from bottom to top and back.
Umbrella mushrooms: edible mushrooms (video)
Edible umbrella mushrooms
In the groves, forests and fields of our country there are four species edible umbrella mushrooms There are also several poisonous varieties.
White
The white or field umbrella mushroom (Macrolepiota excoriata) is characterized by a grayish-white or cream-colored, fleshy, scaly cap that is ovoid initially and becomes flat as it grows. The plates are spaced frequently and freely. In young mushrooms they are white in color, which becomes brown or brown over time. The height of the hollow, slightly curved, cylindrical leg of white color ranges from 5 to 15 cm. When you press it, it turns brown. Pulp white It has a light, pleasant aroma and its color does not change when cut. Fruiting begins at the end of June and lasts until mid-autumn.
Blushing
The cap of the red or shaggy umbrella mushroom (Chlorophyllum rhacodes) can be gray, beige or light brown in color and reach a diameter of 7 to 22 cm. Initially, it resembles an egg in shape, later it becomes bell-shaped, and at the end of growth it is completely flat. The smooth, hollow legs grow from 6 to 25 cm in height and change color to a darker color over time.
The white or cream-colored plates turn pink or orange when touched. The white flesh of the cap with streaks of reddish-brown color easily breaks and separates into fibers. She has nice smell and a unique taste.
Motley
The diameter of the cap of the variegated umbrella mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) ranges from 15 to 30 cm. It is characterized by fibrous, loose flesh with a white, grayish or beige color and dark brown scales. Young mushrooms have a hemispherical cap with a dark tubercle in the center, which expands over time and resembles an umbrella.
White or gray plates are placed very close to each other. This type mushrooms with a light aroma combines the taste qualities of champignon and walnut. The collection season begins in June and ends in November.
Maiden
The maiden umbrella mushroom (Leucoagaricus puellaris) has a cap with a diameter of 5 to 10 cm. Initially it is ovoid, and then becomes bell-shaped with a small bump in the center. Its edges are covered with fringe. The skin of the white cap is densely strewn with cream-colored scales; as the mushroom grows, they become darker. The white flesh turns reddish when cut.
Smooth, hollow, cylindrical legs, up to 15 cm high and up to 1 cm thick, narrow at the top and thicken at the bottom. The plates are characterized by a frequent and free arrangement. This type of mushroom has a pungent odor, and its taste is much less pronounced than the others. Fruiting lasts from August to October.
Poisonous umbrella mushrooms
In addition to tasty edible umbrella mushrooms, there are also poisonous ones similar to them, poisoning with which often leads to serious consequences.
Chestnut
Chestnut umbrella mushroom or chestnut leopita (Lepiota castanea) also belongs to the champignon family, but is a poisonous mushroom. It has a very small cap, no more than 5 cm in diameter, bell-shaped, which later becomes flat. On its surface there are small fibrous scales of chestnut color, which form concentric rows.
The pulp is white or cream in color and has a rather pleasant smell. The inside of the cap is filled with frequent, wide white plates. The legs, thickened at the bottom, have a height of up to 5 cm and a diameter of about 0.5 cm. The ring that initially forms on it quickly disappears. P It bears fruit from July to early September.
Comb
The comb umbrella mushroom (Lepiota cristata) is a member of the champignon family, and although it is less poisonous than the chestnut umbrella mushroom, If it gets into food, it can cause severe bouts of vomiting, diarrhea and headaches. Its caps barely reach 4 cm in diameter, at first they are ovoid and then open completely. The skin is white and covered with rust-colored scales. Very thin white plates are located quite often. The whitish-red legs, up to 4 cm high and about 3 mm in diameter, have a white ring that disappears over time. Fruiting lasts from July to October.
Place of growth
Both edible and false umbrella mushrooms can be found not only in a clearing or the edge of a deciduous grove, coniferous or mixed forest, but also in meadows, pastures and even in city parks and squares. They grow especially abundantly in warm weather after rain. They prefer fertile soils with good layer humus. It is found almost everywhere in our country.
How to cook
Cooking umbrella mushrooms is easy and quick, because you can even eat them raw in salads or on sandwiches. They are fried, stewed, soups are made with them, salted, pickled and dried.
Umbrella mushrooms in batter
Dish ingredients:
- Mushrooms - 500 grams;
- Flour - 2 tablespoons;
- Egg - 3 pieces;
- Onion (medium) - 2 pieces;
- Cheese ( durum varieties) - 200 grams;
- Vegetable oil - 5 tablespoons;
- Table vinegar - 1 tablespoon;
- Salt, black pepper.
Cooking method:
- Peel the onion, cut into thin half rings, pour in vinegar, sprinkle with salt and leave to marinate for half an hour.
- Peel the mushroom caps, wash and dry.
- Beat eggs with flour, salt and pepper.
- Cut large mushrooms into several pieces.
- IN large frying pan Heat the oil, dip each piece of mushroom in the batter and fry on both sides for several minutes.
- Place onions on mushrooms.
- Grate the cheese on a coarse grater, pour it into a frying pan over the onions with fried mushrooms, turn off the heat and keep them on the stove for about five minutes so that the cheese melts.
These mushrooms can be served either hot or cold, sprinkled with chopped herbs. The dish turns out to be very original, it tastes like chops from chicken meat, and its preparation takes a minimum of time.
Umbrella - wonderful mushroom, which is often found in our forests. Unfortunately this delicious mushroom is not popular, as many mushroom pickers are afraid to confuse it with toadstools.
Why is the mushroom called an “umbrella”?
The umbrella mushroom really resembles an umbrella. In the forest you can find huge umbrellas, which are sometimes arranged in “witch circles”, up to 40 cm high with a hat up to 30 cm in diameter. This mushroom opens like a real umbrella: at first the plates (“spokes”) are closely pressed to the stem (“umbrella handle”), then they move away from it and take horizontal position. This similarity is striking, so few doubt the accuracy of the name. Many edible mushrooms have poisonous counterparts. Umbrellas are no exception. Moreover, not all umbrella mushrooms are edible. Therefore, you should never forget the main rule of a mushroom picker - take only those mushrooms that you know well.
This is not a fly agaric!
Many types of umbrella mushroom are tasty edible mushrooms, but often mushroom pickers do not collect them and knock them down, thinking that they have found them (porphyry or panther). Let's try to list the main differences between these completely different mushrooms. Let's start with the scales. The scales on the fly agaric cap are the remains of the cover of young mushrooms. As the fungus grows, they hold on less and less. The caps of old fly agarics are often smooth, with sparse scales. The umbrella mushroom does not immediately develop scales on its cap. The central part of the cap remains without scales. It is darker and smoother. The stem of an adult umbrella mushroom has a three-layer ring that can be moved up and down along the stem. There is no blanket or its remains at the base of the leg.
The umbel slender can be confused with some inedible mushrooms, such as the purple umbel, which smells unpleasant and has a bitter taste. There are other umbrella mushrooms, the consumption of which leads to poisoning or stomach upset. For example, an inedible comb umbrella with a cap 2–5 cm in diameter. You should not collect a masteoid umbrella (cap 8–12 cm). Its cap is covered with granular scales, the plates are white. There is also a deadly poisonous umbrella, fleshy-reddish, the cap of which is only 2 - 6 cm in diameter.
Edible umbrellas, variegated, thin and blushing, are so different in appearance from any “doubles” that identifying them is not difficult at all. However, if in doubt, it is better to pass by, leaving these umbrellas to more experienced mushroom pickers.
The umbrella mushroom is variegated, thin and blushing
In our forests, the most common umbrella is variegated, thin and red. It is worth noting that in the popular literature there is confusion in identifying the types of umbrella mushroom. The reddened umbrella especially suffers from this, which in some reference books is accompanied by the stigma of “poisonous”, while in others it is recommended as a very tasty mushroom. Most likely, it means a fleshy-reddish umbrella. In addition, the same umbrella mushroom is often presented under different species names (“variegated” - “great” - “large”, etc.). The variegated umbrella is more often found in birch and mixed forests; it chooses places that are lighter: clearings, forest edges and even pastures. Its miniature copy is a thin umbrella with a cap up to 10 cm in diameter and a stem up to 15 cm high. Another thing is the umbrella mushroom that is reddened (shaggy). He prefers coniferous forests. The blushing umbrella is slightly smaller than the motley one. The edges of its scaly cap are slightly wavy. This species is easily distinguished by its flesh, which quickly turns red (or slightly red) on all cuts. Adult mushrooms may have a pinkish tint to the plates.
Young umbrellas are the most delicious
How to cook umbrella mushroom?
The umbrella mushroom, or rather its cap, is very tasty. The stem of this mushroom is discarded, as it consists of long, hard fibers. Try frying the cap on vegetable oil. I am sure that you will like it so much that the umbrella will become one of your favorite mushrooms. I enjoy eating a cap that is well fried on both sides (like a pancake). First from the records side. You can first roll it in flour, breadcrumbs or in a beaten egg. This mushroom (fresh and dry) is also good for soup. Young umbrellas are salted and pickled. The umbrella cooks quickly, almost like champignons. Some people eat this mushroom raw, using it in salads or making sandwiches with it. The scales on the cap do not need to be removed. Gourmets cook the umbrella mushroom not only in a frying pan, but also on the oven rack (with a tray) or barbecue. Definitely with herbs, pepper and garlic. It turns out very tasty.
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