2017-11-01 Igor Novitsky

As is the case with most other edible mushrooms, the common name - camelina - refers not to one species, but to several similar ones. All of them are edible, and some are deservedly considered one of the best mushrooms. Mushroom pickers love and respect saffron milk cap for its prevalence and complete absence of poisonous counterparts.

Types of saffron milk caps

The name camelina is applied to six independent species that have similar external characteristics. So, the following types of lamellar fungi of the biological genus Mlechnik are known under this term:

1. The ginger is real. When they say “saffron milk cap,” in most cases they mean this particular mushroom. It has high nutritional value and is excellent for salting and pickling, not to mention standard heat treatment. In addition, a powerful antibiotic is obtained from this mushroom, which helps in the fight against such serious diseases as tuberculosis.
2. Spruce mushroom. Although in Western literature this species is considered unsuitable for food due to its bitterness, in Russia spruce saffron milk caps are considered good edible mushrooms.
3. The saffron milk cap is red. Quite a rare, but also quite edible mushroom. Like real camelina, it is used in the pharmaceutical industry.
4. Pine mushroom. A good edible mushroom, although quite rare. Despite the fact that some biologists consider it simply a variety of spruce saffron milk cap, mushroom pickers have always distinguished between these two mushrooms.
5. Japanese saffron milk cap. On the territory of Russia it is found exclusively in the southern part of Primorye. Quite suitable for eating.
6. Salmon or alpine saffron milk cap. It is found in the north of the European part of our country. Nutritional characteristics are closest to pine camelina.

It is noteworthy that such a thing as false saffron milk historically does not exist. There are no poisonous mushrooms on the territory of Russia that would be similar to edible varieties of saffron milk caps.

However, today on the Internet the term “false saffron milk cap” is still used. We owe its appearance to the fact that the general level of knowledge of the population about forest mushrooms has fallen to a catastrophically low level. “False saffron milk caps” are any mushrooms that are even remotely similar, but inedible. Also, sometimes this term is used to call the pink mushroom, a conditionally edible mushroom that has a lot of external differences from camelina and grows not in coniferous forests, but in birch groves.

Saffron milk caps - photo and description

So, you have decided to go on a quiet hunt for saffron milk caps, but you don’t know what they look like or where to look for them. Let's look into this issue and look at the photos and descriptions of saffron milk caps.

These mushrooms got their name from the characteristic color of the fruiting body. Despite some external differences, all saffron milk mushrooms bear one or another shade of red, ranging from light yellow-pink mushrooms to rich orange-red ones. Another characteristic feature of saffron milk caps is the presence of red or orange milky juice oozing from the cut site.

All mushrooms in this group have almost the same cap shape. In young mushrooms it is convex, and with age it becomes funnel-shaped. In this case, the edges of the cap are first curled, then straightened. Also, in all saffron milk caps the leg has a shape close to a regular cylinder.

Now let’s look at what specific types of saffron milk caps look like:

Fried, boiled, salted and pickled saffron milk caps

Ryzhiki are edible even with minimal processing. They can be served even just by scalding with boiling water. Of course, they can also be boiled, fried, salted and pickled. Saffron milk caps prepared in any of these ways are perfect for boiled vegetables, including adding them to salads and making a filling for pies and dumplings. Soup from saffron milk caps is a unique dish in its deliciousness. Finally, these mushrooms make a good mushroom sauce for meat.

There is no need to boil the saffron milk caps before cooking. Simply scald with boiling water for disinfection. However, mushrooms need to be washed and peeled before use.

If you want to prepare saffron milk caps for the winter, you can pickle or marinate them. But it is somehow not customary to dry these mushrooms, although it is quite possible.

For pickling, mushrooms are cleaned and placed in a large saucepan or bucket, sprinkled with salt and spices. The filled bucket is covered with a lid, pressed down with some weight and placed in a dark, cool place. After about two weeks, you can already try these mushrooms. Salted saffron milk caps go well in salads and hot vegetable dishes. If you plan to store such mushrooms for more than a couple of months, then it is recommended to boil them for 5-10 minutes before salting.

There is also a more emergency method of salting. Thoroughly peeled mushrooms are placed in a deep bowl with the legs up and covered with salt. After just two hours, these mushrooms can be served, after washing them first, of course. However, it will not be possible to store mushrooms salted in this way for a long time.

An alternative method of preparation is pickled saffron milk caps. Water with salt and spices is used as a marinade. After boiling for a short time, add a little vinegar to it, and then pour this mixture into jars with mushrooms that have been previously washed and scalded with boiling water. Pickled saffron milk caps are ready in about a month, but they can be stored for quite a long time.

If you only have a couple of kilograms of these wonderful mushrooms at your disposal, then it would be wiser to use them right away. Especially good are saffron milk caps fried with onions in butter. They go well with stewed cabbage, fried potatoes, and other vegetables.

Another option is saffron milk caps stewed with sour cream, meat, vegetables and even apples. Finally, as reviews indicate, saffron milk caps are great for making soup.

Is it possible to grow saffron milk caps at home?

The vast majority of forest mushrooms are almost impossible to cultivate. They live only in natural conditions and categorically refuse to grow in industrial breeding conditions - indoors or greenhouses on artificial compost soil. And saffron milk caps are no exception here.

Of course, you can ensure that these mushrooms grow in your dacha garden, but immediately keep in mind that the harvest will be quite meager and will hardly be enough to pamper your family with fresh mushrooms. We are not talking about any commercial cultivation for profit here: too much hassle for little result. If you want to make money on mushrooms, then it is better to turn your attention to more productive species - champignons, oyster mushrooms, shiitake, etc.

To grow saffron milk caps at home, you need to create conditions for them that would most accurately reproduce a coniferous forest. Ideally, they should be planted under a spruce or pine tree. Moreover, to increase the likelihood of a successful outcome of this enterprise, it is recommended to deliver a couple of cubic meters of real forest soil and forest litter from the forest.

Also try to recreate as accurately as possible the level of light and humidity that is typical for a coniferous forest. You can rest assured that saffron milk caps will refuse to grow in sun-hot soil or in acidic, swampy soil. Saffron milk caps prefer shaded areas with good air circulation. At the same time, they need moderately moist soil containing a large amount of rotting needles and foliage. Areas that are flooded with water during spring floods or summer downpours are strictly unsuitable.

The classic and easiest way to plant wild mushrooms is to use mushroom spores. To do this, you will need old saffron milk caps, or rather their caps, which should be cut as finely as possible, then dried, carefully scattered over damp soil and sprinkled with damp soil on top. The sowing site should be moderately compacted and watered a little with water at room temperature.

An alternative way is to pour the same caps of old mushrooms with warm water with sugar dissolved in it. After a day, the mushrooms need to be mashed into a pulp with your hands and poured along with water at the planting site. For greater reliability, it is also recommended to cover the planted material with a thin layer of soil.

Modern science knows about 250 thousand different types of mushrooms growing on our planet. But only some of them can be eaten without fear for your health. Rizhik is an edible mushroom that can be found in almost every corner of Russia. This mushroom has excellent taste and provides health benefits. Forest animals can easily distinguish edible mushrooms from poisonous and dangerous ones. They have a highly developed sense of smell, taste buds, and even a special form of intuition that works on the instinct of self-preservation. But when people go mushroom hunting, they don’t have to rely on intuition - they need to have certain ideas about the mushroom, know exactly what it looks like and where exactly to look for it. Let's look at the description and characteristics of saffron milk caps and find out where it grows.

Mushroom saffron milk description.

Camelina is the common name for several varieties of edible mushrooms that are part of the genus Lactaceae. Saffron milk caps are also popularly known under other names - spruce saffron, chanterelle (due to the peculiarities of their color). There are different varieties of saffron milk caps, very similar in appearance to each other, but differing in some nuances and the area in which they grow. What does a redhead look like?

1. The mushroom cap can grow from 5 to 15 cm in diameter. The largest overgrown mushrooms, whose cap diameter is higher than the given average value, are extremely rare. It is important to pay attention to the fact that the edges of the cap are slightly bent inward. The cap is slightly depressed in the center, but in some varieties it may simply be flat. The surface of the cap is slightly sticky, smooth and can be colored from light yellow to bright orange. There are species with a greenish-blue cap. The plates on the mushroom cap are frequent and very narrow, fused with the stem.
2. The mushroom stem grows maximum from 7 to 1 cm. It is cylindrical in shape, very loose, colored and characterized by emptiness inside. Can be colored white-orange, yellow, fawn.
3. It is important to pay attention to the flesh of the mushroom and its color. When cut, the mushroom will be orange in color, but if exposed to air for a very long time, the flesh may oxidize and change color to bluish. Rizhik is also distinguished by the presence of resinous milky juice, which has a sweetish taste and is yellow in color.

Different varieties of saffron milk caps differ slightly, but in general, they are all similar and belong to the first category. Pine saffron milk is considered a delicacy, as it has a very rich taste and indescribable aroma. Let's look at what types of saffron milk caps there are.

• Red saffron milk cap- common in coniferous and deciduous forests. It is distinguished by a rich, orange-red color and the appearance of silver-green spots in old mushrooms. The color of the spore powder is ocher.
• Pine mushroom– this variety is recognized as a delicacy, as it differs significantly in taste, which is not lost during the process of cooking, canning, salting and drying. Present mainly in pine thickets, it is distinguished by an orange-gray color, but over time it can change color to cream.
• Spruce saffron milk cap It is distinguished by a pronounced funnel-shaped cap and a noticeable bluish spot in its center, which appears over time in old mushrooms. When cut, the pulp contains yellowish juice, orange-white in color. After half an hour, the cut area takes on a wine tint.
• Milky red saffron milk cap– common in all types of forests, characterized by a change in shade along the edge of the cap to red-orange. The pulp is orange in color, but at the cut site it may turn red from the milky juice.

Where and when do saffron milk caps grow?

You can find various types of saffron milk caps throughout Russia and in nearby countries. The largest number of saffron milk caps can be found in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests of the middle zone, in Belarusian green spaces. Camelina is a special mushroom that prefers shaded areas; it is almost impossible to find in open meadows that are well lit by the sun.

As a rule, saffron milk caps hide in thickets of grass, under last year’s fallen leaves and grow in groups of 5 or more. This mushroom prefers to grow in acidic soils. A delicacy variety, pine saffron saffron, is most often found on sandy soils among pine trees and in mixed forests. The mushroom season for collecting saffron milk caps begins in July and ends in mid-October. A plentiful mushroom harvest can be harvested after long, but not heavy rains.

Precautionary measures.

Science does not know a dangerous analogue of this mushroom, but you should still remember to be careful when collecting, preparing and consuming mushrooms. If there is any doubt about the edibility of the collected mushrooms, it is better not to eat them. In addition, we must not forget that even edible mushrooms can accumulate substances hazardous to health - radionuclides and heavy metals, so you should not collect them in areas with poor ecological conditions.

The benefits and harms of camelina.

Saffron milk caps are considered one of the easiest mushrooms to prepare, which are also quickly absorbed by the body and bring benefits. At all times, saffron milk caps served not only as a fragrant delicacy, but also as a useful medicine. In the 20th century, an antibiotic was made from an extract of this fungus, which to this day helps people overcome such a terrible disease as tuberculosis.

Camelina is rich in antioxidants, saturated with vitamins A, B1, B12, B2, C, PP, and others, presented in small quantities. In addition, the mushroom contains minerals such as magnesium, iodine, selenium, calcium, potassium and sodium. Mushrooms are contraindicated only for small children, pregnant and lactating women, as well as those people who have an individual intolerance to this product.

Ryzhiki have a very delicate taste and a subtle, pleasant aroma. They can be prepared in a variety of ways without compromising their benefits. In addition, camelina is considered the only mushroom that can be eaten after pickling after 14-20 days.

Mushroom saffron milk photo.

Camelina mushrooms unite a whole group of species from the genus (Lactarius). A distinctive feature of the group is the yellowish-pink or orange-red coloring of the fruiting body, as well as the release of reddish milky juice on the cut. Ryzhiki are characterized by excellent taste and high nutritional qualities, which is why in many countries this mushroom is called a delicacy.

Description and characteristics of the mushroom

Camelinas have a bright red color and a reddish tint, which is due to the high content of beta-carotene. False saffron caps do not exist, so it is almost impossible to collect poisonous mushrooms with red caps that look like saffron milk caps. Inexperienced mushroom pickers sometimes confuse saffron milk caps with conditionally edible and less valuable ones.(Lactarius torminosus), which secrete a colorless milky sap and have a heavily pubescent cap surface.

Currently, the description and characteristics of the most common types of saffron milk caps are known to almost all experienced mushroom pickers.

Name of the saffron milk cap	Description of the mushroom cap	Description of the mushroom stem	Botanical features
Real (Latin: Lactarius deliciosus)	Convex in shape, becomes funnel-shaped over time, smooth with shine and slight stickiness. Has an orange coloration and darker concentric rings or spots	Medium size, plain with a cap, cylindrical, tapering at the base, hollow	Abundant release of orange-colored milky juice with a thick consistency and a fruity odor
Spruce (Lactarius deterrimus)	Convex in shape with a tubercle and downward curved edges. In adult specimens, flat-concave or funnel-shaped, brittle, covered with orange skin with dark areas	Cylindrical in shape, very brittle, hollow, the same color as the cap, green when cut	Excretion of a non-caustic red milky juice that turns green when exposed to air
Red (Lactarius sanguifluus)	Flat or convex in shape, quite dense and fleshy, covered with orange smooth and shiny skin	Cylindrical in shape, narrowing at the base, covered with a powdery coating	The milky juice released when exposed to air acquires a very characteristic purple-brown color.
Japanese (Lactarius japonicus)	Almost flat and depressed in the center, with distinctly curved edges. Over time, the surface acquires a funnel-shaped shape and clearly visible surface concentric zones of ocher or light terracotta coloring	Fragile, with a characteristic cavity inside, bright red-orange color, with a white stripe on the upper part	Significant discharge of blood-red or reddish-orange milky juice on the cut

Photo gallery

Beneficial features

• ascorbic acid;
• thiamine;
• riboflavin;
• niacin;
• easily digestible fiber;
• basic ash substances;
• saccharides.

The undeniable benefits of saffron milk caps and their nutritional value are also due to the presence of minerals, including iron, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium and calcium. One of the most valuable components of the pulp of fruiting bodies is a natural antibiotic produced by saffron milk caps called lactrioviolin, which is characterized by a powerful effect that is detrimental to the growth of most bacterial species of pathogenic microflora.

Mushroom pulp is actively used in the treatment of bacterial inflammation. Camelinas are easily digestible and valuable mushrooms that act as a source of protein. The beneficial properties have made saffron milk caps very popular not only in our country, but also abroad.

What saffron milk caps look like (video)

Distribution area

Saffron milk caps are considered inhabitants of coniferous forests. Saffron milk caps should be collected between July and September. These mushrooms most often grow in areas that are abundantly moist, warm and well-lit. Sometimes “sunny” grows in open and well-lit edges.

It is precisely these areas that chanterelles, popular among lovers of quiet hunting, have chosen. The decisive factor in the distribution of edible mushrooms is the characteristics of the substrate. Almost all types of saffron milk caps grow in dry pine forests. Some species are found in mixed forests. Fruiting bodies are located in scattered groups.

How to cook: the best recipes for the winter

Salted and pickled saffron milk caps are a fairly high-calorie product and are superior in energy value to meat products, including beef and chicken. Saffron milk caps serve as a source of amino acids and a replacement for complete protein foods for vegetarians; they are widely used for winter preparations.

After salting, saffron milk caps change their spectacular orange color to greenish-brown, which does not negatively affect their taste. Properly prepared saffron milk caps taste very much like salted milk mushrooms or volushki. Preparing salted and pickled saffron milk caps is simple:

• the collected mushrooms must be carefully but thoroughly cleaned to remove all plant forest debris;
• In a clean and dry glass or enamel bowl, place the prepared saffron milk caps in dense layers 5-7 cm thick, caps down, each layer is sprinkled with salt at the rate of 50 g per kilogram of mushrooms;
• A wooden circle and a weight are placed on top of the mushroom layers.

Mushrooms salted in this way are ready for consumption in about a month and a half.

Hot marinated saffron milk caps are prepared according to the following recipe:

• you need to boil water and add salt to it, as well as citric acid to taste;
• sterilize the prepared jars in the microwave and boil the sealing lids for several minutes;
• Prepared mushrooms should be placed in the boiling marinade and boiled for 15-20 minutes;
• Mushrooms boiled in the marinade should be placed in jars and then filled with mushroom broth.

Ready-made jars of mushrooms should be immediately sealed, then turned upside down and covered. This snack is not only completely safe, but also incredibly tasty.

Ryzhiki are mushrooms that are often equated in taste and beneficial qualities to boletus mushrooms. They are used to prepare a variety of dishes in many European countries. The most popular among these forest mushrooms are spruce, real and red camelina.

Experienced mushroom pickers can always determine where saffron milk caps are located in the forest. They can mainly be found in well-lit areas near young coniferous trees. Saffron milk caps usually grow in the same place every year.

These forest mushrooms develop in whole families on sandy soil in moss or grass. Very often they grow in forest clearings or open clearings. The largest mushrooms grow at the foot of pine trees on the north side.

To recognize a saffron milk cap in the forest, just look closely at the mushroom cap. Thanks to its pronounced reddish-red color, these mushrooms got their name. On the surface of the smooth cap, stripes are clearly visible, diverging from the center to the edges.

In the forest you can find saffron milk caps of different shades. Color ranges from light orange tones to rich copper color. The surface of an old mushroom sometimes turns green. The caps themselves are flat in shape with the edges turned down. In the middle there is a small depression, which increases with the age of the mushroom and becomes like a funnel.

The surface of the saffron milk cap is moist and slightly sticky to the touch. The size of the mushroom cap can reach eighteen centimeters in diameter. The flesh of the mushroom is also orange in color and emits a distinct resinous aroma. Since saffron milk cap is a mushroom from the genus Lactaceae, when you press on the cap, an orange liquid comes out of it. This juice turns green when exposed to air.

The stem of the mushroom is the same color as the top. Its optimal length is ten centimeters, and its thickness is two centimeters. The cylindrical stem sometimes has small indentations, which are usually darker than it.

Varieties of saffron milk caps

The most common are three types of saffron milk caps - red, real and spruce. They differ slightly in appearance and grow in different forest areas. The main features of each type are:

Spruce saffron milk cap

Lactarius deterrimus - Spruce mushroom

Among the varieties of saffron milk caps, this mushroom is relatively small in size. The height of its stem usually reaches only seven centimeters, and the diameter of the cap is no more than nine centimeters. Such mushrooms appear among the spruce trees in August and grow until the beginning of October. The spruce saffron milk cap is distinguished by its color. The light orange cap has greenish tints, which is why it is sometimes called green saffron milk cap.

Red saffron milk cap

The mushroom is bright pink or deep orange in color with a strong stem slightly widened at the top, a height that can stretch up to nine centimeters in height. Red saffron milk caps grow in forests among deciduous trees. Mushroom pickers begin collecting them in the middle of summer and finish in the middle of the first month of autumn. The stem of this type of camelina often has small powdery coatings or small indentations.

It is not difficult to see such an adult mushroom in the forest thanks to its wide cap, up to fifteen centimeters in diameter, and a high stem - ten centimeters. The surface of the true camelina can be various shades of orange and red. A shiny hat with rims characteristic of saffron milk caps, and sometimes with a white coating. These mushrooms grow in moss among pine trees from June to the end of September.

False saffron milk cap

Also false saffron milk caps are amber milkweeds that are not suitable for fresh consumption. The color of the cap of this mushroom is reddish-red. The juice from the pulp flows amber in color. This watery milk dries out in the air. This false camelina smells like chicory. Sometimes it is dried and used as a seasoning.

Inexperienced mushroom pickers sometimes confuse saffron milk caps with pink mushrooms. It qualifies as a conditionally edible mushroom that has no beneficial nutritional values. It is easily distinguished by the colorless liquid released when pressed and the pubescent cap.

These mushrooms contain many valuable vitamins. The main component of camelina is water, of which it contains about ninety percent. All other elements are substances useful for the human body:

• vitamins – A and B1;
• cellulose;
• ash;
• minerals - calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, magnesium and sodium;
• proteins;
• carbohydrates;
• amino acids.

Ryzhiki are a nutritious, easily digestible product. Their dietary value is seventeen kilocalories per hundred grams of mushrooms. In terms of protein content, they are equal to meat.

Common and red camelina contain substances that I use to obtain lactarioviolin, an antibiotic that stops the growth of tuberculosis bacillus. All components of the mushroom, especially vitamins, are good for the health of hair and skin. In addition, saffron milk caps are highly valued because of the carotene they contain in considerable quantities. The younger the mushroom, the greater its saturation with useful components.

Mushrooms are very healthy, but like any product, they have several caveats to their use. It is not recommended to add saffron milk caps to the diet for people with diseases;

• chronic constipation;
• cholecystitis;
• low level of gastric acidity;
• pancreatitis.

You should not eat mushrooms after removal of the gallbladder and if you are individually intolerant to this product. Overweight people should not eat salted mushrooms, as this product has a high calorie content. Low-calorie fresh saffron milk caps are best suited for dietary nutrition.

Such mushrooms in their raw form are not suitable for consumption, but some mushroom pickers like to eat fresh mushrooms, experiencing all the subtleties of the mushroom taste. Ryzhiki have no bitterness and are suitable for preparing any dishes.

These mushrooms should not be cooked for a long time. It is enough to pour boiling water, wait until they release the juice and boil for fifteen minutes. After this, you can simply eat them with a little salt or use them in various culinary recipes.

These mushrooms go well with potatoes, sour cream and vegetables. They fill any food with their aroma. Often saffron milk caps are stewed with meat. Many people love mushrooms with apples. They are also used as a filling for dumplings or pies. Saffron milk caps give the soup a unique special aroma and taste.

These mushrooms are popular in many countries. They are valued in Italy, Poland and France. A spicy mushroom sauce is often prepared from saffron milk caps, the taste of which complements many dishes. Many people love salted or pickled mushrooms, which always decorate the table in winter.

Pickled mushrooms are a very tasty appetizer that is usually prepared for the winter. Before preparing saffron milk caps for marinade, you must first prepare for pouring:

• sort out the mushrooms and remove any debris;
• wash well in running cool water;
• trim the legs from below by no more than three centimeters;
• sterilize glass jars.

For two kilograms of mushrooms you will need:

• fifteen grams of salt;
• three hundred milliliters of water;
• three grams of citric acid.

To prepare the marinade, add salt and citric acid to boiling water. Place the prepared saffron milk caps into the boiling marinade and cook for twenty-five minutes. Then remove the mushrooms and fill the jars with them.

Then pour in the liquid in which they were cooked. Cover the jars with sterilized lids and set them to cool upside down on a flat surface. This snack is not only tasty, but also very healthy. It preserves many substances with which fresh saffron milk caps are enriched.

Saffron milk caps are usually salted in wooden barrels. First they prepare. To do this, you need to pour boiling water into it and wrap it in warm material. After half an hour, the water is drained. To pickle saffron milk caps you need:

• mushrooms cleared of debris are placed in a barrel in layers, which consist of saffron milk caps, horseradish leaves, dill sprigs, oak leaves, cherries and garlic cloves;
• The mushrooms are covered on top with a gauze bag with salt in the middle;
• The salt is pressed down with a circle cut out of wood, and a heavy weight is placed.

Gradually the wooden circle lowers and the mushrooms become covered with juice. Saffron milk caps are salted for two months. Properly salted mushrooms have excellent taste. One hundred grams of this product contains a little more than twenty-two kilocalories.

Many people think that to freeze mushrooms it is enough to collect them, wash them and put them in a bag in the freezer. To ensure that the product is suitable for consumption after freezing, you must follow all the rules for storing mushrooms at low temperatures.

Initially, the saffron milk caps are sorted out and cleared of forest debris. Then only whole mushrooms, without wormy parts or other lesions, are set aside for freezing. Young, strong saffron milk caps are best suited for this.

Mushrooms should not be washed, as they will become saturated with moisture and will become unsuitable for storage in the freezer. To remove dirt, you need to wipe the camelina with a slightly damp cloth, and then dry it with a towel.

Only such properly prepared mushrooms can be placed in plastic bags and stored in the freezer. Saffron milk caps are stored in this form at a temperature of eighteen degrees below zero for six months. It is advisable to use them during this time. At maximum frosts with minus temperatures below twenty-five degrees, the product can be kept for up to a year.

You can prepare various dishes from frozen saffron milk caps. They are boiled or fried in a frying pan. These mushrooms also make a very tasty soup, which is easy to prepare according to the following recipe:

• Thaw half a kilogram of saffron milk caps and fry in butter;
• Place the fried mushrooms in a pan of boiling water and leave to cook for half an hour;
• then add peeled potatoes cut into cubes - five pieces;
• then put onions and carrots into the mushroom broth, after grating them and frying them in oil;
• salt and pepper the soup to taste;
• cook until done.

This saffron milk soup is served with sour cream and herbs.

Very tasty mushrooms with sour cream. This combination of products gives the dish an exquisite taste. To prepare fried mushrooms with sour cream sauce you need:

• wash and clean the mushrooms from dirt;
• simmer over low heat for at least fifteen minutes;
• drain the water through a colander;
• cool and cut into small pieces;
• put mushrooms and prepared fried onions into a frying pan with butter
• cover with a lid and simmer for twenty minutes over low heat;
• pour sour cream on top and fry for ten minutes.

Ingredients used to prepare this dish:

• a tablespoon of butter;
• ten pieces of large saffron milk caps;
• a glass of high fat sour cream;
• one onion;
• salt to taste.

You can sprinkle grated cheese on top of the still hot saffron milk caps. These fried mushrooms are very tasty and nutritious.

To prepare this soup you need to prepare:

• three hundred grams of fresh or frozen saffron milk caps;
• one hundred grams of fat sour cream;
• four large potatoes;
• one processed cheese;
• medium sized onion;
• one small carrot;
• a spoonful of butter;
• greenery;
• salt and pepper.

Prepare wild saffron milk cream soup according to the step-by-step recipe:

• wash the boiled mushrooms and cut into four parts;
• fry them in butter until a light crust forms;
• pour two liters of water into a saucepan and boil;
• add mushrooms to the water;
• chop the onion and carrots and sauté in oil;
• Boil potatoes separately;
• Mash all cooked vegetables until pureed;
• add the resulting mass of onions, potatoes and carrots to the water with mushrooms;
• Bring the mixture to a boil and add grated cheese into it;
• Dilute flour in half a glass of mushroom broth and pour into the soup, stirring constantly;

Experienced mushroom pickers prefer to collect real saffron milk caps, which are often called spruce mushrooms. These mushrooms are first-class fruiting bodies, since they are superior in taste to all other types. In addition, all edible saffron milk caps contain a huge amount of nutrients and microelements in their pulp.

Fans of “quiet” hunting also collect saffron milk caps because they grow in large groups. Therefore, from one clearing you can collect a whole basket without difficulty. However, novice mushroom pickers wonder: are there false mushrooms and what do they look like?

To begin with, it must be said that edible saffron milk caps are in no way inferior in taste to porcini mushrooms. You can prepare a wide variety of dishes from them, including pickling and marinating for the winter. Some of the most popular saffron milk caps are spruce, pine and red. Therefore, how saffron milk caps differ from false representatives can be found out in this article, which also provides a description and photo of individual species.

All saffron milk caps are classified as lacticifers and are considered edible with very similar features to each other.

This species grows in spruce or pine forests and has a large cap with a diameter of about 18 cm. Small specimens have a convex cap and rolled up edges; adult specimens have an outstretched cap resembling a funnel shape. If the cap is wet, it becomes sticky; when dry, its surface is shiny and smooth. The shade can range from beige to bright orange with pronounced spots or circles.

The leg has the same color as the cap. There are small grooves on the surface, the shape resembles a cylinder, and tapers towards the base. The difference between the camelina mushroom and the false type is the color change when pressed. If you press the pine mushroom plates with your fingers, a green tint immediately appears, and when cut, the pulp releases a thick juice that turns yellow-orange. False species of saffron milk caps do not have this feature.

This edible species has slightly different characteristics. Are there false saffron milk caps similar to spruce mushrooms? To answer this question, you should find out what a real spruce saffron saffron looks like.

Usually this species grows in places where there are many young spruce trees. Its cap is no more than 9 cm, with rounded edges and a depression in the center. More mature fruiting bodies become completely plano-concave. Like pine saffron, spruce saffron becomes sticky and slippery in wet weather, and smooth and shiny in dry weather. The surface color of the mushroom varies from dark orange to light pink, with blue or green circles located on the surface. When cut, the mushroom immediately begins to turn green, although the flesh in the cap is orange and the flesh in the stem is white.

Experts note that there are no false saffron milk caps similar to the spruce species. Therefore, you can safely go to a coniferous forest or pine forest for spruce saffron milk caps.

What do red mushrooms look like and are these mushrooms false: photo and description

This species is quite rare, as it usually grows in dense, impenetrable coniferous forests or in mountainous areas. Some mushroom pickers who are just starting their “mushroom” career ask what red saffron milk caps look like, are they false mushrooms?

Let us note right away that the red saffron milk cap is never false, and the photo below clearly shows its description. The cap of this fruiting body can be flat, depressed or convex, with an average diameter. In immature specimens, the edges of the cap are always strongly curled downwards, while in old mushrooms the edges are almost even. The surface shimmers in the sun, but during rains dirt, grass and leaves immediately stick to it. The color varies from bright red to dark red.

The stem of the mushroom does not exceed 6-7 cm in height and is hollow inside. The color is red with a white coating on the surface. The plates have a bifurcated appearance and smoothly descend down to the middle of the leg. The pulp is dense with a heterogeneous color and can have different shades: white and red. When cut, the milky sap turns brown or red.

Red camelina grows from mid-July to the end of September.

It is worth noting that there are no poisonous false saffron milk caps in nature, so do not be afraid to confuse them with others. However, there are still species that are easily confused with real saffron milk caps.

Look at the photo what false saffron milk mushrooms look like.

What is the difference between edible saffron milk caps and false amber milkweeds (with photo)

What do false saffron milk caps, which are popularly called the amber milky mushroom, look like? The smell of this fruiting body is reminiscent of chicory, and the caps have a small bump. The pulp has a yellowish tint, and the surface of the entire fruit body is red with a silky sheen. It is worth saying that the amber milkweed is a weakly poisonous fruiting body. Therefore, pay attention to further photos of false saffron mushrooms, how to distinguish them from real species by other characteristics.

False saffron milk caps are indeed very similar to real ones, which are called red ones. The diameter of the cap is sometimes about 15 cm; when broken, the yellow flesh is immediately visible. This is the most important thing in contrast to the edible type. Therefore, immediately pay attention to the milky juice and its color. The white color of the milky liquid never changes its hue when it comes into contact with air.

Photos of false and edible saffron milk caps will help novice mushroom pickers avoid confusion and add only real species to their baskets.

Quite often, concentric zones are completely absent on the cap of false camelina. When you touch the plates of the false mushroom, a dark brown color is visible, which then acquires a greenish tint. The aroma and taste of false saffron milk caps are pleasant and do not cause concern.

A few more photos showing what false saffron milk mushrooms look like:

A detailed description and photo of whether there are false saffron milk caps will help you take a responsible approach to mushroom picking. After all, poisoning by these species still happens. The first signs: abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. Therefore, in case of poisoning, you need to give the victim a large amount of water (at least 1 liter) and call an ambulance.

What other false mushrooms are there?

False saffron milk caps include volnushki - conditionally edible mushrooms. Nothing will happen to you if you pickle or pickle a few jars of this mushroom harvest. Look at the photo and you will understand how to distinguish false saffron milk caps from real ones.

The main difference between saffron milk cap and volnushka is the color. The volnushka is more pink, and there are frequent villi on its surface. The diameter of the cap is about 10-12 cm, the shape is convex. With age, the surface straightens, forming a small depression in the center. The edges are slightly drooping, and there is a concentric pattern on the surface of the cap. The skin is slimy to the touch, with a white or light pink tint. When pressing on the cap, dark spots appear.