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Raincoat meadow (Latin name Lycoperdonpratense).
One of the most common representatives of the champignon family is meadow raincoat. Its famous taste is known to many, which cannot be said about the places of growth. However, before touching on this thematic section, we characterize the external qualities of the fungus.
What does it look like?
A distinctive feature of this representative of the kingdom of mushrooms is the similarity with the ball, which is due to the spherical or pear-shaped shape of its fruiting body. Its upper part has a flattening, on which there is a hole resembling a slit for spores of gray-green color. The mushrooms are small in size (the radius of the cap is from 1 to 2.5 cm, the height is 3.5 centimeters) and have a light color. A well-defined wrinkled leg is located under the fruit body. A slice of the mushroom allows us to judge the sufficient density of the pulp, the softness of its consistency and juiciness. The passage of time affects the degree of softness of the fungus (the younger, the harder).
The texture of the surface of the fungus is achieved due to small and soft growths - spines. Washing the hats with rains removes such formations, smooths the skin of the mushroom. In the process of maturation, the color of the fungus acquires yellowish and brown hues. The leg and the lower part of the cap are separated by a partition called the diaphragm. Painted in silver-white, it has a slight thickening and a pleasant smell.
Where does it grow?
Can I eat?
Meadow raincoat is an edible mushroom. To taste they equate it to the beloved many boletus, which is explained by the rarity of collecting and eating this species.
The preventive measure that needs to be done before cooking the mushrooms is to clarify where they grew. Despite the fact that the raincoat itself does not belong to the poisonous representatives of the mushroom kingdom, it has an excessive susceptibility to toxic substances. Thus, eating mushrooms grown in places with a polluted atmosphere can cause poisoning.
Only young white raincoats are consumed, as the old ones do not have good taste - the darkened flesh becomes like an inedible cotton wool.
Usually, the mushrooms are freed from the skin, which imparts excessive rigidity, then subjected to heat treatment. For this operation, it is advised to use a dry knife, because by absorbing moisture, mushrooms lose their aroma. During the preparation of meadow raincoats, a woody smell appears, which always disappears by the end of cooking.
How useful?
Not only high taste qualities are the advantage of this mushroom. He is credited with medicinal properties, which makes the raincoat meadow an important component of various tinctures prepared by adherents of traditional medicine. For example, he is able to quickly stop the blood of small cuts, as well as heal places of burns, rot, rashes. Mature raincoats are often already unsuitable for food to help get rid of aphids. Covering the resulting smoke from burning spores from affected trees and bushes rescues diseased plants.
How to prepare?
Inedible species
There are inedible types of raincoats, which include brown or blackberry raincoat. Fortunately, it is possible to meet them less often than meadow raincoats. Dark spikes or scales, as well as the yellow color of the pulp, will help you distinguish the mushroom you eat from what will lead to poisoning.
A giant raincoat deserves special attention. He is often considered a mutant, because they bypass it. Outwardly, it resembles an ordinary mushroom, a raincoat, only repeatedly increased in size. Its weight can reach 10 kilograms. The pulp of a giant resembles marshmallows in consistency. Be careful! Do not step on a giant raincoat, as this will trigger the release of ripe spores, which can stop breathing in the lungs.
Video: raincoats - delicious mushrooms
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