Where grows
The popular territory for the distribution of spruce mokruhe extends throughout central and northern Russia. The fungus grows in temperate climates. As a rule, it can be found in coniferous forests, in particular, in thickets of fir trees. Spruce moss is almost completely absent in deciduous forests. Mushrooms grow from the end of June, and end the season closer to November, when autumn is warm and long. The main conditions for the good distribution of spruce moss are the presence of a warm climate and a large amount of moisture. Many mushrooms hide unnoticed in fallen autumn leaves. Grows mainly in fungal colonies. Spruce moss can form mycorrhiza with spruce or pines.
Edible Mokruha spotted
Despite the fact that spotted wormwood has a rather repulsive appearance, to everyone's surprise, it is edible. Moreover, it is also very useful.
If we talk about the edibility and benefits of this mushroom, then it has a pleasant taste, smell and aroma. If you cook mokruha with vegetables, they will also be saturated with this pleasant smell and will give you incomparable pleasure.
In terms of taste, spotted moss, despite its unattractive appearance, is very similar to boletus.
However, in order for the mushrooms not to cause harm, it is necessary not only to wash off the mucus from them, but also to remove the outer part of the cap, that is, the entire skin. The fact is that in the mucus, as a rule, there were insects and all kinds of dirt accumulated. To protect yourself from negative influences, it is recommended to hit the dirt well so as not to harm your body.
Beneficial features
For example, it contains special enzymes that are part of many antibiotics, including those sold in Russia.
This mushroom is extremely useful for those who are losing weight, since, despite the low calorie content, it is very satisfying. Dulls appetite.
It contains a huge amount of useful vitamins, minerals and amino acids. All of them are highly recommended for weight loss, since 100 g of moss contains less than 200 kcal, but it replaces a full-fledged varied diet.
Also, the body is saturated with useful nutrients, which are so lacking in the diet.
Surprisingly, 100 g of such a small mushroom contains exactly the same amount of protein as a 100 gram piece of beef. Therefore, mokruha is preferred primarily by vegetarians. Therefore, mokruha is sold in every supermarket in Europe and has exactly the same popularity as champignons in Russia.
Also, scientists note that in comparison with meat, a similar protein of which is also contained in the composition of moss, white mushrooms are even healthier and more nutritious, and are absorbed by the body several times faster.
Mokruha is widely used for cosmetic purposes. For example, special creams and masks are made on its basis, which help to give the skin elasticity, smoothness and, return a healthy color and glow.
After applying such masks and creams, the skin becomes as if velvety and matte. At the same time, the pores are significantly narrowed.
Mokrukh are also used in hair treatment. If you regularly make a decoction based on these mushrooms, you will quickly notice how the hair will stop falling out, become lush, voluminous and shiny.
Description of motrukha spotted.
The cap of the spotted moss is rather small - 3-7 centimeters in diameter. The shape of the cap changes from convex to flattened, and sometimes to depressed with edges bent down. The color of the cap is yellowish, pink-brown or gray-ocher. The surface is mucous, and the mucus darkens when pressed.
There are rare plates under the head. The plate is branching in shape.They descend on the leg. At a young age, the plates are whitish, and in maturity they become dirty brown.
The knife is cylindrical, fibrous. Its length is 5-11 centimeters, and the girth reaches 1.5 centimeters. The surface of the leg is sticky. On the leg there is a mucous ring, at the top the leg is white with spots (for which the mushroom got its name), and below it is yellow.
The flesh of the mokruha is spotty white or yellow; in the air it turns red. Spore powder green-black. Fusiform spores.
Description and photo of Mokrukha spotted
Mokruha grows in pine forests and forms mycorrhiza with this tree. She, like other members of her family, loves darkness, moderate moisture, and a carpet of moss and pine needles.
It is recommended to look for this mushroom between the end of June and the middle of September.
However, it is recommended to pick these mushrooms only towards the end of the season, in August or September, when they have already grown to their maximum. It is about these already developed, healthy and tasty mushrooms that we will talk about in this article.
Mokruha spotted - a really extraordinary mushroom. On its cap and leg, peculiar spots often appear, which many take for putrefactive processes, so they rush to bypass the mushroom by the side. But in fact, these are nothing more than a variety of spots, which can be large or small, depending on the composition of the soil where the fungus grows. For example, in limestone it has a more uniform color, and when acidic soils prevail, it looks like a kind of Dalmatian.
Some mushroom pickers consider mokrukha a forest dweller dangerous to health precisely because of its specific appearance. However, the mushroom is absolutely safe for humans, so you can not only watch it, but even touch it.
Hat
The cap of the spotted worm can reach a diameter of up to 20 cm.However, in central Russia, large representatives of this species are less common. Most often, they are small and modest, the cap does not exceed 10 cm in diameter.
At the very beginning of growth, the shape of the cap takes on a convex appearance and is somewhat bell-like. However, then the edges begin to rise, creating a kind of waves on the hat.
At the beginning of growth, the color is yellowish, then turns orange, after which it acquires a crimson or dark gray hue. Less common are pink or brown representatives of the family.
The surface is mucous, and when pressed on it, dark spots are formed.
Mucus accumulates on the cap, and insects and all kinds of debris can be in it. Therefore, such moss should be thoroughly washed before using it for food.
Let's take a look under the hat. There are very rare plates that have a branching shape. They go from the leg and rise to the hat. At a young age, the plates have a white tint, but with age they become dark brown.
Leg
The leg of this mushroom is quite high. It is thanks to her that the mokruha do not get lost among the pine needles, and she rises above them.
It has a cylindrical shape. Its length varies from 5 to 11 cm, depending on which soil, fertile or not, the fungus grows in.
Also, the leg is quite dense at the time of the beginning of growth, however, over time, when it becomes old, it becomes hollow. It does not hold up well with a large hat, so it often heels, breaks off and falls.
Very often on the leg you can find a small slimy ring, this is such a kind of skirt that adorns the mushroom. In the upper part, the leg has a light shade, but the closer to the ground, the darker it becomes.
LPs
At the very beginning of growth, the plates of the mokruha are white, branched and very nicely arranged. They are very delicate in structure, and easily deform when in contact with anything.
However, with age, they begin to darken and turn gray. At the same time, they break off, lose their even row and are located in a disorderly manner.
In order to understand whether putrefactive processes occur with wet moss or not, we recommend that you first look at the plates. Yes, it turns out that if they are deformed, have a dark shade or, in general, have an incomprehensible consistency, this means that processes occur in the mushroom that are incompatible with cooking it for food.
Therefore, we recommend that you bypass such a mushroom by the side, but in no case pluck it. Let in this place next year there will be new moss, and perhaps no longer subject to the process of decay.
Pulp
The pulp of this mushroom has a white tint. When interacting with oxygen, it becomes darker, acquires a dark yellow or gray color.
With age, the pulp becomes even darker, so it may even have brown blotches. However, this should not be feared. Such a mushroom is absolutely safe, just for one reason or another it has acquired a dark shade.
Mokruha has a pleasant mushroom aroma. Therefore, it attracts many animals and insects.
By the way, the pulp breaks very easily, so place the mushrooms carefully in the basket. Chances are good that you will lay them too tightly and break them along the way.
Description
Spruce peel (Gomphidius glutinosus) belongs to the Gomphidiaceae family. Other names are also known: slug mushroom and sticky moss. These names emphasize the characteristic characteristic of the fungus: a thick layer of mucus covering the fruiting body partially or even entirely. Let's take a closer look at the mushroom.
- the cap of the young specimen is convex, with an edge wrapped to the leg, connected to the leg with a blanket. In the process of development of the fruiting bodies, it becomes prostrate. The surface is slightly depressed in the center or has a small tubercle. Viscous mucus, when dry, opens a smooth cuticle, colored gray-blue or brownish-brown with shades of purple at the edges. In overgrown mushrooms, dark specks usually cover the entire skin. The diameter of the cap reaches from 4 to 10, less often up to 12 cm;
- the pulp is dense, soft, with a slight mushroom odor and neutral taste, white or pale pink in young mushrooms, gray in old ones, at the junction with the stem - yellowish;
- the plates are sparse, branched, descend along the pedicle, whitish in the initial phase of development, covered with a mucous veil (with the growth of the fruiting body, it breaks off and remains on the pedicle). The plates of old mushrooms are almost black;
- spore powder of black or olive-brown color;
- a leg about 2 cm thick reaches a length of 11 cm, massive, dense, covered with mucus, under it - a smooth texture, white in length, at the base - rich yellow. On the leg of young mushrooms there is a mucous ring left over from the torn coverlet, which often disappears.
Despite its unappetizing appearance, spruce mokruha is edible and belongs to the fourth category of taste.
The benefits of spotted wet fur.
Mokrukh are considered useful mushrooms, they contain enzymes that are used to make antibiotics.
There are amino acids, microelements and vitamins in spotted mucous. They are recommended for weight loss, while they saturate the body with useful elements. In terms of protein content, they are not inferior to meat, so they can be safely included in the vegetarian menu. In addition, the advantage of moss in comparison with meat is that their protein is more easily absorbed by the body.
Mokruha spotted has a beneficial effect on the entire body - from improving memory to strengthening the immune system. These mushrooms help fight chronic fatigue and tone the body. They fight viral diseases. In addition, mokruhs promote blood renewal.
In addition, these mushrooms are used in cosmetology. Masks and creams are made from mokruh, which help to make the skin smooth and elastic. It takes on a matte color and the pores shrink. Also, wet hairs have a positive effect on the hair structure.With regular use of decoctions and masks from wet hair, the hair stops splitting, becomes shiny and begins to grow better.
Contraindications to the use of mokruh.
Mokrukh have no counterparts, so they can be collected without fear. However, there are certain rules for collecting all mushrooms - they cannot be collected near enterprises and roads, since in these places they are saturated with harmful substances from the environment. In addition, mokruha should not be used by people with stomach and intestinal problems, as well as young children.
Related species of moss spotted.
Mokruha Swiss is a conditionally edible mushroom. His hat is convex, dry, velvety, guard color. Leg narrowed towards the base, felt. Young mushrooms have a felt blanket that connects the cap to the stem. The pulp is tough, fibrous, with an indistinct odor and sweetish taste.
Swiss mokruh grows in autumn. They live singly and in groups. They mainly grow in mountain coniferous forests. They are found under cedars and firs.
Purple peel is an edible mushroom. In young mushrooms, the caps are neat, rounded, and later become open or funnel-shaped. Their color is lilac-brown, with a wine tint, and the central part is purple. The pulp is thick, without a special taste and smell, lilac-pink color. The leg tapers downwards, it is somewhat curved in shape, slightly lighter than the cap.
Purple moss grows from August to September. They are collected in pine forests. Purple mokruhs bear fruit in relatively small groups. Not very common.
Contraindications
As you already understood, mokruha is a very useful mushroom that contains many useful substances and elements. But sometimes this is not enough to be completely confident in the safety of consumption.
So, there are a number of contraindications that prohibit certain citizens from eating mokruha.
Girls carrying a baby and a mother who is breastfeeding is in close connection with the baby. Therefore, mothers are advised to follow special diets that exclude harmful and healthy curd products. Mokruha is safe for the human body. But, unfortunately, it is far from always possible to be sure of the quality of the mushroom.
Also, mokruha should not be used by people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Such people, as a rule, drink special drugs that improve the intestinal microflora, establish an acid-base balance, and so on. And the moss, due to the high content of components, can simply disrupt the established system, causing complications.
Also, with caution around you need to offer small children, or better, under the age of 12, do not give forest mushrooms to children at all. If you adhere to these rules, you will surely protect yourself and your loved ones from possible poisoning.
If you adhere to these rules, you will surely protect yourself and your loved ones from possible poisoning.
Recipes
As we have already found out, mokruha is an edible mushroom that will not harm your health. This means that if you managed to collect these mushrooms, you can cook a delicious dinner with them. Let's find out what this is about.
Mushroom soup
Soup is a very healthy dish in itself. It can be varied in various ways. And mushroom soup is a real work of art. Considering that mokruha is a very aromatic mushroom, it is perfect for cooking.
- To begin with, mokruha needs to be prepared in the right way. For this, the mushrooms are freed from debris. Rinse well under running cool water.
- Then, remove the skin from the cap.
- After that, the mushrooms are left to soak for a while.
- At this time, immerse a chicken leg and a wing in cold water and put on fire.
- The broth begins to boil, and we remove the foam in a timely manner.
- After the first removal of the foam, reduce the heat to minimum and cook the broth for 40 minutes.
- Mushrooms that have been in the water for exactly one hour are then dipped in a small saucepan and boiled for 20 minutes.
- Boiled white meat must be crumbled into the finished chicken broth.
- We make overcooking from onions and carrots, bring the onions to a golden color and send them to the broth.
- Chop the potatoes into small cubes.
- Cut the mushrooms into small plates and fry them well in a pan.
- Salt and pepper everything together, cook until the potatoes become soft.
- The fire is diminished, the soup is sprinkled with herbs.
Infused for 30 minutes and ready to use. It is ideal to serve such a soup with sour cream, which will favorably emphasize and enhance the taste of mushrooms.
Roast in the sleeve
You don't have time to cook a delicious dish at all, and the guests are already on the doorstep? If you have too little time, but at the same time, there is mokruha and some of the most primitive vegetables and ingredients, you are in luck. We'll show you an easy way to bake roasts up your sleeve.
- You will need a piece of defrosted pork. We free it from the fat and cut it into small cubes.
- Roll in soybeans and pepper.
- Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Chop the carrots into slices.
- Cut the onion into half rings.
- We thoroughly rinse the mokruha under running cold water. Remove the skin from the cap and rinse well again. Boil for 15 minutes.
- The mushrooms are then chopped in half and added to the vegetables.
- Put everything together in a baking sleeve. The meat is neatly placed on top.
- If you like juicy food, it is recommended to cut the tomato into small pieces.
- Everything together is salted, peppery, covered with spices and mixed.
- It is sent to the oven at a temperature of 250 degrees for 40 minutes.
While your guests come and settle down, the dish will be ready.
Stuffed pancakes
You can also make delicious stuffed pancakes from mokruha. The preparation of this dish can be divided into two stages.
- First thing you need to do is peel the mushrooms. To do this, clear them of debris. Rinse well under cold running water.
- Remove the skin from the cap.
- Place in a bowl of cold water to soak.
- Then, after an hour, put in a saucepan and cook for 20 minutes.
- At this point, you need to break two eggs into a bowl.
- Add 1 cup flour.
- Pour out two glasses of milk and one glass of water.
- Add a pinch of baking powder, some sugar and salt.
- Mix everything together with a mixer.
- If the liquid is too thick, add a little more water, and if it is thin, then add more flour.
- Heat a frying pan and brush well with oil.
- Pour out the liquid and bake the first pancake.
- If the consistency is good, bake all the pancakes with the solution you make.
- While the pancakes are cooling, you need to finely chop the onion.
- Fry it until golden brown.
- Then finely chop the mushrooms and add to the onion.
- Fry everything together.
- If you want the filling to be more satisfying, you can scroll the boiled chicken or beef meat through a meat grinder and fry it too.
- Everything is salted and peppery together.
- The finished filling is laid out in pancakes and carefully wrapped in a kind of envelopes.
Before serving, it is necessary to lightly fry on both sides so that the pancake is not so soft. Bon Appetit!
Primary processing and preparation
Spruce peel is suitable for pickling, pickling, preservation, frying. Some sources recommend it for drying as well. It gives additional harmonizing flavor nuances to meat dishes. Before cooking, freshly picked mushrooms are sorted out, rejecting those damaged by pests, and cleared of mucus. It is also necessary to remove the skin from the cap, which can be easily and completely removed. Then the mushrooms are washed and boiled for 15-20 minutes. Darkening of sticky moss after heat treatment is a normal phenomenon that does not affect taste.
Returning to the debate about the merits and demerits of spruce mokruha, we can definitely say that there are better mushrooms. But it is interesting that squirrels, storing stocks for the winter, prefer moss to the mushrooms and boletus growing nearby.Perhaps the natural instinct of forest mushroom experts gives the most correct answer to the question of whether it is worth collecting spruce moss.
Appearance
The hat of spruce mokruha does not differ in its special appearance. Its color is gray and with small dark spots. Old mushrooms have a black cap at all. The hat itself has a diameter of 15 centimeters, but due to moisture it looks larger. The plates at the bottom of the cap are grayish in color, which also darkens with the age of the fungus. The color of the leg is white. At the base, the color is bright yellow. A characteristic feature of the mushroom is its mucus, which covers both the entire cap and the leg. When the mucus dries, the cap becomes glossy and shiny. The skin can be easily removed. The cap and the leg are connected by a thin slime blanket. The flesh of spruce moss is tender, which does not darken in the cut.
Similar species and how to distinguish from them
A plus for the reputation of a gummy moss can be considered the absence of inedible and poisonous counterparts in it. But there is a similarity with the edible wet spotted and wet purple, which are part of the family Gomphidiaceae. Spotted peat (Gomphidius maculatus) is a smaller mushroom, its flesh turns red at the fracture, and the spore powder is olive-brown in color. In purple moss (Gomphidius rutilus), the pulp is orange-brown, the plates are dark purple.
Among the representatives of other species, thanks to the mucus-covered caps with a dark color, there is a slight resemblance to the autumn oiler (Suillus luteus), which does not have plates under the cap.
The benefits of mokruha
The beneficial effect on the entire body of this product is enormous. The mushroom improves memory, eliminates chronic fatigue and strengthens the body's defenses. Experts say that the fungus is able to fight viral diseases, improves the processes of hematopoiesis and allows you to actively renew blood cells.
It is worth noting that most countries use this product in traditional medicine to combat migraines, headaches, insomnia and nervous system disorders.
Also, this mushroom has found application in cosmetology. Cosmetics, which contain it, allow the skin to remain elastic, silky and elastic longer. Fungus-based creams and lotions are recommended for oily skin, as the special ingredients in their composition narrow the pores and the skin becomes matte.
An equally positive effect occurs on the condition of the hair. Among folk recipes, masks based on mushrooms are used, the problem of split ends, dandruff and hair loss is eliminated. As a result, the hair becomes shiny, elastic and healthy.
