Kira Stoletova

Milky mushrooms are divided into edible, or food and conditionally edible. They belong to the lamellar, included in the Russula family. In translation, the Latin name of the genus Lactarius (Lactarius) means "giving milk." More than 50 varieties of these mushrooms are found in Russia and the CIS countries.

Characteristics

Description of mushroom cap:

• the average cap size reaches 8 cm;
• the edges of the cap of a young specimen are tightly pressed to the stem, with time it separates and takes on a flat-concave or funnel-shaped shape;
• the edges are usually smooth, sometimes with an indistinct "wave";
• the color palette is diverse: from white to dark olive, almost black. Color is changeable, depends on age;
• the structure of the cap surface varies from smooth to scaly.

In nature, there are specimens with caps whose diameter reaches 30 cm. The taste of fresh pulp varies from burning, with a pronounced sharpness to sweetish. The color is brown, white blotches are possible, one can say that it changes with age. The aroma is almost non-existent. A specific smell is characteristic only for some species.

Leg description:

• the structure is cylindrical;
• to the base narrows or expands;
• the color is similar to the hat or a tone lighter;
• diametrical range - 1.5-4 cm;
• height 5-10 cm;
• the top layer is smooth-textured;
• with age, a cavity appears inside.

Irina Selyutina (Biologist):

Mushrooms belong to the milky genus, the most important of which (for example, a real breast) from the point of view nutritional value, since ancient times they were called milk mushrooms. Now many species of this genus are called milk mushrooms, including inedible ones, for example, a gray-pink lactic. And in some specialized reference books, such a name - “breast”, is accepted for most species of the genus, with the exception of saffron milk caps and volushki. In addition, there are also “dry breasts”, or loaders (loaders). So they are not called milkers, but some types of russula that are outwardly similar to them.

A little about milkmen:

• 1797- the genus Lactarius was identified by a Dutch botanist and mycologist
• The genus was isolated in 1797 by the Dutch botanist and mycologist Christian Heinrich Person.
• 1889– a proposal was put forward to divide this genus into two (Lactaria and Lactariella) based on the peculiarities of the microscopic characteristics of spores and the color of the spore powder. This was proposed by the German mycologist Josef Schroeter.
• 1888- French mycologist Lucien Kelet proposed a system of the genus Lactarius based on the classification of its species according to the nature of the cap surface (3 sections): sticky; dry smooth and velvety/hairy hat.
• 1956- for the first time, microscopic features in the structure of the cap skin were used to divide the genus into sections. This classification was published by the German mycologist Walter Neuhoff. This sign - the microscopic structure of the cap skin, or pileipellis, remains one of the main ones to this day.
• 1979– micro- and macroscopic characters began to be used to distinguish intrageneric taxa. As a result, 6 subgenera, 18 sections and 5 subsections were identified.

milky non-caustic

This species is classified as conditionally food. Milky non-caustic forms mycorrhiza with birch, spruce, oak, but prefers birch. The second name is a synonym - Milky orange. Appears in forests in mid-July.

A young mushroom is distinguished by a convex hat orange color. In older specimens, it takes on a funnel-shaped outline. In the center, which is characterized by a more intense color compared to the edges, there is a characteristic small tubercle.

The dry skin of the cap has a velvety texture. The height of the leg varies between 3-8 cm. The flesh is odorless, orange, the structure is dense. The juice is white, watery, reacting with atmospheric oxygen, does not change color. According to taste sensations - non-edible.

Coming out on " quiet hunting”, you can return with a full basket of the same conditional edible mushrooms- lactic, but related to the species m. brownish.

milky brown

The brown milky is a conditionally food variety. The hat is neatly folded at the edges. Usually the central tubercle is preserved even in adult specimens of the Brown Milky. The color of the hat surface is brown on the outside, white on the inside. The edge of the cap is slightly pubescent. In young specimens it is ribbed, but in old specimens it is wavy, lobed-curved, but also slightly pubescent.

The surface of the skin is dry, velvety structure. The pulp on the cut is white, thin, easily broken. The brown milky exudes a non-caustic juice, which turns yellow when exposed to air.

This species is classified as rare. It occurs in coniferous (mainly in spruce) forests. Prefers acidic marshy soils. Mycorrhiza forms with spruce.

This species can be confused with m. brownish and m. resinous black.

Milky oak

Oak milky, or as it is also called - neutral milky, settles in oak and mixed plantings. The mushroom belongs to the group of conditionally edible. It has a specific - hay smell and a weak taste.

The diameter range of the hat surface is 5-10 cm. The color of the hat is brown. The surface is covered with uneven circles of concentric shape. On the inner (lower) side are creamy plates that release milky juice when pressed. Milky juice is also present in the pulp, it is white, non-caustic and does not react with atmospheric oxygen, which means it does not change color.

This species is widespread, preferring broad-leaved and mixed forests in which oak is present. It is with oak that it forms mycorrhiza, which indicates selectivity and settles around old trees, forming groups in the grass and on the litter.

Specialists identify similar species - m. watery-milky and serushka.

Milky fragrant

Fragrant milky - a representative of conditionally edible mushrooms. The size of the surface of the cap in diameter reaches 3-6 cm. The color can be pink, red, lilac-gray, it depends on the age and characteristics of the local climate.

The surface is dry, not sticky, smooth. Even in adulthood, the hat has a tucked edge.

The stem, the height corresponds to the diameter of the cap, loose in structure, reaches 1 cm in thickness. The color is one tone lighter than the surface of the cap. As it matures, a cavity forms inside.

The pulp is characterized by white color and insipid taste. But the aroma is quite interesting for our latitudes - the milky exudes a coconut aroma. It is eaten only as pickles for the winter.

By the way. For fragrant milkweed, similar species were recorded - m. faded, m. papillary.

Milky red-brown

Milky red-brown grows in spruce forests, on acidic soils. Mushrooms of this species are classified as conditionally edible, like a number of other representatives of the genus Mlechnik. Hat 5-17 cm, thick, dense. Covered with dry, smooth skin in adults and velvety in young specimens. The surface is brown. The smell of the pulp is very specific - in young mushrooms it is pleasant, but in adults it resembles the smell of herring or crabs.

The plates of the hymenophore are fleshy, weakly descending onto the stem. Usually whitish or pinkish in color, but when pressed, brownish spots form .. Liquid - milky juice secreted by the pulp, sticky, white, turns brown on contact with air, as a result of which all the constituent parts of the fruiting body turn brown.

Representatives of the species are rare despite its wide distribution in all types of forests. Mycorrhiza forms with conifers and deciduous species. Soil chooses raw.

Milky faded

Faded milkweed is included in the category of opportunistic mushrooms. It grows in deciduous forests, on hilly edges, next to birches, tall pines. The hymenophore is lamellar. The diameter range of the hat is 3-10 cm.

The cap is thin, with a small amount of pulp, easily crumbles. Immature specimens of the faded milkweed have hats that are convex in the center. The faded milky has a wine-brown or grayish-brown color of the cap, and in the center of its tone it will be more saturated.

Irina Selyutina (Biologist):

The cap of the faded lactic is characterized by hygrophobia, i.e. the ability to change appearance depending on external conditions, or rather, on air humidity. This happens due to the fact that the pulp of some types of mushrooms has the ability to swell under the influence of moisture. The false tissue, or trama, of such pulp consists of mycelial hyphae loosely intertwined with each other, as a result of which air-filled spaces remain between them, in which water is retained. Therefore, in wet weather, externally, the caps of such mushrooms have more saturated dark tones, and in the process of drying, concentric zones appear that spread over the surface of the cap either from its center to the edges, or vice versa.

Leg size 4-8 cm, cylindrical shape. In young mushrooms it is dense, full, in old ones it is hollow. The color of the legs is gray-brown. The pulp is pale white, does not smell, abundantly produces caustic milky juice, which becomes grayish-green in air.

milky stunted

The milky milky is stunted, or, as it is also called, the breast is tender, conditionally food. It is eaten salted, dried after obligatory preliminary soaking due to the presence of a slight spicy taste characteristic of the pulp. The surface of the cap in diameter reaches 3-5 cm. The color is red or ocher-brick. The hat has a pronounced bulge in the center, the edges are lowered.

The plates have a similar color to the hat, descending, rarely located. Leg up to 5 cm long, loose, slightly expanded towards the base. The pulp does not produce much juice. The liquid is white, when it dries it acquires a yellow tint.

milky wet

Wet milky is classified as conditionally edible. Some sources say that the mushroom contains poisonous toxins and is therefore not recommended for consumption. The color of the cap is gray with a slight but noticeable shade of purple. Its size is 4-8 cm in diameter. In the center with a small tubercle, around which a depressed area is located. The edges of the cap are covered with a layer of small villi and are bent to the stem.

The skin is moist and sticky. The hymenophore is lamellar, in young specimens it is white, in aging specimens it turns yellow. Under mechanical action, it acquires a lilac color. Milky juice is white, in reaction with air it acquires a lilac hue. Excretion of fluid is profuse.

milky orange

The orange milky is classified as an inedible mushroom, and some mycologists are generally sure that it is weakly poisonous mushroom. In the special literature there is no data on its serious danger to human health, but the frequent consequences of its accidental eating are disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Has a citrus aroma. The diameter of the cap is 3-8 cm, the length of the stem is 3-6 cm. In young mushrooms, the cap is convex, but in overripe ones it is concave. There is no tubercle in the center, which is characteristic of most species of the genus. The color of the skin covering the cap is orange. The surface is smooth, during rain it becomes sticky and slippery to the touch. Lamellar hymenophore, yellow spores. The plates themselves have a light orange or fawn hue in adult mushrooms, while in young ones they are white.

The pulp is fibrous, dense. Milky juice is white, thick, caustic, does not change color when exposed to air.

Milky hygrophoroid

The milky hygrophoroid is edible, the hat is orange-brown. The hymenophore plates are rarely located, white or cream, descending on the stem. When damaged, they are able to secrete milky juice. The spores and, accordingly, the spore powder are white in color. The pulp is white, brittle. The milky juice that stands out on a cut or other kind of damage does not change color when exposed to air and remains white.

Mycorrhiza forms mainly with oak. Grows in deciduous forests. It has a similar appearance - a red-brown breast.

milky white

Milky white conditionally edible. Grows in dry pine forests. Prefers sandy soils. The surface of the cap reaches 4-10 cm in diameter. In a young fungus, it is convex, but eventually becomes funnel-shaped. Edges are thin. Over time, the “fluff” covering them disappears and they become smooth.

The cap is covered with a slimy skin. When dry, it becomes milky white. The hymenophore plates are forked, descending, secreting white juice and darkening when pressed. The juice is watery, fresh (not caustic), does not change color in reaction with air.

milky brownish

The brown milky belongs to the food (edible) varieties. Before use, it is not soaked, despite the presence of milky juice, although not very bitter. On the cut, the white milky juice changes color and acquires a pinkish tint. Settles in coniferous forests on sandy soils.

The cap of the milky brownish is 5-10 cm in diameter, wavy at the edges. With age, the milky hat brightens. The skin is dry, velvety. The flesh is white, turning yellow with age. Slightly pink when broken.

This species prefers deciduous forests, forms mycorrhiza with oak and beech.

milky lilac

Lilac milky is a representative of a conditionally edible group of mushrooms. The diameter of its thin pubescent hat is 5-10 cm. In the center there is a depression without a tubercle (in adults). Young mushrooms are characterized by a flat cap. The skin is dry, lilac-pink, there are no concentric zones with a darker coloration.

The flesh is white-pink in color and has a mushroom aroma. It secretes a large amount of white and acrid-tasting milky juice. The mushroom grows in alder forests. Before eating, the mushroom needs to be pre-soaked.

milky common

The common Milky mushroom, or smooth, like many species included in the Milky genus, is a conditionally edible mushroom. The cap diameter is 10-15 cm. It is distinguished by a flattened and depressed (wheel-shaped) cap shape of adult specimens. The edges are tucked inward, not pubescent. The color of the hats of various shades in a palette of purple-lilac or fawn-brown tones, which is inherent in young mushrooms, but age-related mushrooms are yellowish or pinkish-brown.

The pulp of a young mushroom is distinguished by its strength and white color. In old mushrooms, it is loose. The sharpness of the taste is given by white milky juice, which becomes olive-brown on contact with air.

The common milkweed is common in coniferous and deciduous forests. Prefers moisture-intensive soils, appears in large quantities. This species in the process of evolution began to form mycorrhiza with pine, birch and spruce.

Milky marsh

Milky (milk) marsh belongs to the category of edible mushrooms that need pre-soaking. In terms of taste, it is inferior to a real mushroom. The marsh milky is salted or pickled for the winter. Cap diameter up to 5 cm maximum. The hat is open-rounded. In the center of the cap is a small but clearly visible sharp tubercle. As the mushroom grows, the edges of the cap turn from bent to a lowered state. The skin of the cap is red, ocher, and can fade in the sun. The hymenophore is lamellar, frequent, characterized by the presence of a reddish hue.

The leg has a dense structure, pubescent in its lower part. In the center and along the entire length of the leg, either a hollow channel or a cavity can be located. The color corresponds to the color of the cap or is slightly lighter.

The pulp on the cut is creamy. Unpleasant when raw. Milky juice whitish, under the influence of air becomes gray with a yellow tint. For old marsh mushrooms, a very burning and caustic milky juice is characteristic.

milky sweetish

The milky mushroom (milk) is sweetish, or a companion, or rubella, belongs to the category of conditionally edible mushrooms that require pre-soaking. However, this mushroom is often considered inedible. The fungus got its pseudonym "rubella" because of the characteristic color of the fruiting body. Hat 3-7 cm, oval-rounded, concave in the center. The surface of the cap may be smooth or slightly wrinkled. The hymenophore is lamellar, frequent, descending. The color of the hymenophore ranges from white to pale brown or pink.

The pulp is quite dense, but at the same time fragile. Its color can be white or reach nut shades.

The milky juice is white or gray-watery, bittersweet. Does not change color when exposed to air. It is characterized by a special smell - bedbugs or rubber.

Milky camphor

Milky (milk) camphor is a conditionally edible mushroom, the taste is low (boiling is necessary before use). Due to the presence of a specific smell, this species is classified as an edible mushroom of category 4. This means that although mushrooms contain sufficient nutrients and are eaten, they can still be dangerous to humans if not properly prepared.

The common milkweed is a commercial mushroom.

Milky liver

Milky liver is inedible due to its spicy taste. Hat with a diameter of 3-7 cm, gray-brown, maybe with an olive tint. Its surface is smooth, the central part is depressed, it may even resemble a funnel. The leg is a tone lighter.

The pulp is thin, light brown. Pink plates fit snugly to the hat, often located. The spores that form on their surface have a cream or creamy pink tone.

The species is mycorrhizal with pine. prefers acidic sandy soils for its development.

milky blue

Milky blue - a mushroom from the category of edible. It does not occur on the territory of Europe and Russia. Natural habitat - nature Asia, Central and North America.

Hat 5-15 cm, has a blue (denim) color. Ring zones with a darker color are visible on the surface. The surface is sticky in young mushrooms. The shape of the cap surface changes as the fungus grows from convex to depressed and funnel-shaped.

The flesh is light blue, turns green when damaged, just like the hymenophores. frequent denim-blue plates. The juice is blue, caustic, turns green (oxidizes) under the influence of atmospheric oxygen. Mycorrhiza forms with deciduous and evergreen trees.

By the way. In Virginia (USA), Lactarius indigo var. diminutivus is a smaller variety of blue milkweed with a cap diameter of 3-7 cm.

Conclusion

Milk mushrooms are distributed throughout the world. They are divided into poisonous, conditionally edible (or conditionally edible) and edible. Their main difference from other species is the release of milky juice when pressing on the pulp or damaging it. Edible mushrooms are used in salted and (or) pickled form. Their taste characteristics are not very high.

The milky mushroom resembles both a wave and a breast at the same time, you can be convinced of this by examining the photo and reading the description of the “forest handsome man”.

Photo gray-pink milky

Some mushroom pickers either jokingly or seriously call it a mushroom. In vain, he has nothing to do with an appetizing and fragrant relative, rather the opposite. However, you need to know that the mushroom represents itself, so let's get to know it better.

Description

The milky mushroom is gray-pink, lamellar. Like milk mushrooms, it represents the numerous genus Mlechnik, belongs to the Russula family. Roan milky, amber milky, inedible milk mushroom - these are all names of the same mushroom.

The mushroom has a round hat, with the edges lowered down, its diameter can be equal to 15 cm. Over time, the edges straighten out, and the hat takes on a funnel shape. The surface of the cap is smooth, rarely wet.

The stem is slightly lighter in color than the cap, short, no more than 8 cm, about 2 cm thick.

On the cut, the flesh does not change its color, it remains the same color - light, with a slight yellowness. If you bite off a piece, you can feel the bitterness, burning and aroma of lovage. But it is unlikely that anyone will want to experiment with their health, because the mushroom is not edible.

Where does the milkman grow, the forest gray-pink "handsome"?

Milky, which is distinguished from other mushrooms by a gray-pink color, grows in the temperate climate zone and a little to the north of it. Favorable conditions for its growth are in swamps, as well as in mixed or coniferous forests, where there is a lot of moss. To meet him, go to blueberries and pine forests, look for him under pines, spruces and birches.

The best time to look for it is from July to October. If the end of summer and the beginning of autumn are rainy, then in August and the first half of September there will be a lot of them.

Is it possible to cook dishes with a gray-pink milky

Is a gray-pink milky edible? There are two points of view on this matter. The first is that the mushroom is inedible, the other is that it can still be eaten. Moreover, this opinion about mushrooms is not only domestic, but also foreign mycologists. And how could it be otherwise, because from its pungent smell you immediately want to throw the mushroom away and move away from this place as far as possible. But there are daredevils who, despite the aroma, salt mushrooms and believe that the best appetizer under vodka can not be. But most mushroom pickers still consider them eccentrics, because before pickling, the mushroom needs to be soaked for more than one day, changing the water several times a day, and it needs to be cooked separately so that other mushrooms do not absorb the poisonous “aroma”. So is the mushroom worth such trouble, besides, its taste, as they say, is not very good.

Does the mushroom have twins

Milky is an amazing gray-pink representative of the Berendey kingdom, but it is also unique, since other mushrooms do not have such a flavor that it has. There is an external similarity with the oak lactic, but it is slightly smaller and can be eaten. Oak milky also has an aroma, though not so repulsive - it smells like dry grass, the mushroom is not considered popular for this feature.

The description of the fungus is similar to the description of the bitter or pig, but they do not have such a fetid odor.

So, in conclusion, I would like to say that only very experienced mushroom pickers can take this mushroom, and the mushroom should not be interesting for beginners. If you are in doubt about what kind of mushroom is in front of you, it is better to leave the "trophy" in the forest, a mistake can lead to a tragic ending.

Various types of milkers;
Coarsely ground table salt - 50-60 g per 1 kg of boiled mushrooms.
Garlic - 1-2 cloves per 1 kg of boiled mushrooms.
Greens (or umbrellas) dill,
leaves of blackcurrant, horseradish, oak.

More about mushrooms:

Any milkers go to salting, since there are no poisonous species among them, and after salting they are all quite edible. We prefer to take young mushrooms of small size for salting, with a tightly wrapped edge (photo 1).

The best in taste: yellow milk mushrooms(Lactarius scrobiculatus), nigella (Lactarius turpis) and whites (white pods Russula delica) (whites are not milky, of course, but they are also very good in pickling). Slightly worse are saline (smooth Lactarius trivialis), volushki (Lactarius torminosus and Lactarius pubescens), hollows (bitters Lactarius rufus), pepper mushrooms (Lactarius piperatus).

The third group: brown lactifers (Lactarius lignyotus), papillary milk mushrooms (Lactarius mammosus), fiddlers (Lactarius vellereus), serushki (Lactarius flexuosus), camphor lactic (Lactarius camphoratus), gray-pink (Lactarius helvus), faded (Lactarius vietus), brownish (Lactarius fuliginosus), lilac (Lactarius uvidus) and other small species.

In our area, non-wormy mushrooms are practically not found (if they come across, we salt separately in a cold way), there are no white mushrooms at all. The main mass of pickled mushrooms: nigella, volnushka, saline, hollow tree. Mushrooms from the third group make up no more than 25% of the total mass: we take them if there are no other mushrooms or only very beautiful young specimens. Camphor milkers retain their specific "aroma" in salting, so if you do not like their smell, then it is better not to take them.

Description

We clean the collected mushrooms from large debris, shortly (under the hat) cut off the legs and fold them for soaking in cold water. In order for the mushrooms to be completely immersed in water, you can drown them with something - a plywood mug or even a plate. We soak for a day. During this time, it is good to change the water 1-2 times, along the way, carefully washing the mushrooms from adhering debris. In the process of soaking, some mushrooms change their color: salty mushrooms turn yellow, and nigella purple-burgundy. They also retain these colors in salting (in addition, in salting some mushrooms, for example, pepper mushrooms, the plates may acquire a greenish or bluish color: do not be afraid - this is normal).

So, boil clean soaked mushrooms in unsalted water for 15 minutes from the moment of boiling. We cool directly in the broth.

We prepare leaves and greens along the way (we wash with clean water), peel the garlic cloves. It is better to salt in an enamel bowl (it is possible in a glass container or a wooden tub). We salt in an enameled bucket (photo 2). Dishes for pickling should be well washed and scalded with boiling water. Enamelware should not have chipped enamel. Do not use aluminum or steel (stainless) cookware.

We put dill and leaves at the bottom of the container so that they cover the bottom. We spread a layer of boiled mushrooms on them with plates up. No need to wring them out or let them flow around - let a little broth get into the container. Sprinkle evenly with coarse salt. At first, you can use scales (measure the amount of mushrooms and salt), but with the acquisition of some experience, this can easily be done by eye. We spread the second layer on the first layer of mushrooms and salt again. And so on, until all the mushrooms are laid (photo 3). In the process of laying the mushrooms, add the garlic cloves cut into 2-3 parts. You should not get carried away with garlic - too much of it slows down the fermentation process. From above, we cover the mushrooms with a layer of leaves and dill greens, put a wooden circle scalded with boiling water or (which is much easier) a shallow porcelain plate of suitable size. We put a load on a plate (or circle). We usually use liter jar with water. 1-2 cm of liquid should appear above the layer of leaves. We cover the entire structure with a clean cloth and put it in a cold place: a cellar or refrigerator (the temperature should not exceed 10 degrees Celsius, if it is higher, we will get rotten mushrooms instead of the lactic acid fermentation process).

Correct salting (amount of salt and temperature regime) can be checked in a few days (about a week). It is enough to smell the mushrooms and taste them. Mushrooms should have a pleasant sour smell of fermentation and be salted in moderation. If there is not enough salt (the taste is undersalted, a musty smell may also appear) - you can add salt water at the rate of 1.5-2 tablespoons of salt per 1 liter of cold boiled water. Salt water should also be added if there is little liquid above the surface of the mushrooms. A musty smell may also indicate that the temperature is too high (more than 120 C).

The reverse situation: if you suddenly salted the mushrooms (they taste too salty, there is no smell of fermentation), in this case, the mushrooms can be washed.

What is good about the process of salting mushrooms: you can not strive to fill the entire container at once, but do it gradually. Gained a small portion - salted, scored more - added new layers. Just remember that the mushrooms will be ready no earlier than 30 days after laying the last layer.

In the process of salting, you need to monitor the condition of the mushrooms. If mold appears on top, then it must be removed. With a lack of liquid over the mushrooms - add salt water. And also, once every 1-2 weeks, pierce the mass of mushrooms to the bottom of the container with a wooden spatula in two or three places.

Ready mushrooms can be stored in the same container in the basement (if the temperature regime allows), on the balcony (if possible, prevent freezing and make sure that the temperature does not rise above 100 C) or in the refrigerator. You can transfer salted mushrooms into glass jars, pack tightly and pour on top vegetable oil. With proper storage, mushrooms safely live until May, without losing their taste, if not eaten earlier, of course.

You can serve it with chopped onions or green onions, seasoned with vegetable oil (photo 4). And you can according to the Siberian recipe - adding crushed garlic and seasoning with sour cream. Both are amazingly delicious with boiled or fried potatoes.

Enjoy your meal!

The milky mushroom is a conditionally edible or poisonous mushroom that belongs to the Russula family. The name of the mushroom comes from their appearance- usually white drops of juice appear on the pulp, which flow from the site of damage to the fetus. The mushroom has many other names - smooth, hollow, gray breast, alder.

Milky is a conditionally edible or poisonous mushroom that belongs to the Russula family

Among the species of the Russula family, poisonous specimens are also found, which, as a rule, differ from others in their catchy appearance.

• Hat common lactic has a smooth shiny surface regardless of weather conditions. Its diameter can reach twenty centimeters, and the color has dark circles. The color and shape of the fungus may change during the formation of the fetus - in young mushrooms, the color is dark or gray, and the hat is convex. Mature ones, on the contrary, have a brown color and a depressed shape. The edges of the cap are wavy, wrapped inside.
• The leg can be about 4-10 cm long, has a regular cylindrical shape. Occasionally, after mechanical damage, it may be slightly swollen, but at the same time hollow inside.
• The plates under the hat are quite thin and often located. They are yellow or beige.
• The flesh of the fruit is fragile and thick. It has a beige tint, saturated with milky juice. When damaged, it immediately changes color to yellow or green. The smell is unusual - its aroma is similar to fish.

Applied in traditional medicine and culinary.

Features of the milky common (video)

Edible and non-edible types of lactifers

The most popular types of lactic acid include red-brown mushroom, yellowish-brown lactic, meat-red, woody, papillary, peppery, burning-milky, as well as sluggish, pale, bitter lactic.

Red-brown milky

The mushroom has a cap about 8 cm in diameter, dense and fleshy flesh, as well as a tubercle in the middle. In young fruits, the shape is convex, while in more mature ones it straightens as it grows. The plates are narrow, descending, have a pink or yellow color. Standing out juice white color. When combined with oxygen, it does not change color. At the same time, it has a pleasant sweet aroma and bitterness in taste. Cylindrical leg up to 4 centimeters, solid. Usually has a color to match the hat or a few tones lighter. The pulp is creamy, has no taste and smell.

It grows in conifers and mixed forests, forming small groups. The fruiting season begins in July and continues until October.

Faded milky

The cap of this mushroom has a gray or lilac color, occasionally lilac. Over time, it may fade due to direct sunlight. There is a hollow in the center, and the surface of the mushroom itself is uneven, sticky, with adhering forest debris. The leg can be either straight or curved, cylindrical in shape. Its color ranges from cream to grey. The flesh is also gray in color, and when damaged, it releases juice.

The fungus has no twins and it itself forms from mid-August to early October. It grows in larch and spruce forests, especially likes to combine mycorrhiza with birch.

Hygrophorous lactic

This type of mushroom is edible and has a cap with a diameter of 4 to 10 cm. The color of the fruit may vary depending on weather conditions, but most often the mushroom is red or brown. The hat is convex, dry to the touch, but shines in the glare of the sun. The plates are under the cap, light cream in color and descending.

The hygrophorous milky grows from the end of June to mid-October. Particularly fruitful when temperate climate. Requires mineral-rich soil to grow grows only in deciduous forests next to oaks and birches.

Where to collect milkers (video)

Inedible and poisonous milkers

Among the poisonous mushrooms, the lactic thyroid, golden-sticky, gray, pink, wet, as well as lilac and bitter, stand out especially.

Milky bitter

The fruit has a cap with a diameter of 5 cm, a thin stem and descending plates. The shape of the fungus is convex, but in the center there is a small tubercle, which distinguishes the milkers from other species. Hat color is yellow. When the pulp is pressed, juice is formed, which has a watery structure, does not change color when in contact with air. The pulp is dense, juicy and brittle.

It grows in deciduous forests, forms mycorrhiza with oak and birch. Not edible for humans.

milky brown

The hat is five centimeters in diameter, slightly pressed inward. The edge is wavy, and a tubercle is formed in the center. The skin of the mushroom is smooth, dry and shiny regardless of weather conditions, it can be olive, brown or dark in color. The plates are descending, slightly ingrown into the leg. A milky juice is released through them, which has a watery consistency, but does not have a characteristic aroma or smell. The leg of the correct cylindrical form, other. As the fungus matures, it becomes hollow inside. The flesh is light orange, becoming reddish closer to the stem. When cut from white or orange, it turns into a sulfur yellow. The taste of the brown lactic acid is burning, it is unbearable to eat it.

It grows in spruce forests and mixed forests, the mycelium forms in groups. The season of mycelium growth and fruit formation is from late September to late October.

thyroid milky

The cap of the thyroid milky can grow up to 10 cm in diameter. At first, it has a hemispherical shape, and as the fruit ripens, it changes, and the edges become more and more uneven. It has a whitish color and exactly the same pulp, which does not change color in the air when the fungus is damaged. Leg correct form, about 8 cm long, covered with small scales. The milky juice secreted by the fungus is white. When oxidized in air, it becomes purple.

Forms mycorrhiza together with spruce, willow or birch. It grows in larches, it can be found in late August to early October.

Places and dates for the collection of milkers

For the normal development of the lactiferous plant, it needs moist soil rich in minerals. It is this that is most often found in broad-leaved forests, as well as coniferous and mixed. Territorially lactic plants grow in Eastern and Western Europe, as well as in the central regions of Russia, in Altai.

The mushroom picker is formed for a few times, but the harvest of the mushrooms themselves can be harvested only once a year. The fruiting season begins in late August-early September and continues until the first frost.

How to distinguish milky from russula (video)

Milkers in cooking

A characteristic feature of mushrooms is their pulp and the presence of milky juice. The "cheesy" consistency makes it easy to crumble the mushroom and harvest it for future use. At the same time, the taste of milkers can be both sweet-sugary and radically caustic. It is because of bitterness and causticity that not all types of milkers can be eaten. Some of the species are called conditionally edible and require soaking or other heat treatment before using them.

Edible varieties can be harvested for future use by pickling or pickling. During cooking, the milker ferments too quickly and acquires a sour taste. Most of the bitterness goes away during boiling.

Also, the mushroom can be cooked in a pan along with onions and black pepper, make assorted dishes from it.

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Milky ( Lactarius) is a genus of mushrooms of the Russula family, Russulovye order, Agaricomycetes class, Basidiomycetes department.

Milky fruits are distinguished by the presence of white or colorless juice in their pulp. Thanks to this feature, the Latin name appeared Lactarius- “giving milk”, “milky”. Milk mushrooms, mushrooms, volnushki, bitters, serushki - all these mushrooms are part of the lactic genus and are distinguished by similar features.

Milky: photo and description of the genus of mushrooms. What do milkmen look like?

Milky mushrooms are mushrooms with thin or thick fleshy, dense, but brittle fruiting bodies, mostly medium or large in size. Their cap and stem are homogeneous (homogeneous) and do not separate from each other without tearing, as, for example, in champignon. There are stocky mushrooms with a thick stem, approximately equal in length to the diameter of the cap ( Lactarius deliciosus, Lactarius pubescens, Lactarius turpis), and there are also species in which a small hat is placed on a long, relatively thin stem ( Lactarius camphoratus, Lactarius lignyotus). Mushrooms of this genus lack both a private and a common veil.

The lactiferous cap can be funnel-shaped, depressed, convex-prostrate or convex. In young mushrooms, it is straight or convex with an edge turned down. White or brightly colored (yellow, orange, gray, pink, brown, blue, lilac, olive black), with a wavy, straight or ribbed edge. With age, some mushrooms change the color of the fruiting bodies.

The surface of the lactiferous cap is dry or mucous, smooth, scaly, fleecy or velvety, monophonic or with concentric circular zones and depressions - lacunae. Hat size - from 8 to 40 cm ( Lactarius vellereus). The milky stunted ( Lactarius tabidus) and dark milky ( Lactarius obscuratus) the hat is able to swell, absorbing water.

The hymenophore of these fungi is lamellar. Laminar plates descend to varying degrees onto the stalk, attaching strongly to it in some species, slightly in others. Plates with anastomoses or notched, are both white and painted in bright colors: pink, bluish, pale ocher, cream. Can change color when touched. For example, the plates of the lilac milky ( Lactarius violascens) are initially white or creamy yellow, turning purple when pressed.

A characteristic feature of milkers and russula in general is the mesh ornament on their spores. The cells themselves, intended for reproduction, are more often spherical, broadly oval or oval in shape. Spore powder is white, ocher or yellowish-cream.

Spores of fragrant milkweed under a microscope. Photo by: Jason Hollinger, CC BY-SA 2.0

The lactiferous leg is attached to the cap in the center, its shape is regular cylindrical, flattened or narrowed towards the base. It is white or the same color with a hat, sometimes hollow inside, more often with chambers or filled. The surface is smooth, dry, rarely mucous and sticky.

Some species have depressions (lacunae) that are slightly darker than the rest of the skin of the leg. The height of the leg of the milkers is 5-8 cm, its diameter is 1.5-2 cm.

The pulp of the milkers is fragile, white or with a brown, cream or fawn hue. In the air, it can change color. It contains conductive thick-walled hyphae with milky juice.

The color of the milky juice and its change in air are an important systematic feature by which the species of the genus are distinguished. Most often it is white, but in some species in the air it slowly turns green, gray, turns yellow, becomes purple, red, etc. In the North American blue lactic ( Lactarius indigo) juice, like the whole fruiting body, of blue color.

Where and when do lactic mushrooms grow?

Milky mushrooms grow all over the world, meeting on the following continents: Eurasia, Africa, Australia, North America, South America. But they are especially abundant in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Here the lactifers form fruiting bodies in the summer in June-July. If the summer is dry, then the "fruiting" is transferred to August-September. Since most of the species are cold-resistant and moisture-loving, in autumn they can bear fruit especially abundantly. But lactic ones do not grow for long, forming only 2 layers of fruiting bodies.

If there are prolonged rains in spring, then milkers will be very rare, since they do not like excessive moisture.

Mushrooms of this genus live in symbiosis with many species of deciduous (usually birch) and coniferous trees. Milky brown ( Lactarius lignyotus) forms mycorrhiza with spruce, white milky ( Lactarius musteus) - with pine, milky brownish ( Lactarius fuliginosus) - with oak and beech, milky faded ( Lactarius vietus) - with birch.

Mushrooms grow, as a rule, in damp places of the forest or on its edges, but they are also found in parks, meadows, where there are tree roots. More often they settle in the soil, sometimes on rotten wood or in moss. The temperature favorable for their development ranges from 10-20°C. Fruiting bodies live 10-15 days, after which they rot. More often, milkers grow in groups, some of them can form "witch's rings", for example, mushrooms and milk mushrooms.

Types of milkers, names and photos

There are about 120 species of this genus in the world. About 90 of them are known in Russia. Their fruit bodies vary in shape, color and size. Among lactic mushrooms there are good edible mushrooms, conditionally edible and inedible, but there are no poisonous and deadly ones. And yet, some authors mention the inedible milky orange ( Lactarius porninsis) as poisonous. Perhaps the milky milky is also slightly toxic ( Lactarius uvidus).

Edible milkers

• real saffron,pine, or ordinary (Lactarius deliciosus, "milky delicacy")

Other synonyms: upland camelina, noble, autumn. Grows in pine forests from June to October.

In young mushrooms, the hat is convex, in mature mushrooms it is funnel-shaped. Its diameter is 3-11 cm, it is orange with olive dark zones. The flesh of the camelina is orange, brittle, the milky juice is orange, changing color in the air. Leg 2-8 cm long, 2-2.5 cm in diameter, hollow, smooth, orange.

• Black breast, or nigella ( Lactarius necator, Lactarius turpis)

Edible mushroom. Russian synonyms: black hollow, black, olive-black breast, gypsy, black lips, black spruce breast, pig-nosed, varen, olive-brown breast. Forms mycorrhiza with birch. It grows in August-October in birch and mixed forests, on the edges, prefers bright places.

The cap of the mushroom is often prostrate, with a slightly depressed center and a turned-down edge. Its diameter is from 7 to 20 cm, the color is olive-brown, almost black with barely noticeable dark olive circles or without them. The flesh is white, brown on the cut, brittle. Milky juice is white, spicy in taste. Leg up to 2.5 cm thick, up to 6 cm high, tapering downwards. On its surface there are depressed spots (lacunae). The fruiting body of the blackberry becomes slimy in wet weather.

Basically, the mushroom is used salty, when salted it becomes dark cherry. The harvest is stored for several years without losing taste.

• The breast is real ( Lactarius resimus)

In Russia, this mushroom has local and folk names: white, wet, raw or right. It is found in the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia, Belarus, Kazakhstan. It grows in forests and groves where there are birches from July to September.

The cap of a real mushroom is up to 20 cm in diameter, at first white and convex, later funnel-shaped and yellowish, with a curved pubescent edge. There are subtle watery rings on the cap. The leg is thick, cylindrical, 3-7 cm high, up to 5 cm in diameter. White or yellowish, with recesses of different colors, hollow. The plates are white with a yellowish tinge, slightly descending along the stem.

The mushroom is eaten salted. Before salting, it is recommended to soak it.

• Red-brown breast ( Lactarius volemus)

Russian synonyms: milkweed, spurge, tannery, undergrowth, rubella, smooth, smooth. Grows in deciduous and coniferous forests in groups in July-October.

The cap is fleshy, yellowish or reddish-brown, without concentric zones, often with a tubercle in the middle, up to 15 cm in diameter. The flesh is yellowish or whitish, dense and sweet, milky juice is white. Leg up to 6-10 cm long, up to 3 cm in diameter, tapering downwards, white or the same as a hat, velvety.

The red-brown breast is considered edible, in European countries even a delicacy. And yet, to get rid of the unpleasant odor, it is advisable to pre-boil it. You can also fry, salt, marinate.

• Milky blue ( Lactarius indigo)

Edible mushroom. Found in Asia, North and South America. Forms mycorrhiza with deciduous and evergreen trees.

The diameter of his hat is 5-15 cm. It is bright, indigo-colored, with lighter concentric zones. In young lactators, the hat is sticky and convex, in mature ones it is prostrate or funnel-shaped with a tucked edge. The plates are also blue, turning green when damaged. They lighten up with age. The leg of the milky plant is up to 6 cm high, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, of a regular cylindrical shape. Sometimes the surface of the entire fungus may have a silver tint. The pulp of the lactiferous is either light or blue, turns green in the air. Milky juice is caustic, also blue and also turns green when oxidized.

• Ginger red (Lactarius sangu i fluus )

Edible mushroom. It grows in summer and autumn in coniferous forests in areas dominated by mountains.

Mushroom with an orange-red or blood-red cap, 5-15 cm in diameter, with greenish spots and zones. With a cylindrical stem up to 6 cm tall, tapering towards the cap and covered with powdery coating. With a wine-red milky juice that does not change color in the air or acquires a purple hue.

• Spruce camelina (spruce) (Lactarius deterrimus )

Edible mushroom. Found in coniferous forests in summer and autumn.

The hat is orange, with dark rings, 2-8 cm in diameter, with a hairless edge. Leg 3-7 cm high, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, orange, hollow in mature mushrooms. The flesh is orange, when damaged it quickly turns red, then turns green, has a pleasant fruity aroma. There is a lot of milky juice in the body of the fungus. Initially, it is red or with an orange tint. Turns green when exposed to air.

The taste of the mushroom is pleasant, not caustic.

Conditionally edible milkers

• Oak breast,lactic zonal,group breast, or oak saffron ( Lactarius insulus , Lactarius zonarius var. insulus )

Conditionally edible mushroom. Forms mycorrhiza with beech, hazel, oak, grows in broad-leaved forests in July-September.

The cap is 5-15 cm in diameter, dense, fleshy, convex at a young age, later funnel-shaped or irregularly shaped, resembling an ear. The edge of the cap of a young mushroom is tucked down, in a mature one it is unfolded, thin and wavy. The skin of the cap is yellowish-brown with an ocher tint, sometimes very light, almost yellow or skin-colored, with watery concentric zones. The leg is short: up to 6 cm in length, up to 3 cm in diameter. Cylindrical or narrowed towards the base, first white, then yellowish with brownish pits, not pubescent. The milky juice is watery-white and does not change in air.

• breast yellow (Lactarius scrobiculatus)

Conditionally edible mushroom. Russian synonyms: scraper, yellow loader, yellow wave. Grows in coniferous and birch forests in August-September, often forms mycorrhiza with spruce or birch.

The hat is 10-20 cm in diameter, flat-concave, with a wrapped fluffy edge. The skin of the cap is white at first, then yellowish with subtle watery concentric zones. The milky juice is very bitter, white, turning sulfur-yellow in the air. Leg up to 9 cm high, up to 4 cm in diameter. Cylindrical, white, smooth, hollow in mature mushrooms.

Used salty. Bitterness is removed by pre-soaking or boiling.

• pink wave ( Lactarius torminosus)

Other Russian names: volnyanka, volzhanka, volvenka, volvyanitsa, volminka, volnukha, rubella, krasulya, decoction. This conditionally edible mushroom grows in symbiosis with birch in mixed and deciduous forests. Occurs from June to October.

The cap of the wavelet is initially convex, later straight, up to 15 cm in diameter, with a depressed darker center, pink, pinkish-red, yellowish-orange, light hazel, fleecy, with an edge turned down. The villi form circular zones that differ in tone. The pulp is pale-yellow, pungent in taste, milky juice is white, does not change color in the air. Leg up to 7 cm long, up to 2 cm in diameter, pubescent, pale pink, empty inside. It tapers slightly towards the base.

The mushroom is most often consumed in salted and pickled form. Volnushki eat 40-50 days after salting. With insufficient boiling, the pink wave can cause intestinal disorders.

• White wave, in Siberia - white ( Lactarius pubescens)

Conditionally edible mushroom. Forms mycorrhiza with birch, grows in deciduous and mixed forests from August to September.

The hat is white or pinkish, up to 15 cm in diameter, without concentric rings, pubescent, may be mucous. The leg is cylindrical, gradually tapering towards the base, white, often covered with villi. Its length can reach 4 cm, thickness - 2 cm. With age, the entire fungus turns yellow.

It is usually eaten in salt form.

• Violin ( Lactarius vellereus)

In Russia, this mushroom is also called a felted mushroom, a creaker, a creaker, an euphorbia, a milk scraper, a biscuit. Violin grows in mixed and coniferous forests, in groups, in summer and autumn.

The mushroom cap is white, slightly pubescent, with yellow spots, up to 26 cm in diameter. The flesh is very bitter, white. The leg is short, up to 6 cm long and up to 3.5 cm thick. It is used salty after soaking and boiling.

• bitter ( Lactarius rufus)

Synonyms: red bitter, mustard, bitter mushroom, bitter gourd, putik. Grows in symbiosis with birch and coniferous trees. It occurs in groups in pine forests, deciduous forests, under hazel from June to October.

The cap is reddish-brown with a tubercle in the middle, up to 8-10 cm in diameter. Pepper-flavored pulp, milky juice is thick and white, does not change color in the air. Leg up to 8 cm long, up to 1.5 cm thick, reddish, covered with white fluff.

The mushroom is eaten salted, after preliminary boiling.

• breast aspen (Lactarius controversus)

A conditionally edible mushroom that grows in moist deciduous forests in August-September. Forms mycorrhiza with aspen, poplar and willow.

The cap is fleshy, convex in young mushrooms, in mature mushrooms it is funnel-shaped with a fluffy edge wavy or bent down. White with reddish or pink spots and slightly visible concentric zones, sticky in wet weather. The cap diameter is 6-30 cm. The flesh is white. The milky juice is white, caustic, does not change color in the air. Leg up to 6-8 cm high, up to 3 cm in diameter.

It is eaten salty.

• Serushka, or gray birdhouse ( he is milky gray, grey-purple breast, podoreshnitsa, plantain, serukh) (Lactarius flexuosus)

It grows in June-October in mixed, aspen and birch forests and on their edges.

The cap is 5-10 cm in diameter, convex in young mushrooms, funnel-shaped with a wavy edge in mature mushrooms. The skin of the cap is smooth, brownish gray or light lead, with faint rings. The pulp of the mushroom is dense, white. The milky juice is caustic, white, does not change color in the air. Leg up to 9 cm long, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, cylindrical, hollow, of the same color with a hat. The species differs from other lactifers in rare yellowish plates.

The mushroom is eaten salted.

• Milky neutral ( Lactarius quietus)

Hat up to 8 cm in diameter, dry, brown, with darker, well-marked or indistinct circles. At first convex, then concave, but always with a smooth edge. The milky juice is watery-white, not caustic, does not change color in the air. Leg up to 6 cm high, up to 1 cm in diameter, light, cylindrical, hollow in mature mushrooms.

Due to the specific smell, oak milkweed is not very popular, although it is quite common. Some sources classify the neutral milky as an edible mushroom and call the oak milky.

• milky common, or smooth ( Lactarius trivialis)

A conditionally edible mushroom that forms mycorrhiza with soft tree species, especially birch, often found in moist coniferous and deciduous forests. Common in the northern temperate zone.

A species with a large, fleshy cap that often becomes mottled, with well-defined concentric zones. The color of the entire fruit body varies from purple-gray to yellow-gray. The brittle white pulp secretes a caustic white juice, which, when dried, leaves greenish spots on the plates. The hat is 6-20 cm in diameter, smooth, slippery, prostrate with a depressed middle and a folded edge. It may fade with age. The stem has the same shade as the hat. It can be very long - from 4 to 10 cm, 1-3 cm in diameter.

• Peppercorn ( Lactarius piperatus)

Mycorrhiza former with trees in well-drained soil. It occurs in deciduous and mixed forests of the northern temperate zone.

A large mushroom with a whitish fruiting body, with brittle flesh, very frequent plates and a smooth open cap, depressed in the center. The diameter of the white or cream-colored cap is 8-20 cm. The leg is up to 15 cm long, up to 4 cm in diameter. The milky juice is caustic, white, either does not change in the air or becomes olive green or yellowish.

Due to its pungent taste, the mushroom is considered inedible. But, in fact, it is conditionally edible, since it can be salted after soaking and boiling.

• Milky camphor,camphor mushroom ( Lactarius camphoratus)

Forms mycorrhiza with coniferous, rarely with deciduous trees. It grows in mixed, coniferous and deciduous forests on loose, acidic soil. Sometimes found in moss or decaying wood.

A dark red-brown mushroom with a cap depressed in the center or with a central tubercle. The cap diameter is 3-6 cm. The stem is rather long - 3-6 cm and thin - 4-8 mm in diameter with a purple-brown base. The milky juice is watery, white, does not change color when flowing out.

Camphor milkweed exudes a very strong characteristic smell, due to which it is difficult to confuse it with other species of the genus.

• Milky prickly ( Lactarius spinosulus)

It grows in symbiosis with birch. It occurs infrequently, in mixed and deciduous forests in August-September.

The cap of the mushroom is pinkish-red with red-burgundy rings and red scales. Its diameter is 2-6 cm. In a mature mushroom, the cap is straight with a depressed middle and a curved or straight, often wavy edge. The plates are fawn or bright orange. A leg with a diameter of up to 0.8 cm, a height of up to 5 cm. The milky juice is not caustic, at first white, turning green in the air, at first sweetish in taste, then spicy.

Usually this milky is considered inedible, but many attribute it to mushrooms suitable for salting.

• fragrant milky ( Lactarius glyciosmus)

Synonyms: fragrant milkweed, fragrant milkweed, coconut milkweed, fragrant milkweed, licorice. Grows in mixed and coniferous forests in August-September.

Hat up to 7 cm in diameter, brownish-gray, with a purple, yellowish or pink tinge, pubescent and dry. Flesh colored plates. The flesh is whitish or reddish-brown. The milky juice is white, turns green in the air. The leg is lighter than the cap, up to 6 cm long, up to 1.2 cm in diameter, empty inside with age.

A conditionally edible mushroom, it is used in a salty form and as a seasoning.

• Milky milky (orange milky) ( Lactarius mitissimus , Lactarius aurantiacus )

It grows in symbiosis with birch, oak and spruce, and is quite common. Settles in the forest litter and in moss.

A cap with a diameter of up to 6 cm apricot color without rings. In mature mushrooms, it is funnel-shaped with a tubercle in the middle, thin, dry and velvety. The milky juice is watery and white, and does not change color when drained. Leg up to 8 cm high, up to 1.2 cm in diameter. It is hollow, cylindrical, of the same color as the cap.

• milky white (Lactarius m u steus )

Conditionally edible mushroom, eaten after boiling. Grows in mixed and pine forests from August to September.

The mushroom cap is 4-6 cm in diameter, convex, then wide-funnel-shaped depressed, with a blunt, at the beginning finely pubescent, then a smooth edge. Mucous, shiny when dried, yellowish-white, brownish in the center, very rarely with subtle watery areas. Leg 3-6 cm high, 1-2.5 cm in diameter. Cylindrical, tapering to the base, white, longitudinally wrinkled. The flesh is white, the milky juice is watery white and not acrid.

Inedible non-poisonous milkers

• Milky liver ( Lactarius hepaticus)

Forms mycorrhiza with pines in forests and forest plantations on very acidic sandy soil. Fruits especially abundantly after acid rains.

The hat is 3-6 cm in diameter, smooth, flat with a slightly concave or convex center, liver-brown, sometimes with an olive tint. Leg 4-6 cm high, 0.6-1 cm in diameter, the same color as the cap or slightly lighter. The plates are adherent, descending, pinkish, orange or brown. The flesh is cream or light brown. The milky juice is white, turning yellow in the air.

Due to its pungent taste, the mushroom is considered inedible.

• Milky gray-pink ( Lactarius helvus)

The Latin specific name of the fungus means "amber-pink", so sometimes it is searched for under the name "amber lactic". Grows in moist low places of coniferous forests or in mixed forests in July-September. Forms mycorrhiza with spruce, pine, rarely with birch.

The cap is dry, pinkish-brown, sometimes with a gray tint, without concentric rings, scaly. Its diameter is 6-15 cm. In young lactators, it is convex, in mature ones it is funnel-shaped. The pulp is whitish-yellow, in the dried state with a strong smell of coumarin. Milky juice is not caustic, watery-white, does not change color. Leg up to 9 cm long, up to 2 cm in diameter, the same color with a hat.

The mushroom is inedible, has a sharp and unpleasant odor.

Useful properties of milkers

Mushrooms of the milky genus have long served as food for people in many countries of the world, especially in the northern regions of Eurasia. They are famous for their medicinal and preventive properties:

• Many species of these fungi are valuable for their antibiotics.
• The B vitamins found in mushrooms have a beneficial effect on the human nervous system and help resist the development of sclerosis.
• Medicines made on the basis of milk mushrooms help with kidney stones. For example, a blue (dog) breast contains antibacterial substances that can kill staphylococci. Folk healers of Russia treated kidney diseases, purulent wounds and other ailments with milk mushrooms.

Calorie content of fresh mushrooms: 100 grams of mushrooms contain 16 kcal. The following substances are present in this volume of mushrooms:

• 88 g of water;
• 1.8 g protein;
• 0.8 g fat;
• 0.5 g of carbohydrates;
• 1.5 g fiber;
• 0.4 g of ash;
• Vitamins B1, B2, C, PP;
• Amino acids tyrosine, glutamine, arginine, leucine.

100 grams of fresh waves contains 22 kcal. In such a quantity of mushrooms are present:

• 92.31 g of water;
• 3.09 g protein;
• 0.34 g fat;
• 3.26 g carbohydrates;
• 1 g fiber;
• vitamins: C, B1, B2, PP, B5, B6, B9, B12, E, D, D2, K1;
• minerals: selenium, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese;
• choline, betaine.

Calorie content of mushrooms: in 100 grams of fresh mushrooms - 17 kcal. The mushrooms contain:

• 88.9 g of water;
• 2.9 g proteins;
• 0.8 g fat;
• 2 g carbohydrates;
• 2.2 g of dietary fiber;
• 0.7 g of ash;
• Vitamins: B1, B2, C, PP, beta-carotene. By the way, the orange color of the mushrooms is just due to the high content of beta-carotenes;
• Minerals: magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, sodium, calcium;
• The antibiotic substance lactrioviolin, the overwhelming development of most bacteria, including tubercle bacillus. This antibiotic was isolated from red camelina.

Caloric bitterness: per 100 g of fresh mushrooms - 22 kcal. mushroom rich useful substances, it contains:

• 92.45 g water;
• 2.18 to 3.09 g of protein;
• 0.34 g fat;
• 3.26 g carbohydrates;
• 1 g fiber;
• vitamins: C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, E, D, K;
• minerals: potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, sodium, zinc, manganese, copper, selenium;
• choline, folates;
• antibiotic that kills Staphylococcus aureus.

How to cook lactic mushrooms?

Milk mushrooms can be eaten fried, boiled, pickled, but in this form their taste is lost. They are ideal in pickled and salted form. Ryzhiki are good salted without long soaking, boiling and spices. Volnushki, milk mushrooms, lactic and bitters, on the contrary, are pre-soaked and / or boiled and salted with herbs and roots. Milky, not containing bitterness, can be dried.

It is better to start processing mushrooms immediately after returning home. If for some reason you have to postpone the moment of processing, then you need to shake off the mushrooms from forest debris, put them unwashed in paper bags and put them in the vegetable section of the refrigerator. But even in this form, they cannot be stored for more than a day and a half, the optimal period is 6-8 hours. During preparation for salting, they are washed, cleaned, but the skin is not removed from them.

Soak milk mushrooms, volnushki, bitters, whites and other milkers to remove bitterness from them. The procedure is carried out from several hours to 10 days, with regular water changes. In the north and in the central part of Russia, milk mushrooms, mushrooms, whites and volnushki are soaked for 3 days, bitters - from 3 to 10 days. In Belarus, mushrooms are soaked for 2-4 hours, whites - 1 day, milk mushrooms - 2 days. In the Volga region, these mushrooms are not soaked at all. Particularly bitter lactic, such as pepper mushrooms and bitters, after soaking before salting, it is better to boil for 15 minutes in salted water and cool.

There are many ways to harvest salted milkers. In the Urals and Siberia, many people use the following method of salting real mushrooms: they are poured with cold spring water, washed quickly, freeing them from forest debris, earth and damage. Lay in layers in tubs, salt at the rate of 30-40 g of salt per 1 kg of mushrooms. The tubs are placed in the cellar, where, at a constant temperature, the mushrooms are salted after 45-60 days. Milk mushrooms prepared in this way are tasty and crispy and are perfectly protected until next summer. The mushrooms salted in this way are ready for use after 7 days.

Harm and contraindications for milkers

You can not collect and eat mushrooms that grow near roads, garbage cans and enterprises that pollute nature. The fact is that any mushrooms absorb harmful substances and heavy metals. Accordingly, they can be harmful to health.

Conditionally edible milkers cannot be eaten without pre-treatment - soaking, boiling. This is done to remove the bitter milky juice, which, if it enters the human digestive system, can cause eating disorders.

All mushrooms should be eaten in small quantities, and with diseases such as pancreatitis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, gastritis, liver failure, cirrhosis, hepatitis, they must be completely abandoned.

With caution, milkers are eaten during pregnancy and lactation. Mushrooms are contraindicated for small children.

Salted mushrooms should not be eaten with hypertension and kidney disease, as this threatens to disrupt the water-salt balance.

• For a long time, salted milk mushrooms were the main dish served at the table during Lent in Russia.
• In European countries, milk mushrooms are considered inedible. Europeans do not like to soak mushrooms, preferring products that require minimal processing.
• The old names of mushrooms, including lactic ones, reflect Interesting Facts from their life. The name "turtle dung" mushrooms received from observant people. The fact is that slugs feed on saffron milk caps and other milky ones, which in turn are eaten by turtles. They eat mollusks along with fungal spores, which are stored in their stomach and transferred to new places with droppings.