Is the camelina edible or not? Mushrooms saffron milk caps: photo and description

03.11.2023

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 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 saffron milk 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 you press on the cap, dark spots appear.

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

Saffron milk caps 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 (lat. 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 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.

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 saffron milk cap applies to six distinct species that have similar external characteristics. So, the following types of lamellar fungi of the biological genus Mlechnik are known under this term:

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.
Spruce mushroom. Although in Western literature this species is considered unfit for food due to its bitterness, in Russia spruce saffron milk caps are considered good edible mushrooms.
The saffron milk cap is red. Quite a rare, but also quite edible mushroom. Like real camelina, it is used in the pharmaceutical industry.
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.
Japanese saffron milk cap. On the territory of Russia it is found exclusively in the southern part of Primorye. Quite suitable for eating.
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 mushrooms” are any mushrooms that are even remotely similar, but inedible. Also, sometimes this term is used to describe the pink mushroom, a conditionally edible mushroom that has a lot of external differences from saffron milk cap 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

Saffron milk caps 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 must 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 paste 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.

All types of saffron mushrooms grow in coniferous forests - spruce and pine. It can often be found in illuminated areas, edges, clearings, in young forests, clearings, elevated areas, and the sides of forest roads. Where saffron mushrooms grow, the soil is almost always sandy. They live in groups and can form a “witch’s circle”. In our country, it is common in the central and northern regions. Rizhik can be found in the center of the European part of Russia, in the Urals, the Far East, and Siberia. Camelina begins to bear fruit in June and ends in October.

On this page you will learn what saffron mushrooms look like, when to collect them and how to grow them yourself.

Ryzhik in the photo
In the photo there is a cap on a forest mushroom called saffron milk cap

Ryzhik is easily identified. It got its name from the orange color of its cap, plates and legs. The flesh is the same color. At the break, the appearance of orange milky juice is characteristic, which begins to turn green in the air. The plates on the back of the cap also turn green in crushed places and tears. The cap of a young mushroom is convex and then funnel-shaped, reaching a diameter of 10 - 12 cm, the stem is quite short 1-2 cm, hollow inside. The color of the cap is characterized by concentric zoning, alternation of light and dark colored, sometimes with an admixture of greenish stripes. It is unlikely that any other mushroom can have such an abundance of characteristic features that make it possible to accurately identify this mushroom.

The cap of the wild mushroom, saffron milk cap, is from 4 to 17 cm in diameter, in the middle there is a funnel-shaped depression, from which concentric circles extend. The most “red” saffron milk caps – with a grayish-orange cap – grow in pine forests. In spruce forests, saffron milk caps are more modestly colored; their caps are bluish-greenish with yellow-orange circles. Mushroom pickers noticed that in rainy summers there are more spruce mushrooms, and in dry summers there are more pine mushrooms.

Camelina usually grows in the second half of the year. Most abundant in the second half of September - first half of October. Isolated finds occur throughout November. I had to meet him after the first frosts on the soil. There is a saying about when to pick saffron milk mushrooms: “Summer saffron milk cap is not good for serious business, only for hot weather, but autumn saffron milk cap is good for everyone and good in all kinds.”

Camelina usually grows in groups (families). Each family consists of specimens of different ages, most of which are hidden under moss or in thick grass, and the oldest ones can be seen from a height of human height. Therefore, if you have already sat down to put a spotted mushroom in the basket, take a closer look, part the grass, throw away the fallen leaves, and you will definitely find several more solar disks, one smaller than the other.

You can use the saffron milk caps to determine the cardinal directions. Most of these mushrooms grow on the north side of trees.

Saffron milk caps can only be confused with saffron milk caps, but saffron milk mushrooms have white or soft pink flesh, and the whole mushroom is much lighter than saffron milk caps. Although it is with saffron milk caps that volnushki are most often found.

These photos show what saffron mushrooms look like:

In the photo there is an edible mushroom "Pine mushroom"

Delicacy mushroom in the photo

In the photo there is an edible mushroom "Fir saffron mushroom"

Using saffron mushrooms

Since ancient times, people in Rus' loved to cook saffron milk caps. They were served fried or stewed. Salted saffron milk caps were especially revered. Peter I's favorite dish was salted saffron milk caps with sour cream. It is possible to use young saffron milk caps raw, only after salting them. In terms of calorie content, salted saffron milk caps are superior to pickled porcini mushrooms, eggs and even meat.

In the old days, in the Urals, saffron milk caps were salted right in the forest. They brought barrels into which they put saffron milk caps sprinkled with coarse salt. Each mushroom was pre-wiped with a linen towel.

Settlers even brought saffron milk caps to Australia. There are so many of them that the hillsides turn red from the abundance of mushrooms. This fungus is attacked by insect larvae from an early age.

The main uses of saffron milk caps are frying, salting and pickling. Very young mushrooms can be eaten raw, without heat treatment. Before salting, the saffron milk cap should not be soaked, otherwise it will turn green. In terms of calories, salted mushrooms are superior to beef.

Edible saffron milk mushrooms, like their companions in young pine forests, almost never grow alone, but always in flocks and ribbons. And the secret is that the plate will then end up with incredibly small mushrooms. Of course, you would never see such a mushroom in isolation in the grass. But when you cut a string, along with the big ones, the little ones also fall under the knife. Where there are a lot of saffron milk caps, in the Nizhny Novgorod or Vyatka forests, they like to pickle saffron milk caps in bottles. The whole point is that only those mushrooms that are able to fit into the narrow neck of the bottle go into pickling. In general, saffron milk caps in northern places, for example, in the Vologda region, are most often salted in birch bark dishes, in large and small containers.

Below is how to grow saffron milk caps yourself.

How to grow saffron mushrooms (with video)

These mushrooms can only be grown under natural conditions. For them, you need to choose a place that, in terms of its conditions, does not differ from the place where mushrooms naturally grow. Light, humidity, soil condition, tree species and age should be taken into account. For saffron milk caps, it is better to choose shaded, but not dark places with free air movement. The soil should be moist and slightly acidic, contain a lot of rotting leaves and pine needles. But at the same time, in the spring it should not be filled with water. You can plant pine or spruce trees specifically for these purposes.

Ryzhiki can be eaten fried, salted, or pickled. When salting, they are not soaked or boiled, but simply washed and wiped. In ancient times, they were salted in a special oak bowl without any spices, so as not to interrupt the natural smell and taste of mushrooms.

Saffron milk caps can be sown in the same way as porcini mushrooms, in several ways. Collect caps of old overripe mushrooms in the forest and chop them into pieces. Dry it a little on a thin cloth (gauze is suitable for this purpose), periodically turning it on the other side. In the selected area, lift the top layer of soil and place pieces of the cap under it. Compact well and pour with warm water. Or spread the pieces of the cap on loose soil and also water them.

Or soak old hats in rainwater with added sugar. The next day, mix well and pour under the selected trees.

You can transplant the found mycelium. To do this, it should be carefully dug up in the forest without damage in the form of layers measuring 30 x 30 cm and 25 cm thick and brought home. Moreover, it is necessary to ensure that the earth does not shake, otherwise the mycelium will be damaged. Layers of earth, without waiting for them to dry, must be immediately planted under the same trees under which they were dug up. To do this, dig holes of the required size in advance and carefully transfer layers of earth into them. Then water with rainwater. It is better to replant mycelium in the morning or evening.

You can also lay out old hats on a selected area and cover them with moss. In dry weather they should be watered. After 2 weeks, the moss will rise and greenish-purple threads of mycelium can be seen underneath it.

Growing saffron milk caps involves watering in dry weather. Watering should be done either with rain or well water. The first mushrooms will appear only the next year after the mycelium is planted. When picking, mushrooms must be carefully cut with a knife, otherwise the mycelium may be damaged.

The next section of the article presents photos and descriptions of different types of saffron mushrooms.

Watch the video “Growing saffron mushrooms”, which shows all the intricacies of care:

Types of saffron mushrooms: pine, real (delicacy) and spruce

Pine mushroom in the photo
Orange-red hat

Pine mushroom grows in young thinned pine forests, in pine and larch plantings. It is found frequently and abundantly in favorable years, from June to November, until frost. It grows singly, but more often in groups in sunny, bright places.

The cap is orange-red, reaching 12–17 cm in diameter, with concentric, darker orange stripes; in young mushrooms it is rounded-convex, in older ones it is wide-funnel-shaped, fades with age, its edges are first turned inward, then straight. The pulp is dense, fleshy, orange, brittle, tastes fresh, turns green when broken. The milky sap is abundant, orange-yellow, non-caustic, with a resinous odor, and turns green in the air.

The plates adhere to the stem, yellow-orange, and turn green when pressed. The stem is short, cylindrical, the same color as the cap, and also turns green when damaged. The flesh inside the stem is white.

Edible, first category. One of the most delicious mushrooms, it is used for pickling, canning, pickling, and can also be boiled and fried. When salted, saffron milk caps retain their color. It is best to salt them cold without soaking or washing. Both caps and legs are eaten.

Rizhik “Real” in the photo
The pulp is dense and can be easily cut with a knife.

Real or delicacy saffron milk cap- edible mushroom. The cap is fleshy, 4-12 cm, smooth, convex, later flattened or slightly depressed, orange, brick-red with well-defined concentric zones. The plates are slightly descending along the stalk, orange-red, and turn green when pressed. The leg is 3-7 cm long, 1-3 cm thick, dense, hollow, the color of the cap. The milky juice is orange, abundant, with a pleasant taste.

The delicious camelina grows in mixed and coniferous forests, but it grows abundantly in early autumn in pine groves and in the self-seeding zone of pine trees in fields and on roadsides. Forms mycorrhiza with pine.

Found from August to October.

According to the description, this type of saffron mushroom is not similar to any of the poisonous mushrooms.

Real saffron milk cap is edible even in its raw form. One of the best edible mushrooms for pickling, marinating and for preparing any other mushroom dishes.

Camelina “Spruce” in the photo
(Lactarius deterrimus Groger) in the photo

Spruce mushroom (Lactarius deterrimus Groger) is an edible mushroom. The cap is fleshy, 3-8 cm, smooth, convex, later flattened or slightly depressed, orange, meat-colored, sometimes with green spots, well-defined concentric zones. The plates are slightly descending along the stalk, orange-red, and turn yellow when pressed. The leg is 3-7 cm long, 1-3 cm thick, dense, hollow, the color of the cap. The milky juice is orange, abundant, with a pleasant taste, but causes a scratchy sensation in the throat. The pulp is brittle, loose, bright orange at the break, then green, with carrot-red milky juice, which turns wine-red, then greenish. The pulp is dense and can be easily cut with a knife.

It grows in mixed and coniferous forests, but bears fruit abundantly in early autumn in pine groves and in the self-seeding zone of pine trees in the fields. Spruce camelina forms mycorrhiza with spruce. In Russia, it was he who was transplanted to manorial estates in the century before last. Found from August to September.

Under favorable conditions (not hot, humid summers) it can bear fruit 5-6 days after picking mushrooms several times in a row. It has no poisonous counterparts.

Preparation. Fried ones are good, and salted ones have an extraordinary taste. When salted, they do not require boiling; no dill, garlic, or other seasonings are added to them. Only saffron milk caps and salt. It turns out to be an excellent delicacy.

Saffron milk caps are representatives of the genus Lactarius, the main difference of which is their yellow-red-orange color and reddish milky juice.

Appearance

The caps of saffron milk caps have an average diameter of 4-12 centimeters, their color varies from ocher-yellow to dark orange. In young mushrooms, the edges of the caps are curled, but later they straighten out and become funnel-shaped. At the bottom of the caps there are many frequent thin plates of orange-red color that turn green when pressed.

The legs of saffron milk caps are 3-7 centimeters high and up to 2 centimeters thick. Their color is the same as the caps or a little lighter. The legs narrow towards the base, they are hollow inside and covered with small pits on top.

The flesh of the mushroom is dense, yellow-orange in color, turning green at the break. The saffron milk caps secrete abundantly thick milky juice. It has a sweetish fruity smell and an orange tint that turns greenish when exposed to air.

Kinds

Common types of saffron milk caps are:

Real (ordinary)

It is also called pine and pine. It most often grows in groups in coniferous forests. Begins to ripen en masse by the end of July. This type of saffron milk cap has a denser stem, which is a plus for pickling. In addition, the advantage of this type is the preservation of the orange color of salted and pickled mushrooms.

Spruce

It is distinguished by its smaller size (cap diameter up to 8 cm) and bitter taste. Often found in spruce forests, it ripens in late summer and autumn. In preparations it often turns green.

Where does it grow?

Saffron milk caps are quite common mushrooms in the forests of our country. Since saffron milk caps most often form mycorrhiza with spruce and pine, they grow in groups in spruce and pine plantings and forests; they love bright, less often damp places. Spruce forms of the fungus are found in moss and grass of young spruce forests, pine forms - in dry places of pine forests.

Collection method

You can go to the forest for saffron milk caps as early as July, going from a young pine forest or a dense spruce forest. Since these mushrooms like cool temperatures, look for camelina in shaded areas of lawns and near trees (look from the north side). Mushrooms love to hide under fallen spruce and pine branches and brushwood. They mostly grow up in large families.

How to choose and where to buy

When collecting saffron milk caps yourself or buying this type of mushroom, it is important to know what it looks like so as not to confuse saffron milk caps and volnushki. You can distinguish the saffron milk cap from the pink saffron milkweed by the presence of hairiness on the caps of the saffron milk caps, as well as by the milky juice (in the saffron milk cap it is colorless).

If you can’t process the saffron milk caps right away, you can keep them in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for several days (not washed).

Characteristics

Camelina is a tasty mushroom that is most often consumed in salted form.
Camelinas ripen from July to October, giving maximum yield in August.
All types of these mushrooms are edible and nutritious (belong to the first category).
The juice of saffron milk caps has a bright orange-red color and turns green in the air.
When salted, the camelina remains orange-red or becomes bluish-green, sometimes acquiring a brown tint.
In some countries they are classified as delicious mushrooms.

Nutritional value and calorie content

100 g of saffron milk caps contain:

Chemical composition

Camelinas include:

proteins;
carbohydrates, including polysaccharides;
fats;
vitamins, including provitamin A;
minerals (salts of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and other elements);
antibiotics;
antirheumatic substances.

Beneficial features

These mushrooms also have the following effects:

Anti-inflammatory
Antifungal
Antioxidant
Restoring metabolic disorders
Antirheumatic
Bactericidal
Improves vision
Accelerating recovery from lung diseases
Stimulates bowel function

Harm

Ryzhiki should not be consumed if:

Low acidity of gastric juice
Cholecystitis
Absence of gallbladder
Acute gastrointestinal diseases
Constipation
Pancreatitis

After eating foods with saffron milk caps, your urine may appear red. Excessive consumption of saffron milk caps may also cause unpleasant symptoms such as decreased performance, muscle weakness and constipation.

Application

In cooking

Ryzhiki are consumed fresh, first scalded with boiling water, and also stewed and fried.
Very often these mushrooms are salted and pickled.
Rizhik goes well with various vegetables and potatoes.
They are often added to okroshka and salads.
You can use saffron milk caps to make a filling for dumplings.
Camelina soup has a rich color and excellent taste.
These mushrooms make a good mushroom sauce, suitable for meat dishes.

How to cook

There is no need to soak the saffron milk caps before cooking. It is only recommended to scald the mushrooms with boiling water. Peeled saffron milk caps are washed and dipped in salted water. You need to cook the mushrooms for 15-20 minutes.

Salty

Before salting, the saffron milk caps are cleaned and wiped with a cloth (not washed), placed in a bucket in rows, sprinkling each of them with salt. Then the bucket is covered with a lid and pressure. When the pickled saffron milk caps settle, fresh ones are added to them. You can eat such mushrooms after 2 weeks. Ready-made salted mushrooms can simply be served with garlic and onions, or added to salads, okroshka, and vegetable dishes.

Quick method The preparation of saffron milk caps is dry salting. Mushrooms, thoroughly cleaned of contaminants, are placed in a bowl with their caps down and completely covered with salt. After 1.5 hours, the juice is drained, the mushrooms are washed and served. Salt requires about 40 grams for every kilogram of mushrooms. Mushrooms salted in this way cannot be stored for a long time.

Cold pickling saffron milk caps include the use of:

Only salt (40-60 g for each kg of saffron milk caps). The washed mushrooms are laid out with their caps down and covered with salt, after which they are kept covered with a towel under pressure for 40 days.
Salt (for each kg of mushrooms 50 g), allspice (3 peas) and onions (150 g). The mushrooms are not washed, but only wiped and placed with their caps facing up, after which they are sprinkled with chopped onions mixed with pepper and salt.

Hot salting longer, but can be used even for not very fresh mushrooms and will provide them with long-term storage. Fill the chopped mushrooms completely with water and put on the fire to boil for 5 minutes. After draining the water, place the mushrooms in a bowl in which they will be salted, and then cover with salt and seasonings. For every kilogram of mushrooms you need to take:

50 grams of salt;
1 pea of allspice;
bay leaf;
2 coriander peas.

Having covered the container with mushrooms with a cloth, put pressure on top and hide the saffron milk caps for 1.5 months in a cool place (with a temperature of up to +8). The fabric should be wrung out periodically. The recipe can be varied by adding currant leaves. They are placed on the bottom of the container with mushrooms, as well as on top of the saffron milk caps.

Fried

Fried saffron milk caps have a pleasant tangy taste. Mushrooms are fried in butter with onions. A good side dish for them is stewed cabbage, fresh vegetables, pickles, and fried potatoes.

Stewed

Roasted saffron milk caps stewed in sour cream have a very pleasant taste. These mushrooms can also be stewed with meat, such as beef. A very original version of stewed saffron milk caps - with apples.

Pickled

For the marinade, water is mixed with salt and spices - for every kilogram of saffron milk caps you need 0.75 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt. After boiling this water for 20-30 minutes over low heat, add 1/2 cup of vinegar (8%) to it.

The washed mushrooms are poured with boiling water and salt and left in a closed container for several minutes. After draining the water and allowing the mushrooms to cool slightly, they are placed in jars, poured with chilled marinade and covered with lids. These pickled saffron milk caps can be eaten after 30 days.

If you notice the appearance of mold in the jars, rinse the mushrooms with boiling water, prepare a new marinade, place the mushrooms boiled in it in clean jars and fill with marinade.

In medicine

Camelina can be used in the treatment of:

Tuberculosis
Metabolic disorders
Rheumatism
Vitiligo
Visual impairment
Skin diseases

For medicinal purposes, both fresh mushrooms and dried saffron milk caps crushed into powder are used. Camelina can also serve as an excellent external remedy - fresh mushrooms are cut and applied to insect bites, sore joints, shallow wounds or boils.

When losing weight

Saffron milk caps are low in calories and are perfectly digestible, so they can be included in the diet of a person who wants to lose weight.

At home

Cosmetologists use dried saffron milk caps (powder from them) to prepare lotions that are effective for skin irritations, acne and itching.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, pickled saffron milk caps were sent from Russia to France in bottles. These mushrooms with caps up to 25 mm in diameter were considered especially valuable.