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Mushrooms such as row mushrooms are found everywhere, almost throughout Russia. Among them you can find both edible and poisonous representatives, which every mushroom picker should know about. A visual photo and description of the May row will allow you not to make a mistake during the “quiet hunt” and diversify your spring diet with the first aromatic and tasty mushrooms, which are also very healthy and have a lot of medicinal properties.
Where do May rows grow?
The first spring mushroom grows in the western part of the country, in the Urals and the Far East, in Siberia, preferring to settle in mixed forests, parks and groves, along the edges of country roads. You can also find it in the city - on lawns or flower beds, among flowers and herbaceous perennials, as well as in private gardens. The habitats of the May row are sunny and open - pastures, meadows, sparse thickets of bushes. She prefers sandy soil in birch and pine groves, choosing loose grassy litter for herself. Active fruiting time occurs in late spring and early summer. In September, the rows can be found in the same places where they grew in the spring, but in small quantities. Rowing is also growing in all European countries. It can often be found in places where morels and stitches grow.
What May rows look like
May row (other names - May mushroom, May kalocybe, Calocybe gambosa) is a lamellar mushroom, which is characterized by a white color with a creamy tint, a fleshy cap and a dense cylindrical or club-shaped leg.
The diameter of the cap is from 5 to 12 cm, its shape is flattened or convex-spread, with uneven, as if cracked, edges. With age, the cap acquires a yellow-ocher color, but the plates of both old and young specimens have a light, whitish-cream color. At the same time, in overgrown mushrooms, the plates become thinner and become more frequent. In some fruiting bodies, the cap bends during growth, which is associated with the biological features of the structure.
The shortened, dense leg does not grow more than 9 cm in height, expanding downward. Its maximum thickness is 3.5 cm.The color of the leg is white with a yellowish tint, becoming ocher-yellow closer to the base. The pulp of the May row is dense and fleshy, white in color, and when cut it exudes a strong, pleasant aroma of flour. The taste is also mealy and fresh. When cut, the pulp does not change color. In appearance, representatives of this variety are somewhat reminiscent of champignons. However, a detailed description and photo of mushrooms makes it easy to distinguish the May row from other representatives of the mushroom kingdom.
Is it possible to eat May rows?
May rows belong to edible mushrooms of the 4th category with gastronomic taste. It is this species that is considered the most delicious among the representatives of the Ryadovok family. In addition, the fruiting bodies contain many substances useful to the human body in optimal quantities, which is not typical for other varieties of mushrooms.
The taste of the May row
May row, which in European countries is called St. George's mushroom, has the taste and aroma of fresh flour with pleasant cucumber notes. It is not eaten in its raw form, but it is excellent for winter preparations and preparing various culinary dishes. Ryadovka exhibits its taste properties best when fried. Pickled and salted fruit bodies also reveal their flavor well. However, true gourmets use them in the preparation of soups, sauces, and broths. For winter consumption they are dried and frozen.
Benefits and harm to the body
Culinary dishes from the May row are not only tasty, but also extremely beneficial for the human body, because the main product has a lot of medicinal properties. Scientific research has proven that Kalocybe is capable of:
- remove toxins and waste from the body;
- stimulate the restoration of liver cells;
- normalize the tone of the stomach and intestines;
- increase immunity.
They contain vitamins A, C, PP, B, various microelements, and most importantly, enzymes from which antibiotics are obtained in the medical industry to destroy the tuberculosis bacillus. Due to their chemical composition, rows have unique properties:
- antibacterial;
- antiviral;
- anti-inflammatory;
- antioxidant.
Mushrooms contain a minimal amount of calories and have a balanced composition, which allows them to be widely used for dietary and vegetarian nutrition. In their composition, they are close to such a valuable product as beef liver and successfully replace meat.
In official medicine, it is recommended to eat May row for those who suffer from:
- nervous disorders;
- diabetes mellitus;
- hypertension;
- oncological diseases;
- disorders of the genitourinary system;
- osteoporosis;
- rheumatism;
- arrhythmia and other cardiovascular diseases.
White May row helps prevent colds. If the product is regularly included in the weekly menu for three months, then during the epidemic season it is possible to completely avoid infection. One of the most valuable properties of kalocybe is the presence of anti-cancer components in its composition. Therefore, in China, a medicine against ovarian and cervical cancer is prepared from this species, and in Russia, extracts from the pulp are used to make medicines against diabetes.
No harm has been identified from consuming May row. However, like other mushrooms, it is a rather heavy food that is not recommended to be abused.Dishes with kalocybe are completely contraindicated for gastritis with low acidity, pancreatitis and chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal organs in the acute stage.
How to distinguish May row
May row, which grows in a country house or in a garden, is similar in appearance to the white variety, the cap of which in young specimens is rounded and convex, and becomes flat with age. Poisonous white grass has a pungent taste and a sharp, unpleasant odor. It grows from August to the end of October.
The stinking row is inedible and can cause hallucinations, so it is not eaten. The fruit body has compacted pulp and a convex white cap. Emits a pungent smell of lamp gas. The variety bears fruit in the fall, in September-October. On the territory of Russia it grows only in the Amur region, but in Europe it is found everywhere.
As mentioned above, during the spring harvest, it is impossible to confuse the May mushroom with other members of the family, since they all bear fruit in the fall. However, the May row sometimes appears in September, continuing its growing season. During autumn mushroom hunting, you should pay maximum attention. The main differences between inedible and poisonous rows are an unpleasant, pungent odor and pungent taste. Over time, their caps acquire a flat shape, which is not typical for May calocybe.
Collection rules
May rows are collected in spring and early summer, in dry weather. Young and fairly mature specimens are selected, cutting off at the base with a sharp knife.Unlike autumn representatives, May mushrooms do not accumulate toxins, so even adult fruiting bodies can be safely used as food. The harvest time coincides with the active fruiting of morels and strings, which allows mushroom pickers to return home from the forest with a rich harvest. Since the variety grows in the spring-summer period, when most of the mushrooms have not yet begun to bear fruit, it is impossible to confuse it with similar species. Finding a May row is not difficult; mushrooms grow in large groups, dense rows and “witch” circles, as shown in the photo, and if the search is successful, the basket will quickly fill with dense, fragrant fruiting bodies.
How long to cook May row
The collected mushrooms are first sorted out, cleared of debris and washed thoroughly. Soak for 2 hours to remove any remaining dirt. Before you start preparing culinary dishes from the May row, the raw materials must be properly prepared. In order for the taste qualities of the product to be fully revealed, the fruiting bodies are subjected to preliminary complex heat treatment.
Algorithm of actions:
- Boil the mushrooms for 10 minutes. in a large amount of water with the addition of table vinegar.
- The liquid is changed by filling the kalocybe with fresh water, also adding vinegar.
- Boil for 20 minutes, then add a head of peeled onion and boil for another 10 minutes.
- Place in a colander, pour out the broth, and prepare the rows according to the recipe used.
How to prepare May row
Recipes for dishes from the May row are varied. Mushrooms are great for pickling, stewing, frying, and pickling. The fruiting bodies pre-prepared in the above manner are placed in a heated frying pan with butter, salt, pepper, and onion rings are added. According to many gourmets, this is the most savory dish made from kalocybe. This species also reveals its original taste and forest, unusually pleasant aroma in soups and sauces with the addition of sour cream and butter.
The following recipe for pickling May row will allow you to prepare it for winter storage.
The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Pre-boiled fruiting bodies are placed in an enamel pan and filled with water.
- For 1 kg of mushrooms take 30 g of salt and sugar, 2 bay leaves, several buds of cloves and black peppercorns. Everything is sent to the mushroom mass.
- After boiling, cook for 5 minutes. and add 40 ml of vinegar.
- The mixture is distributed into sterilized jars, peeled garlic cloves are added and 1 - 2 tbsp on top. l. vegetable oil.
- The jars are sealed and stored in a cool, dark place.
Salted rows are prepared in a slightly different way:
- The prepared fruiting bodies are placed in an enamel pan in layers, each sprinkled with salt, peppercorns, and horseradish leaves. Add peeled garlic cloves.
- Cover with clean gauze and apply pressure.
- Place in a cool, dark place for 40 days.
- Transfer the salted rows into clean jars and cover with plastic lids.
- Sent to the refrigerator for storage.
Kalocybe can also be prepared for future use by drying, for which the fruiting bodies are strung on a thread and hung in a well-ventilated, sunny and open place. The drying process lasts 40 days.
In addition, May rows, previously boiled in salted water, can be placed in the freezer and subsequently prepared from them any mushroom dishes.
Conclusion
A photo and description of the May row will not allow it to be confused with other representatives of the mushroom family and will provide an opportunity to collect a large harvest during a “quiet” hunt. The first spring mushrooms will not only significantly diversify the table, but will also delight you with their excellent taste, bring invaluable benefits to the body, and make up for the lack of vitamins and minerals.
