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The zonal milkweed is a representative of the Russula family, the genus Mlechnik. Also known as milkweed or oak milkweed. The Latin name of this species is Lactarius zonarius.
Where does the zonal milkweed grow?
It is considered a fairly common species and grows almost everywhere. The zonal milkweed, the photo of which is presented below, prefers deciduous forests, forming mycorrhiza with birch, oak, and beech. It can grow either singly or in small groups.
What does a zonal breast look like?
The favorable time for the development of this species is the period from July to October.
The fruiting body of the zonal milkweed is presented in the form of a cap and stem. The cap is very fleshy, reaching 10–15 cm in diameter.At the initial stage of development it is funnel-shaped, with age it becomes flat with raised and sharp edges. The surface is dry and becomes sticky during the rainy season. Smooth to the touch, always bare. Color varies from cream to ocher shades. In young specimens, thin orange zones can be seen, which disappear with age. The inner cap has narrow, frequent, descending plates. They are painted white or cream, or reddish in rainy weather.
The leg of the zonal milkweed is hard, dry, bare, central, and cylindrical in shape. Over time it becomes hollow. It is smooth to the touch, cream or ocher in color; during heavy rains, reddish spots or plaque appear. The flesh is dense, hard, white in young specimens, ocher in mature specimens. When cut, the color remains unchanged. The zonal milkweed is characterized by a burning, islandy taste. Does not have a pronounced odor.
Spore powder is ocher colored
Is it possible to eat zonal milkweed?
The zonal milkweed belongs to the category of conditionally edible mushrooms. However, consumption is recommended only after special processing. One of the necessary steps is soaking the fruits of the forest, since this species has a bitter taste. But it is worth noting that many housewives skip the above steps and simply boil them before cooking.
False doubles
In terms of external characteristics, the zonal milkweed is similar to the following varieties:
- Watery-milky milkweed is a conditionally edible specimen. Initially, the cap is flat-convex in shape, but after some time it becomes glass-shaped with the edges curved inward. It differs from the species in question in the highly watery milky juice, as well as in darker plates.
- Serushka is considered a conditionally edible mushroom and a fairly common variety in cooking. At the initial stage of ripening, the cap is flat-convex in shape, after some time it becomes funnel-shaped with a noticeable depressed center. You can distinguish it from the zonal milkweed by the gray color with a leaden or pinkish tint to the fruiting bodies. Also, the pulp of the double exudes a spicy mushroom aroma.
- Pine mushroom is an edible mushroom and is distinguished by its orange color, turns red when broken, and then acquires a greenish tint. The double tastes bitter, but exudes a pleasant fruity aroma.
Rules for collection and use
When going in search of zonal milkweed, you should remember that this species grows close to deciduous trees, especially near oak and birch. Mushrooms can be arranged either in groups or individually. To avoid damaging the mycelium, the stem of each specimen should be cut off with a knife. In their raw form they are unsuitable for food. However, you can get very tasty dishes from this ingredient, but only after pre-processing. To do this you should:
- Clear the zonal milkweeds from forest debris, cut off the stems.
- Soak the gifts of the forest in a large container, pressing down with pressure on top.
- Soak for 24 hours, changing the water at least twice.
- Boil the mushrooms without adding salt for about 15 minutes.
After processing, zonal milkweeds can be fried, boiled, or pickled.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that the zonal milkweed is not a particularly popular species among other forest products, it is suitable for a variety of dishes. These mushrooms are fried, boiled, frozen. According to housewives, they are most delicious when salted.But before preparing this or that dish, you need to remember that zonal milkweeds require preliminary heat treatment to eliminate bitterness.
