Content
The August champignon (popularly known as the spikelet) is a tasty and aromatic edible mushroom that is most often found in coniferous forests from late summer to mid-autumn. This is the largest among all types of champignons. Unfortunately, it is not easy to find. However, if you manage to stumble upon a place where such a mushroom grows, then, as a rule, there will be more than one - the mushroom picker may be lucky enough to fill half the basket at once. Photos and descriptions of the August champignon will not allow it to be confused with its poisonous counterparts, in particular, with the red champignon and toadstool.This mushroom can be prepared in various ways: boiled, fried, stewed, pickled, dried for future use, and even eaten raw. However, it is not recommended to get too carried away with dishes made from it - it can contribute to the accumulation of the heavy metal cadmium in the body.
What does August champignon look like?
The cap of the August champignon usually reaches from 5 to 15 cm in diameter. In a young specimen it is closed and has the shape of a hemisphere, but with age it becomes prostrate. The color of the outer skin of the cap can be yellowish or golden. Over its entire surface there are many matte brown or orange-brown scales. A tubercle is often visible in the center of the cap.
The August champignon is the largest representative of the Champignon family.
The spore-bearing layer is lamellar. As the fruiting body ages, it changes color from pinkish to dark brown. In young mushrooms, the plates are covered with a light film. Subsequently, it breaks, hanging in fragments from the edges of the cap and forming a large folded white ring with yellowish flakes on the stem.
The leg of the August champignon is usually long (5-10 cm) and about 2 cm thick. It is dense, white (however turns yellow when pressed), and has a rough surface.
The flesh of the mushroom is fleshy and elastic. It is white, but when broken, oxidizing in air, it becomes pink. The taste of the pulp is pleasant, spicy, mushroom. The aroma is slightly reminiscent of almond or anise seed.
The video briefly and informatively tells about this mushroom:
Where does the August champignon grow?
The August champignon prefers to grow under spruce trees in coniferous forests, less often in mixed forests, choosing clay soil rich in organic matter. It is often found near anthills. It is not found often, but usually bears fruit in large groups. Its collection season begins in August and lasts until the end of September and beginning of October.
This mushroom prefers to grow under coniferous trees
Is it possible to eat August champignon?
The August champignon is a good edible mushroom. In terms of taste and nutritional value, it belongs to category 3. It also has medicinal qualities - its composition is rich in vitamins A, C, PP, microelements (phosphorus, potassium), as well as substances with pronounced antimicrobial properties.
False doubles
The most dangerous of the mushrooms with which the August champignon can be confused is death cap. It is extremely toxic - poisoning is often fatal. Young toadstools and champignons have quite a lot of similarities: the shape and color of the caps, plates, and the presence of rings on the legs. Therefore, it is important to always remember their main differences from each other:
- at the base of the pale grebe there is always a volva - an ungrown thick “bag” at the roots, into which its leg is inserted, as it were;
- there are no scales on the toadstool's cap;
- in the August champignon, the color of the plates changes as it ages, while in its poisonous “double” they always remain snow-white;
- When pressed and on a broken surface, the pale grebe does not change color.
Toadstool poisoning is deadly
Red champignon - another poisonous “double” of August. The following features will help distinguish it:
- if you cut the stem of this mushroom at the base, it will instantly acquire a rich yellow color;
- its pulp smells strong and unpleasant (reminiscent of the smell of iodine or “carbolic acid”);
- The size of its poisonous “brother”, as a rule, is inferior to the August one.
Red champignon is a poisonous “double” of August
Rules for collection and use
When going into the forest this season for August champignons, you should keep in mind several important rules:
- Only if you are absolutely sure that the mushroom is identified correctly, you can put it in your basket.
- You should not collect and eat old, wormy, overly soft or rotten specimens.
- It is dangerous for your health to go on a “silent hunt” in places located near industrial enterprises, factories, landfills, highways and treatment facilities. Mushrooms are known for their ability to actively absorb and accumulate harmful substances in their fruiting bodies.
- During the collection process, it is recommended not to pick the fruiting bodies, but to carefully cut them with a knife to keep the mycelium intact.
Like other edible champignons, August mushrooms are versatile in culinary use. They are eaten raw, and also cooked and stored for future use in almost any form.
Conclusion
The photo and description of the August champignon will certainly be useful to a mushroom picker who gathers in the spruce forest during the season.It is important to know how to distinguish this edible mushroom from dangerous poisonous “doubles”, where to look and how to collect it correctly. August champignons are not easy to find, however, if you are lucky, you can prepare many dishes from these tasty, aromatic and nutritious “gifts of the forest”. The main thing is not to forget about moderation in food, so that these mushrooms will benefit your health and not harm it.
