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The Esset champignon is a member of the Champignonaceae family, the genus of the same name. The mushroom has a number of distinctive features that should be familiarized with before harvesting.
What does Esset champignon look like?
This is a species with a rounded white cap, which becomes convex-flat with age.
The plates are whitish, as they grow they acquire a gray-pink and later brown tint.
The mushroom has a thin cylindrical pinkish stalk with a torn ring at the bottom. It usually widens at the base.
Where does Esset champignon grow?
The habitats of the fungus are coniferous thickets and spruce forests. Sometimes it can be found in deciduous forests. The species germinates on the forest floor and actively bears fruit from July to October.
Is it possible to eat Esset champignon?
Esset champignon belongs to the edible group. It contains many useful elements:
- amino acids;
- vitamins B and D,
- nicotinic and pantothenic acids;
- biotin.
The species also contains a lot of protein, which is necessary for muscles.
In addition, mushrooms have a mild diuretic property, lower sugar levels in the body, reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, and prevent the development of anemia and the occurrence of malignant tumors.
False doubles
The species has only edible counterparts, which is a huge advantage for harvesting.
Most often, the mushroom can be confused with field champignon, which differs in its location of growth: the false twin can only be found in grassy areas. It is characterized by a hemispherical cap 5-15 cm in diameter and a strong thick stalk with a hanging two-layer ring. The white pulp with an anise aroma has a yellowish tint when cut. Another distinctive feature is color.
The caps of adult field specimens droop and turn chocolate brown
Another lookalike of the species is the crooked champignon with a cap diameter of 7 to 10 cm. Young specimens are bell-shaped, but become prostrate as they grow. The fruiting bodies are cream colored with a yellowish tint in some areas.
The leg of the species is 5-8 cm long, cylindrical in shape, smooth
Rules for collection and use
The main nuance when collecting Esset champignons is the correct extraction of fruiting bodies from the substrate. They should not be cut or abruptly pulled out, but only carefully twisted out of the soil. This way the mycelium remains intact and can continue to produce fruiting bodies.
This will allow you not to disturb the growth of small mushrooms that have just begun to develop near the ripe specimen. That is why it is forbidden to cut off the fruiting bodies with a knife; the remains of stumps will interfere with the normal development of young mushrooms.
When abruptly pulled out of the ground, the mycelium dies almost immediately.
The twisted specimens need to be carefully trimmed and placed with their caps down in a box or basket, and then moved to a cool place (a cellar or refrigerator will do). You should not put a lot of mushrooms in one container - the fruiting bodies can choke and quickly deteriorate due to the high temperature. It is also important to provide the champignons with good ventilation. It is not recommended to store mushrooms longer than 10 days after picking, which is why chefs order them in advance.
Esset champignons can be used in preparing vegetable and meat dishes; they go well with cheese. Mushrooms are fried, boiled, stewed, and also baked over a fire in an oven.
Video recipe for making a quick snack:
Conclusion
The Esset champignon is an edible mushroom that grows in coniferous, spruce and deciduous forests. Before going for a mushroom harvest, it is important to carefully study the description and photo of the species, as well as familiarize yourself with the rules for collecting fruiting bodies. Esset champignons can be used in any type of culinary processing for preparing vegetables, meat and other dishes.
