Content
- 1 Where do light yellow russulas grow?
- 2 What do yellow russula mushrooms look like?
- 3 Photo and description of yellow russula
- 4 Are yellow russulas edible or not?
- 5 Taste qualities of russula with a yellow cap
- 6 Benefits and harms
- 7 False look-alikes of yellow russula
- 8 How to cook yellow russula
- 9 Conclusion
Yellow russula (Russula claroflava) is a very common and tasty lamellar mushroom, distinguished by its brightly colored cap. It has not found much popularity among avid mushroom pickers due to increased fragility and frequent damage by mushroom worms.
Where do light yellow russulas grow?
Yellow russula prefer to grow in birch forests or mixed birch-pine forests. They live exclusively under birch trees, with which they form mycorrhizae. Often found in damp places and along the edges of swamps, as well as on peat bogs. Yellow russulas love mossy areas with little grass cover and grow among fallen leaves.They are found both singly and in whole groups, sometimes forming arcs or circles.
The fruiting period is from July to mid-October. The growth of yellow russula begins earlier than other autumn mushrooms; frequent neighbors in the forest are:
- boletus;
- thin pig;
- float yellow-brown.
Even in dry summers, when other mushrooms stop growing due to lack of moisture, this variety continues to actively bear fruit, giving the mushroom picker no reason to come back from the forest with an empty basket.
What do yellow russula mushrooms look like?
The species Russula claroflava differs from other representatives of the Russula family by the noticeable color of the cap, a juicy bright yellow hue. Mushrooms can easily be found among moss or dry leaves, however, in autumn they merge with birch litter, which has a similar color.
Photo and description of yellow russula
Yellow russula at a young age has a hemispherical cap, which opens up as the mushroom grows, first becoming flat and later funnel-shaped. The diameter of the cap under favorable conditions sometimes reaches 10-12 cm. The edges are even, the skin is smooth and dry, slightly sticky in inclement weather, and easily separated from the pulp. The reverse side of the cap is lamellar, at the base of the stem it is white, closer to the edge it is yellowish. In old mushrooms, the plates acquire a grayish tint and brown spots appear on them.
The pulp of yellow russula has an elastic structure consisting of small fragile plates; as the fruiting body ages, it becomes loose. When broken or cut due to contact with air, it turns gray in color.The spores are shaped like a spiky egg, and the spore powder is ocher-colored.
The stem of Russula claroflava is cylindrical, even, smooth, and dense. In young specimens it has a boiling white color, in old ones it gradually turns gray, voids appear inside, and the pulp becomes like cotton wool. The diameter of the leg is usually 1-2 cm, height – 5-10 cm.
Are yellow russulas edible or not?
This variety of mushrooms is included in group 3 in terms of nutritional value (edible mushrooms with average taste). Along with Russula claroflava, this group includes:
- real honey mushrooms;
- morels;
- lines;
- boletus;
- valui;
- flywheels;
- waves;
- black milk mushrooms.
Taste qualities of russula with a yellow cap
The pulp of yellow russula has a pleasant mild taste with barely noticeable nutty notes. The mushroom smell is weak; a floral or pine aroma can be distinguished. It is better to eat young mushrooms whose caps have not yet opened. The taste of older specimens is less rich, they are more susceptible to crumbling and do not look aesthetically pleasing in dishes. In addition, adult Russula claroflava mushrooms are often wormy.
Benefits and harms
Mushrooms of the genus Russula are rich in vitamins B2, C and PP. Also includes:
- phosphorus;
- iron;
- potassium;
- magnesium;
- calcium.
This is a low-calorie product, appreciated by nutritionists and vegetarians. 100 g of product contains only 19 kcal. The nutritional value:
- proteins – 1.7 g;
- fats – 0.7 g;
- carbohydrates – 1.5 g.
Eating mushrooms quickly satisfies the feeling of hunger and does not lead to obesity. However, children under 7 years of age, pregnant and lactating women should avoid eating such dishes. Russulas have a beneficial effect on the human body:
- increase hemoglobin levels;
- relieve swelling;
- strengthen blood vessels;
- activate creative activity;
- relieve hangover syndrome;
- normalize the emotional background during menopause;
- restore libido;
- remove toxins and waste;
- prevent the formation of blood clots and blood thickening.
Athletes of aerobic sports often include this product in their diet during breaks between intense workouts, while bodybuilders, on the contrary, refuse mushrooms, especially during the drying period.
Doctors strongly do not recommend consuming yellow russula for diseases:
- kidney;
- gallbladder;
- liver;
- Gastrointestinal tract during exacerbations.
False look-alikes of yellow russula
Novice mushroom pickers can easily confuse yellow russula with its poisonous counterpart, the bright yellow fly agaric (Amanita gemmata), which has hallucinogenic properties. It can be distinguished by white flakes on the cap, a characteristic thickening of the stem at the base and a membranous ring. The pulp of the inedible mushroom exudes a faint radish odor.
In addition to the fly agaric, its closest relative, the gall russula (Russula fellea), can be mistaken for the yellow russula. This variety is distinguished by a light ocher or straw-yellow shade of the cap, which fades to beige as the mushroom grows. The pulp of gall russula smells like geranium and has an unbearably burning taste.
Instead of yellow russula, which has a mild taste without bitterness, you can collect ocher russula (Russula ochroleuca) in coniferous forests. They are also edible, but their taste is more mediocre.The ocher variety can be distinguished by its lighter plates; its flesh does not change color in the air. They prefer to settle in dry places and are found under pine and spruce trees, which is unusual for the yellow species.
How to cook yellow russula
Edible yellow russula, photos of which attract the eye with rich colors in yellow and white tones, lose their attractiveness during heat treatment, becoming gray. However, this does not detract from their taste. Mushrooms are suitable for drying, they are:
- marinate;
- salt;
- stew;
- fry;
- frozen.
Experienced cooks advise pre-soaking russula in cold water, this way you can get rid of a possible bitter taste. Next, they are boiled for 15-30 minutes, drained in a colander, after which they proceed to salting, marinating and frying. Salted russula seasoned with garlic, onions, pepper and sour cream are especially tasty. In some European countries this dish is considered a delicacy.
Conclusion
Yellow russula, due to its prevalence throughout Russia, has been encountered by any mushroom picker at least once. An elegant appearance and good taste are what lovers of quiet hunting value this mushroom for. Many undeservedly ignore it in the forest, knowing about its fragility and frequent worminess, preferring to collect noble species, and in vain, because in its salted form it can give odds to even boletus.
