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Valuy (lat. Russula foetens) is a fairly common mushroom in Russia of the Russula family. In common parlance it is also called goby, svinur, kulbik, cowshed, and crying mushroom. Some of the names are explained by the rather unpleasant and pungent smell of valuuy, and the other by the fact that its cap is sticky to the touch.
Where does valui grow?
The habitat of value is quite extensive - it is found in large quantities in Eurasia and North America. In Russia, the places of greatest distribution are in Western Siberia, the Far East and the Caucasus.
Valuy is found in all types of forests.This is explained by the fact that it can form mycorrhiza with both coniferous and deciduous trees, but most often the fungus takes place under birch trees. In addition, this species can be found in shady and swampy places, as it loves moisture.
The mushroom usually bears fruit in groups, but single specimens are also found.
What does valui look like?
The cap of a mature fruiting body can reach 7-15 cm in diameter and 3-5 cm in height. It is painted in light brown shades. A characteristic feature is the presence of a small hole in the very center of the cap. The surface of the mushroom is very slippery and sticky to the touch. Despite the fact that in adult specimens the cap is quite flat, in young valui it looks more like an egg, which gradually opens. Radial stripes are clearly visible along the edge of the cap.
The hymenophore plates are long and frequently spaced. They are cream in color, sometimes off-white. A translucent yellowish liquid is released from them, which leaves yellowish-ocher stains on the stem. Over time they darken.
The leg looks quite powerful. It reaches an average height of 6-12 cm, while the diameter of the leg can be 3-4 cm. It resembles a barrel in shape. The structure of the leg is quite dense, but there are also hollow specimens. In old valui they become loose, as an empty space of irregular shape forms inside them. The base of the leg becomes stained over time.
The pulp is quite brittle and fragile. When cut, it is white in color, but quickly darkens and acquires a brownish tint. The raw pulp tastes very bitter and burning, and its smell is also unpleasant. Reviews note that it is somewhat reminiscent of the aroma of spoiled butter.
Is it possible to eat value mushroom
Valuy is classified as a conditionally edible mushroom. This means that it can be eaten only after cooking - for this, the harvested crop is soaked or boiled for a long time. It is also necessary to remove the skin from the fruiting bodies, as it is very bitter.
Taste qualities of mushroom
The taste of the mushroom is at the level of the third group. Without additional processing, it tastes extremely unpleasant, which is why valui is usually salted and pickled. Also popular in Russia are dishes made from fried and stewed valui, pre-soaked. The pleasant taste of these mushrooms is especially noted in the form of salty snacks that can be prepared cold or hot. Also, in order to give the valui additional notes, the preparations are seasoned with a marinade with spices.
Benefits and harm to the body
Valuy has a lot of beneficial properties, which made it very popular in folk medicine, especially in China. In Russia, the mushroom is not used for medicinal purposes, but its benefits are obvious. Properly processed fruiting bodies can have the following effects on the human body:
- removes waste and toxins, being a powerful antioxidant;
- stabilize heart function;
- lower blood sugar levels;
- normalize metabolism;
- strengthen immunity;
- promote the removal of heavy metals from the body.
Of course, all this is true only with moderate consumption of Valueuy dishes. In addition, this species is rich in protein, which is involved in the formation of new cells. The vitamin composition of fruiting bodies is also quite extensive.
Despite the obvious benefits of this mushroom for the human body, it also has a number of contraindications. These forest fruits should not be eaten in any form:
- children under seven years old;
- pregnant women and nursing mothers;
- people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- with individual intolerance to the components contained in mushrooms;
- persons with liver and kidney diseases.
In addition, fresh valui should not be eaten. Without additional treatment, they cause severe poisoning, which is determined by the following signs:
- nausea;
- thirst;
- vomit;
- labored breathing;
- gastrointestinal disorder;
- severe pain in the abdominal area.
If these symptoms of poisoning occur, you should immediately call an ambulance. Before her arrival, the victim is artificially induced to vomit and the stomach is washed.
False doubles
Valueuy has some of its relatives that can cause serious food poisoning. Before going into the forest, it is important to read the description of these false species so as not to harm your health.
The most dangerous double of Valueu - Hebeloma adhesive (lat. Hebeloma crustuliniforme) or false valui. In common parlance this species is called horseradish mushroom.
A distinctive feature of hebeloma is a sharp and unpleasant odor, reminiscent of horseradish.In addition, this mushroom is distinguished from edible varieties by the fact that it is never wormy. This is explained by the high content of rather caustic milky juice in its fruiting body.
Russula almond (lat. Russula laurocerasi) or cherry russula is also very similar to valui, however, they are easy to distinguish by smell - the aroma of this species gives off strong notes of bitter almonds. In general, almond russula is slightly smaller and more elegant than valuya.
The mushroom is classified as edible, unlike valuuya. The taste of this species is most fully revealed during heat treatment, but it can also be eaten raw.
Basement (lat. Russula subfoetens) is practically indistinguishable from value. They can only be determined by applying potassium hydroxide (KOH) to the stems of the mushrooms - the flesh of the valuuy should become stained, while the color of the valuuy's fruiting body will remain unchanged. On the other hand, it’s not scary to make a mistake in these types, since their taste is not much different from each other.
Just like real valui, basement mushrooms are classified as conditionally edible mushrooms.
Another common value double is Russula Morse (lat. Russula illota). This species is also distinguished from real value by its smell - russula has an almond aroma, which its relative does not have.
The mushroom can be eaten; it belongs to the edible category.
Collection rules
This species is harvested from July to September, sometimes the harvest season extends until mid-October if the year is warm.It is recommended to adhere to the basic rules for collecting mushrooms:
- They go to the forest in the morning, when the air humidity level is still quite high. Under such conditions, the collected fruiting bodies remain fresh longer.
- As with other mushrooms, valui should not be pulled out of the ground. The mushroom is removed from the soil by carefully twisting the stem or carefully cutting it off just above the ground. Such care is necessary in order to keep the mycelium intact so that it can produce a harvest for the next year. If the mushrooms are pulled out, it will die.
- During harvesting, you should focus on young mushrooms. Old and overripe valui do not have good taste, so specimens with caps whose size does not exceed 5-6 cm are usually collected.
Use
The pulp of valueu has a rather unpleasant taste when raw. So much so that in the West the mushroom is considered inedible. In Russia, they make salty preparations from it for the winter, soaking it for a long time beforehand to remove the bitterness from the fruiting body. In Ukraine and Belarus, mushroom caviar from Valueu is very popular.
In general, the process of preparing value is as follows:
- First of all, the fruiting bodies are thoroughly washed from soil, leaves and other debris, after which the bitter skin is carefully removed from them.
- The next step is to soak the mushrooms. This is necessary in order to remove unpleasant odor and bitterness. Soaking takes an average of 2-4 days, using cold water.The liquid is changed twice a day to prevent the mushrooms from turning sour.
- The soaking procedure can be replaced by cooking - heat treatment can significantly reduce the time it takes to prepare the crop for pickling. To do this, the washed fruiting bodies are placed in a pan and filled to the top with water. Cook the mushrooms for at least 40 minutes, after which they can be used for winter preparations.
This species is not suitable for drying, as its pulp is too bitter. It is also not recommended to use legs for blanks; usually only the caps are selected.
Conclusion
Valuy is a rather difficult mushroom to prepare, however, the preparations from it are excellent. At the same time, it is still not recommended to eat valui for small children, pregnant women and people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, since the slightest mistake in preparation can be harmful to health. Insufficient soaking of the mushroom does not cause serious problems, but minor food poisoning will follow.
You can learn more about how to collect valuuy from the video below:
