Belarus is located in a temperate continental climatic zone. Summer and spring in the republic are warm and humid. Therefore, the mushrooms of the Minsk region are harvested from early spring to late autumn. Some "hunters" manage to collect not bad crops in winter, under a layer of snow or on tree trunks.
Mushrooms in the Minsk region
Main characteristics
Unusual forest organisms number about 100,000 species around the world. There are about 200 of them growing in Belarus, of which 60 are considered edible. All mushrooms near Minsk have their own category, according to the degree of edibility and taste.
Edible categories:
- edible;
- conditionally edible;
- inedible;
- poisonous.
The first 2 categories are completely safe for the human body. They are prepared in different ways, and the species that belong to the 1st category (champignons, russula, white and weight) are good for food without heat treatment.
Conditionally edible and inedible ones are best pre-soaked and rinsed several times in running water. With water, all the milky juice will come out and with it unpleasant bitterness, which can spoil the taste of the finished dish.
Edible species
Minsk forests are rich in berries, medicinal herbs and mushrooms.
Forest mushrooms are summer, autumn, winter and spring. But still the best period for mass gathering is traditionally for these places the end of August and the beginning of September.
The most popular in the Minsk region:
- poddubki;
- white;
- morels;
- boletus;
- chanterelles;
- boletus.
Morels and stitches are the first to appear from under the snow - their caps are wrinkled, which sharply differ from other species. After the May holidays, they are replaced by raincoats.
In early June, the earth begins to warm up. And from under the rotten leaves of last year, wet caps of butter appear. They have a colorful look. Their description cannot fail to attract attention. Brownish smooth and shiny caps of juveniles proudly flaunt on a dense cylindrical stem. The cut flesh smells good and has a light beige tint. The fracture will not change its color even after an hour.
In conifers and in mixed forests at the end of June, representatives of the species Polish mushroom appear. Outwardly, they look a little like white. Velvety delicate hats attract attention. The leg is thick and yellow at the cut. The aroma is strong and pleasant.
Champignons are versatile mushrooms, they are good in any form. They bear fruit from June to October. White caps stand out clearly under the fallen leaves. Under the outer layer of the cap, there is a thin film connected to the stem. In older specimens, it bursts and separates from the base. The flesh of these forest beauties has a slightly pink tint.
The most valuable Belarusians deservedly consider the porcini mushrooms, which appear in July and delight their fans until the end of October. Their aroma and taste are unique: bright and strong, fully balanced. Their flesh does not change its color in any form, even when dry it remains completely white. For this quality, the mushrooms got their name, which eventually became generally recognized in science.
Redheads and chanterelles undoubtedly deserve attention. They look attractive. Their taste is excellent.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
The chanterelle has its counterparts, but upon closer examination, you will notice that the similarity is superficial. First double: chanterelle... It is characterized by the following points:
- the cap is orange, not yellow;
- the leg is delimited from the cap;
- the edges of the cap are even, not wavy;
- the hymenophore is lamellar, not folded;
- the leg is hollow, not solid;
- the pulp is dense, cotton-like (in older ones), and not elastic.
Second double: hedgehog yellow (but here only an extremely inattentive person can confuse with a fox). Here it is enough to look at the hymenophore - in the chanterelle it is folded, and in the hedgehog it is represented by many spines, which are easily separated from the lower surface of the cap.
Mushroom places near Minsk have about 4 species of honey agarics. They are summer and autumn, meadow and field. They always grow up in large families. It is easy to collect more than one full basket from one place and feed a good company with them.
Inedible and poisonous species
Poisonous mushrooms should not be put in the basket with edible
Poisonous mushrooms:
- death cap;
- gall mushroom;
- fly agaric;
- the chanterelle is false;
- false foaming;
- poisonous ryadovki and talkers;
- satanic mushroom;
- pepper mushroom.
Pale toadstool can cause poisoning, even after touching them. Her toxins are strong and penetrate through the skin into the blood, causing bouts of vomiting, diarrhea and fever. All mushrooms that have been in contact with her automatically become poisonous, they must be thrown out without regret - after all, your life and health are at stake.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
Pepper mushroom prefers dry coniferous forests and occurs from July to late autumn. It can form mycorrhiza with young birches. This type of mushroom is often confused with butter - not for nothing is its synonym - pepper oil can. It is distinguished from butter by:
- taste (bitter, pungent);
- color of the hymenophore: red, but yellowish in real boletus;
- leg: no film ring.
In the literature, it is often indicated that the pepper oil can "is inedible because of the pungent peppery taste." However, many experienced mushroom pickers believe that:
- you can eat it by adding it to a mushroom dish instead of pepper;
- after prolonged cooking, the unpleasant pungent taste disappears.
Common mushrooms are often confused with toadstool and false ear. Satanic or bilious is considered a noble white. But upon close examination, the satanic one has a fine black mesh on the leg, and the bile gives itself out with an unpleasant aroma and a burning taste that does not disappear even after soaking.
Hallucinogenic species
Several types of rare hallucinogenic forest organisms grow on the territory of Belarus:
- paneolus moth (dung beetle);
- hay dung;
- acute fiber;
- mycene is pure;
- the row is smelly;
- hymonopil Juno.
They include the so-called. psychoactive substances that cause disorders of the nervous system. This substance is psilocin, and with its repeated use, a painful condition occurs, leading to personality degradation and schizophrenia.
Where to look for mushrooms
A map of the area of mushroom spots in Minsk indicates that many edible species grow along the highway.
- Vitebsk direction: along the road, 4 km from Logoisk and to the village of Pleshchenitsy, there are good meadows with boletus and boletus.
the villages of Mostishche and Aleshniki (12 km from the city) are excellent places to collect honey agarics.
From the bus station, there is a regular bus Logoisk – Ugly – Shvaby. Having reached the agricultural town Zembin on it, you can pick up a crop of mushrooms and chanterelles in the nearby forest. Near the village itself, along the walking paths, you come across russula and spring morels.
The Khatyn forest traditionally gives rich harvests of various types of forest organisms to amateurs in it to "hunt". throughout the season, a huge number of lovers of these delicacies come here.
- Vileyshina: to the village Ilya, located here, is best reached by car. Mushroom places are located near the recreation center "Economist". This area is characterized by a good annual harvest of russula, valuev and morels.
Belarus mushrooms 2019! Minsk and Minsk region.
White boletus mushrooms July 2019 Belarus Boletus Edulis
Mushroom season 2019 kicks off in Belarus
- settlement Stolbtsy: famous for its chanterelles, aspen mushrooms, autumn mushrooms and boletus. It is better to look for them near the tourist base "Vysokiy Bereg", and it is more comfortable to get there by car, along the Brest highway, to the turn to the village of Nikolaevshchina. If this is not possible, then you can go by train or by regular bus. Buses run regularly in Brest direction from the central bus station in Minsk.
- Talkov direction: ideal for hiking, there are many mushrooms in summer and autumn. It is easier to get there by train from the central station and through the field to reach the forest, past summer cottages, along the river. The walking distance varies from 5 to 20 km. Therefore, good physical fitness does not hurt.
Conclusion
Mushroom picking is a pleasant and useful activity. In the forest you need to take a sharp knife, a convenient box or basket, a compass, a supply of water and means of protection against mosquitoes.