Truffle deer mushroom in folk medicine. Deer truffle - description of where it grows, toxicity of the mushroom

The value of truffles lies in their unusual taste and aroma, which is why these mushrooms are considered a delicacy, and their cost on the market can reach several thousand dollars. Photos and descriptions of truffles will help you find them in the forest yourself.

Read today's article for a description and photo of the truffle mushroom, where it grows and how to look for it correctly.

What types of truffle mushrooms are there?

Note: Very often the size of one specimen does not exceed the size of a walnut, but there are mushrooms with large potatoes and weighing more than one kilogram. Externally, it also resembles potatoes.

The peridium (outer layer) may be smooth or rugged a large number various cracks, and there are also specimens with characteristic multifaceted warts. In the cross section, a pronounced marble structure is observed.

Figure 1. External features mushrooms

The pulp consists of inner and outer “wreaths”, which have dark and light shades. On the internal and external “veins” there are spore bags that have a wide variety of shapes. The species affects the color of the pulp, which can be white, black, gray or chocolate.

Species

The truffle family includes more than a hundred representatives of these famous mushrooms, which are classified according to their biological-geographical group and in terms of gastronomic value (black, white, red).

The most famous varieties are:

Black summer(Russian). This variety can reach a diameter of up to 10 cm and a weight of 0.4 kg. As he grows up, he may change color scheme from white to yellow or gray-brown. The consistency of the pulp in young specimens is very dense, while in older specimens it is loose. Representatives of the species have a sweetish, nutty taste with a slightly noticeable odor of algae. Meet this type possible in the following regions: Transcaucasia, Crimea, the European part of Russia and Europe. It can be found under oak, hazel and pine. Fruiting begins in June and lasts until early October.
Black Autumn Burgundy It has a round shape and can weigh up to 0.32 kg, but its size is no more than 8 cm. At maturity, the pulp is colored milk chocolate and is riddled with white veins. The taste can be distinguished by the aroma of cocoa, although Burgundy specimens have a bitter aftertaste.
Black winter endowed with an irregular spherical or spherical shape. The size of the fruiting bodies can be 8-20 cm and weigh up to 1.5 kg. The surface is covered with a red-violet hue, on which polygonal warts can be observed. They have a very pleasant musky aroma and can be found on wet soils under a linden or hazel tree. Such amazing specimens can be found in France, Switzerland, Italy and Ukraine.
Black Perigord(French) has an irregular or slightly rounded shape. The outer peridium is covered with warts, which change color from red-brown to charcoal-dark as they mature. Among all known species this one is considered the most valuable because it has a pleasant taste and strong aroma.
White Piedmontese(Italian) is externally endowed with an irregular tuberous shape of fruiting bodies and in cross section can reach 12 cm. Very often there are specimens with a fruit weight of up to 300 grams, but sometimes you can find fruits weighing up to 1 kg. The peridium may be yellowish-red or brown in color. The pulp of the fruit is cream or white, but you can find specimens with a slight red tint. The variety differs from its relatives in its pleasant taste qualities and an aroma reminiscent of garlic and cheese. This species grows exclusively in northern Italy.

Figure 2. The most popular types of mushrooms: 1 - black summer, 2 - black autumn (Burgundy), 3 - black winter, 4 - black Perigord, 5 - white Italian

We have provided photos and descriptions of only the main species (Figure 2), although in fact there are many more of them, and almost all of them are of high nutritional value.

Characteristic

Truffles grow exclusively below the soil surface in small groups. They can contain from 3 to 7 fruiting bodies, which have cartilaginous and fleshy pulp.

The range of locations of the families is very extensive and they can be found in the following regions: Europe, Asia, the USA and North Africa(Figure 3).

Regarding its widespread distribution, the following features can be distinguished:

The mycelium of the Piedmontese variety can form a symbiosis with the roots of poplar, birch and linden.
Perigord can be found in groves of beech, oak or hornbeam trees. It is mainly found in Spain, Switzerland and southern France.
Black summer grows well in mixed or deciduous forests, as well as in calcareous soils.

Figure 3. Distribution of fungi in the natural environment

This species can be found in Central Europe, Black Sea coast Caucasus, Scandinavian countries and Ukraine. However, cases of finding this specimen in certain areas of Central Asia have been recorded.

Peculiarities

IN chemical composition there are no pronounced features. The fame of this mushroom is based on its aromatic properties ah, which supposedly can cause the awakening of certain feelings and desires.

Today they are the rarest and most expensive, since the demand for them is much higher than the supply. In the vastness of our country you can only find the black summer variety.

What does a truffle look like?

If you want to find these mushrooms in the forest, you definitely need to know what a truffle looks like (Figure 4). Externally, the shape of the fruiting bodies can be tuberous or round with a size of 2-10 cm. The peridium has a dark color range from bluish-black to brown-black. Pyramidal warts can often be observed on the surface, but there are species with a smooth peridium.

Figure 4. External features of truffles

The flesh of a mature specimen is loose, while that of a young specimen is dense. At the very beginning of growth, the flesh will be white and as the specimen matures it will acquire a brownish-yellow color. When cut, the light veins give it a marbled color. The pulp is sweetish in taste and nut-like, and the aroma is similar to the smell of algae.

The author of the video will tell you what a truffle looks like and where to look for it.

Main differences from other mushrooms

Truffles on the market are very expensive and the price for 1 kilogram of such a rare product starts from 400 euros. Such a high cost of this type is associated with such factors:

Difficulty in growing;
Seasonal production;
High level of taste and aroma properties (quality) of the product.

The value of each unit is measured by its size: the larger the item, the more expensive it is. The most expensive are mushrooms with a large fruiting body (like an apple), but such specimens grow in less than 1% of the total world harvest. Walnut-sized specimens make up 10% of the harvest, and grape-sized specimens make up 30%. The remaining percentage is made up of very small mushrooms, and their cost is much less. Very small ones are used mainly for preparing a variety of sauces.

What does a white truffle look like?

Unlike the black variety, the white variety cannot be bred. The difficulty of cultivation is due to the fact that it grows in limited regions of Italy (Figure 5).

Note: Seasonal harvesting has made this variety a real gastronomic rarity. Taste fresh mushrooms It is possible only during the harvest period, which occurs from October to January.

Price white variety made him the most an expensive delicacy in a world that could beat the price of black caviar, foie gras and gold. For this reason, you can often find special auctions where you can purchase the most various types this expensive gastronomic product. The average price per kilogram is 3-4 thousand euros, and the most record price is 330 thousand dollars per piece weighing 1.5 kg. Such a large specimen was auctioned incognito in Hong Kong. The auction rules include a mandatory clause about providing a complete pedigree, which includes the following points:

Exact weight of the specimen down to the gram;
The name of the dog that found him;
Indicate the location of the tree where it was found.

Figure 5. External features of the white Italian variety

Due to its high cost and rarity, you can only see what a white truffle looks like in a photo or specialized video.

Peculiarities

The pricing and strength of the aroma of white truffle makes it a dream for any culinary gourmet. During cooking, cooks never cook them in pure form. Very often you can observe a situation in culinary dishes when they are added in the same proportion as herbs and other spices.

It is customary to serve them with minimal heat treatment, as this can weaken the delicate taste and aroma. Strength white is the aroma fresh mushroom, so very often they are laid out in thin slices on an already prepared dish.

What does a black truffle look like?

The black (Périgord) variety is very similar in aroma to the white one, but its earthy and musky notes are weaker, and are often complemented by the smell of fresh hazelnuts. It is often added to culinary dishes during cooking (Figure 6).

Peculiarities

The black truffle is considered the most valuable specimen of this species, which very often grows in France. It has the second name Périgordsky, as this is due to the place where it grows.

Figure 6. Black truffles: features

A distinctive feature of this species is the special reddish-brown-black color of the peridium. The pulp is dark in color, and the smell is very characteristic and has a pleasant taste. This variety grows in winter and begins to be collected from January to March.

Today, many types of truffles have been identified that can be safely eaten without danger to health. However, there are many other fungi that, if ingested by the human body, can cause distress. digestive tract or cause severe intoxication of the body (Figure 7).

It is very easy to mistake a false truffle for a real culinary rarity. They may have external resemblance, but at the same time belong to a different family. For example, deer grass grows in wooded areas of Europe and North America and it is not edible for humans, but animals eat it with great pleasure.

Figure 7. Appearance and features of false truffle

Reindeer truffles can cause stomach upset, but at the same time, false truffles are deadly to human health. Externally, it has an oblong shape, dark red or beige color and belongs to the basidiomycetes family. Fruiting body poisonous mushroom can grow up to 10 cm in length and will have a characteristic bad smell. TO inedible species include tombolans (steppe truffles), which grow in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, North Africa and Southern Europe. However, among the tombolans there are also edible mushrooms.

Italy and France are rich in mushroom places, but the species that will be discussed further also grows in America and Asia. Unique specimens of truffles are also found in the Middle East. The geography of distribution of this mushroom is quite interesting, as is the species itself.

The truffle, or as it is also called the “Gastronomic Diamond,” is rightfully considered the most expensive and... rare mushroom all over the world, since the demand for it is much higher than the supply. It gained its popularity due to its unsurpassed taste and aroma properties.

The truffle mushroom belongs to the genus of marsupial mushrooms and is an edible representative of the truffle family. The fruiting body of the fungus has a bumpy surface and a tuberous shape. A cross section of the mushroom shows a marble pattern. In its structure it resembles an old potato tuber. Despite the rather unpresentable appearance, for gourmets this mushroom is a real treasure and a desirable specimen.

Description of truffle

The truffle mushroom grows mostly in Europe, in deciduous forests. The mushroom forms a mutually beneficial symbiosis with the roots different trees, such as oak or linden. The truffle gets what it needs from the tree nutrients, and in return protects him from various diseases. It prefers only warm climatic conditions.

The distinctive feature of the mushroom from all others is that it grows only underground at a depth of 10-30 cm, small families. There are both small specimens and very large ones, the weight of which can reach more than 1 kg. There is quite large number varieties of truffles, but the most valuable in cooking are:

White Piedmontese.
Black Perigord.
Summer.
Winter.

This expensive delicacy cannot be purchased in a regular store; it can only be purchased in specialized departments or directly from suppliers. Mostly, prestigious restaurants order truffles in small quantities. The high cost and inaccessibility of the product is explained by the difficulty of obtaining them.

In low-yield years, the price can increase several tens of times. Industrial cultivation truffle production is most developed in Italy and France. They are usually used exclusively for preparing a variety of gourmet dishes with great taste.

When and how to collect truffles

Many mushroom pickers want to find such a valuable truffle mushroom in Russia, but this is very difficult. For this purpose, you will need certain knowledge and specially trained dogs or pigs that can smell the truffle underground. Also, some experts in “silent” hunting pay attention to the swarm of midges that circle in the place where the truffle is hiding.

After collecting mushrooms, you need to remember the place to return next year for a new harvest, but only if the mycelium was not disturbed. The found fruit must be dug up very carefully so as not to damage the mycelium. The harvest of the truffle depends on the type of mushroom and the growing season, late autumn or early spring It's best to collect it.

Inedible truffle lookalikes

Even the noble truffle has inedible look-alikes, which should not be eaten as they can be dangerous to the human body. These mushrooms include:

Reindeer truffle.
False truffle.

Despite their external similarity, these mushrooms belong to completely different families. Symptoms of poisoning manifest themselves as follows: 1

All truffles are valued by gourmets due to the fact that they are rare and quite tasty. But in today’s material we will study an inedible representative belonging to the family Elaphomycetes and the genus Elaphomyces. We will talk about the deer truffle - a small fruit body, which is otherwise called rain or granular. People do not consume these mushrooms as food, but representatives of the animal world really like them. The truffles are attacked by squirrels, deer and hares, and a real battle for the fruiting bodies can begin.

Description

Like other representatives of this family, truffles grow directly in the soil. They are small, growing to a maximum of 5 cm in diameter, but in reality there are much smaller specimens. The weight reaches 18 grams. every.
In progress heat treatment(drying) the shape practically does not change. It remains round or tuberous. By external characteristics these fruiting bodies resemble walnuts or hazelnuts. They feel quite dense.
The fruiting body itself becomes covered with a crust with bumps and the like of warts. The thickness of this bark is about 3 mm. The color of the mushrooms is light yellow, brown with rusty spots, brown-red, brown-golden. At the beginning of spring, quite bright specimens of a reddish tone are sometimes found.
This representative has no basis. The soft part is hard, painted radially, and includes several layers. The edges are orange, thin, followed by a whitish color, then thicker gray-brown inclusions. The composition of the pulp ends with a thin white layer, and in the center the mushroom is black and gray.
In some cases, the central part may be whitish and painted in a dark gray tone. The soft part is bitter, there is practically no aroma, in some cases it is simply unpleasant.
In young animals, the soft part is painted in a light marble tone. It is reddish, with light spots. Mature fruiting bodies take on a violet or brownish-purple hue, and dust forms. This powder consists of spores that are either black or brown-black in color.

Growth

Fruit specimens can often be found in forest belts where pine trees grow. They can also live with spruce trees. Fruiting bodies are found in larches, squares, and park areas. Sand is considered the favorite soil for growth.
Mushrooms are not found directly underground; they prefer to settle closer to the soil surface. They live at shallow depths, for example, under a litter of leaves, moss or pine needles.
You can find fruiting bodies at a depth of 2 to 15 cm, but average– 5 cm. Myceliums are located in the root system of trees. This is how mycorrhiza is built. Tree species suitable for these purposes can be very different.

Doubles

In terms of external characteristics, this fruiting body has certain similarities. The spiny truffle is considered a close relative of the mushroom under discussion. It has a shell pigmented with a brownish-yellow tint. Truffles grow in birch groves or next to single trees of this species.
Also, the variety of fruiting bodies under discussion has another double, which is called the red-brown truffle. It is a small tuber or bunch that grows up to 7 cm in diameter. The surface is brown-red or brown-pink. The soft part smells nice and looks like a brain.
The deer specimen belongs to the marsupial fruiting bodies that live underground. It is not similar to a real delicacy; it was often used by scammers who passed off this fruiting body under the guise of a delicacy. The genus includes about twenty varieties. Some species grow in the coniferous belt, others in the larches of European countries.

Edibility

It was mentioned earlier that mushrooms are not eaten. However, these specimens are considered a real treat for some inhabitants of the animal world. We are talking about squirrels, mice, badgers, wild boars, deer, etc.
If the year is not fruitful, squirrels begin to dig the ground in order to find these fruiting bodies. They tear up the soil to a depth of 8 cm. When you really want to eat, they look for truffles under the snow.

In today's article we looked at everything that affects the representative of the Elaphomycetes family. We are talking about deer truffle, which is not consumed by humans. This fruiting body acts as a snack for forest inhabitants, which is often used by hunters. They lure squirrels and wild boars to such specimens.

DEER TRUFFLE

truffle (Elaphomyces cervinus), an underground fungus of the marsupial class. The fruiting body resembles a forest or walnut, with thick warty brownish bark. When ripe, the pulp turns into black-brown dust, consisting mainly of spores. Usually grows in pine forests, V sandy soil, shallow from the surface. Eaten by deer, hares, and squirrels. Has nothing to do with real truffles.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB. 2012

Delicious mushrooms: extraction and cultivation

Unlike other species, these mushrooms prefer to settle underground. Their unpresentable appearance makes ordinary people doubt the exclusivity of this product. But the highlight lies in their unique aroma, which is attractive to animals. Like any other mushrooms, they reproduce by spores that form on a fleshy stalk. But the truffle growing underground is inaccessible to the wind, birds and animals, which in natural conditions carry seeds over long distances. Therefore, for successful reproduction, nature has endowed underground inhabitants strong attractive aroma. To find them underground, you need an excellent sense of smell, which pigs and dogs have. Therefore, animals became the main producers of delicious truffles.

Pigs are clever at finding truffles due to their nature.

In France, Spain, and Italy, mushrooms are searched for with the help of trained pigs, but recently dogs have been trained to search for truffles. Pigs tear up the ground extensively in search of food and often disturb the delicate threads of the mycelium. Dogs, unlike piglets, are able to call their owner to the location of truffles without damaging the ground.

Mushrooms that grow naturally under the canopy are considered truly delicious. deciduous trees. Myceliums are located between the roots of plants and form a kind of symbiosis, which qualitatively distinguishes the mushroom from its above-ground counterparts. Depending on the species, certain species are preferred higher plants. For example, black and summer truffles grow between the roots of hornbeam, hazel, oak, and beech. Piedmontese prefers to live in symbiosis with poplar, birch, elm, linden, rowan, and hawthorn.

The popularity of the delicacy has inspired some entrepreneurs to cultivate mushrooms in other areas globe. In the 17th century attempts were made artificial cultivation truffles, which were a success. Since then, propagation of the delicacy has been practiced all over the world.

Types of Edible Mushrooms

What is a truffle? This is a representative of the kingdom of marsupial (ascomycete) fungi, growing underground and reproducing by spores. It grows from a mycelium network, forming a fleshy spherical body with a diameter of 2.5 to 10 cm. It has a rich mushroom aroma with a hint of overcooked sunflower seeds or walnuts. If you put it in water, after a while the liquid will become brown and will gain taste soy sauce. The spores are located inside the fruiting body in peculiar sacs.

The color of the delicacy differs depending on the type and has a brown-black or bluish tint. When cut, cream-colored marble veins are visible. The pulp is very dense; as the mushroom ages, it becomes loose. Varieties of truffles are not uncommon in nature, but not all of them are edible and have good aroma. Some species have a sickening smell to humans of rotten herring, rotten onions or tar.

Edibles include the following types:

black (Périgord);
summer;
Piedmontese (Italian);
winter.

The most expensive mushroom in the world is the white truffle

White truffle(Piedmontese or Italian) is extremely rare and grows only in the deciduous forests of the Piedmont region of Italy. This species has unique aroma, which allows you to combine it in different culinary delights. Its smell will make any dish taste delicious. The white truffle from Piedmont is considered the most expensive and popular of all types. An alternative to Piedmontese is Périgord, whose aroma is not as good, but is still considered one of the best delicacies in the world. It is collected in some regions of Spain, Italy and France, covered deciduous forests. Collection time: from November to March.

The summer truffle grows up to 10 cm in diameter and is found in areas of Central Europe, Russia, Scandinavian countries, and on the Black Sea coast. Mushrooms are obtained from summer period before the onset of autumn cold weather. It is a type of Périgord truffle and has a pleasant nutty aroma. Recently, it has been recognized as an object of hunting for sophisticated mushroom pickers in the forests of Russia. In the Moscow region, Ukraine and Belarus you can find the Polish or Trinity truffle, which has the shape of a medium-sized potato.