In different territories of our country, winter comes at different times. As a result, the mushroom picking season may vary. Somewhere fruiting bodies continue to be harvested at the end of October, while somewhere the 'quiet hunt' has long ended. There are species for which the status of late mushrooms is assigned – these are mushrooms, honey mushrooms. This article will focus on saffron milk caps and whether they can be collected after the onset of frost?
Often, mushroom pickers tell how much they enjoyed collecting mushrooms after frost. The foliage from the trees has practically fallen, but the red-haired beauties continue to decorate the glades and glades. The main thing is to take a good look and lift the foliage tubercles with a stick.
Do mushrooms grow after frost?
For many inexperienced mushroom pickers, the question arises: is it possible to collect mushrooms after the first frost? The ground does not have time to freeze after the first frost, and the mushrooms are hidden under fallen leaves. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with picking mushrooms in late autumn, because they also did not have time to freeze. Usually frosts are observed only at night, while during the day the temperature can reach + 10 ° C. You can safely go on a 'quiet hunt' for tasty and healthy mushrooms.
Is it possible to harvest mushrooms after frost if they lasted several days? Usually, these fruiting bodies are harvested before the onset of the first frost, while the weather is warm, or after 2-3 days. However, if the cold weather lasted more than 3-5 days and the air temperature remained below + 6 ° C, then it is not recommended to collect mushrooms, since they completely lose their taste.
Typically, mushrooms grow from mid or late summer (depending on the territory and climatic conditions) until the first half of October. However, it also happens that mushrooms can be looked for throughout November, if the weather is favorable. Do mushrooms grow after frosts on the soil? Note that mushrooms do not stop growing with the arrival of the first frosts, as they are under a thick layer of foliage and moss. However, as mentioned above, fruiting bodies lose their taste. Is it possible to eat mushrooms after frost if they have no taste? Experts say that after freezing, mushrooms not only lose their taste and aroma. It turns out that substances that can cause food poisoning sometimes accumulate in thawed fruit bodies.
According to many mushroom pickers, mushrooms are considered noble fruiting bodies. Although they belong to the Millennium family, they still have no bitterness. In addition, they can be eaten even raw, simply sprinkled with salt. However, the collection and use of camelina after frost is still not recommended for the reasons described at the beginning. Only the most courageous can pick mushrooms after freezing and prepare delicious dishes from them, especially if they are fried with the addition of sour cream and garlic, which give the mushrooms a spicy taste.
Why does the inside of the mushrooms turn green after the last frost?
Sometimes, after the past frost, the inside of the mushrooms turns green, why does this happen? Could this affect further cooking? Usually, novice mushroom pickers are frightened by the greenish tint on the cut of the mushroom, but for mushrooms this is a common occurrence. They are very delicate, so even with the slightest touch to the plates, the color turns green.
If the cold lasts for several days, then even under a layer of foliage, mushrooms begin to lose their natural color and even acquire a greenish tint. However, some are not afraid to pick up these mushrooms. By adding garlic, as well as other spices and herbs during cooking, you can make up for the missing taste of forest mushrooms.
Although mushrooms are harvested in summer and autumn, they still have a reputation for late mushrooms. Autumn mushrooms are stronger and much tastier than those harvested in summer.
Why mushrooms are bitter after frost and what to do?
However, it is better to freeze mushrooms yourself at home, and not leave this process to nature. The quick freezing procedure in the freezer does not spoil the taste of the fruit bodies at all and does not affect their quality. Therefore, the best way to keep mushrooms fresh and tasty is to simply freeze them.
For freezing, you can use not only raw mushrooms, but also heat-treated ones. Some housewives note that after freezing the mushrooms are bitter, why? A possible reason could be incorrect primary processing, during which some contamination remained in the mushrooms.
Another reason may be incorrect selection: old specimens of camelina were taken for freezing. Overgrown mushrooms accumulate harmful toxins, which can cause bitterness.
The next reason for bitterness in frozen mushrooms is the territory of their growth. Pine and spruce forests have a particular advantage for these fruit bodies. These tree species, forming mycorrhiza with mushrooms, saturate them with a resinous and bitter taste.
Various factors affect whether mushrooms are bitter after freezing. It is better to boil these fruits in salted water for 10 minutes before freezing, or blanch for 3-5 minutes.
But what if the mushrooms were frozen fresh, and after thawing they taste bitter? Then they need to be boiled in salted water with the addition of two pinches of citric acid. Then proceed to further cooking processes: pickling, salting or frying.
