Although champignon mushrooms are not included in the grocery basket, which the government is counting on the cost of living, nevertheless, due to the low price and excellent taste, they have long and firmly settled in shopping carts from supermarkets.

These mushrooms are always within walking distance in every store near the house. Their purchase can afford people with different income levels. In an attempt to find out the reasons why champignon is so loved by everyone, from small to large, take a closer look at it.

Mushroom description

From the end of May to the end of October, the most delicious of the entire numerous champignon family - the field champignon ripens:

• a high-density fruiting body varies in size from 3 cm to 20 cm. The largest specimens from the family, growing up to 25 cm, are field champignons;
• a hat for a young mushroom of an elliptical shape, bell-shaped with a blunt top. Scaly is acceptable. The hat cone is truncated, the edges are strongly turned inward, and the inner plates of young specimens are hidden under their own coverlet. Mature mushrooms are distinguished by an open and often convex hat 8–15 cm in size with a silky white-cream texture, the edges of which are located in waves and preserve the rest of the bedspread. In a drought, the hat is cracking. In places of damage and when pressed, the flesh slowly turns yellow;
• the plates are free, elastic, often located. In color, white, pink, brown with chocolate as they grow. In mature mushrooms, the hymenophore (the lower part of the cap with plates) becomes dark brown, almost black;
• the leg is 6–10 cm high and 1–2 cm wide and even and widens toward the base, first is dense, then becomes hollow as it ages. Easy to detach from the hat. The color is the same as the hat - white with a cream tint;
• champignon flesh is dense, white in color, with a specific, but pleasant smell, similar to anise. Aging mushrooms become soft. On a break, it is oxidized to a slight yellowness of an optional pink hue. The taste is sweet;
• spores are dark brown;
• a ring is a mandatory attribute of mushrooms of this species. The light ring around the leg at the top consists of 1-2 thin, but wide, brittle layers.

The presence of a ring in champignons confuses inexperienced mushroom pickers in the forest: a similar ring is characteristic of some varieties of white fly agaric and pale grebes. It is necessary to thoroughly study the description and characteristics of each species in order to avoid a fatal error.

What does it look like

The appearance of champignon is recognizable due to its prevalence: balls or barrels at an early stage, as they ripen, open into a classic white mushroom from a popular print. The smell is inherent only to fresh mushrooms. When buying them, be sure to pay attention to the degree of freshness.

Freshly cut champignon has an even, white or slightly pink color and an attractive matte shine.

Damage to the connecting film between the leg and the hat, its darkening to brown and dark spots on the hat will give out stale goods that should not be purchased. The shelf life of these mushrooms is small, poor quality will give a loss of elasticity of the fruit body: the structure of the pulp that is on the shelf is loose and sluggish, under improper storage conditions there is a smell of dampness.

Did you know? Tiny tightly closed champignons will perfectly decorate soup, pizza, salads, even in its entirety. Medium-sized champignons will fit for second courses. Large ripe champignons are rich in taste and are good for stuffing and grilling.

Stickiness and slippery surface indicate a loss of edibility . It is worth remembering that storing champignons at a temperature of + 4 ° C will preserve their useful properties for five days, and room temperature can spoil the mushroom in just 6 hours.

The sizes and quality on store shelves vary, but whatever the choice, first of all, focus on their freshness.

Where is growing

In nature, field champignon or the more common people’s chilli appear anywhere in the world where there is shade, manure (preferably horse), nettle and moisture. Neither the prairie nor the pampas stop the colonization of the globe by numerous representatives of this family.

We recommend reading our electronic magazine about growing mushrooms at home.

It is easier to say where it is not - in the conditions of permafrost and deserts, although they even met him in the vast expanses of hot Australia and in the sultry African republics. On the territory of Russia, it is distributed everywhere on soil rich in organic matter. It is useless to look for champignons in an arid summer - they are not there.

The bark of a rotting tree in the forest, the soil of fields, meadow turf, plains or mountains, gardens or pastures, proximity to human habitats or wild wilderness - these creatures have adapted to sprout wherever there is open space, forming the so-called witch rings. Under the trees are rare, finding champignon under the spruce is the exception rather than the rule.

Edible or not

There are about a dozen edible species of champignons . There are only two artificially cultivated species. When buying a kilogram of store champignon, there is no risk of poisoning completely. Such mushrooms are grown from the correct mycelium under suitable conditions where errors are excluded.

But wild forest mushrooms should be handled very carefully: their false counterparts, grebe pale and white fly agaric are poisonous, which means that they will forever cause irreparable harm to the body.

Did you know? The quality of cultivated and wild champignons varies in favor of the latter. Cultivars look presentable, but relatively fresh and tasteless, while the wild have a rich smell and taste. To give aroma and mushroom taste, even a small piece of forest mushroom is enough.

Varieties and doubles

There is a misconception among city dwellers that all varieties of champignons are grown under farm conditions; they cannot be found in forests. But there are species that are not amenable to cultivation. The coppice, yellowish, reddish and pink-lamellar species, for example, is unique in that it can only be found in the forest . But do not rush to cut the mushroom, so similar to champignon.

Ignorance of the varieties does not exempt from the dangerous consequences: the similarity of some with deadly poisonous mushrooms is very great. The trick that may save lives lies in the common property of all safe species - their plates are always pinkish or yellow-brown, and as they grow brown and dark.

The leg is necessarily ringed. It is worth remembering that the plates of young mushroom bodies are almost white, so they can easily be confused with deadly poisonous specimens. Here is the main reason why novice mushroom pickers are strongly advised not to collect forest species.

Edible species

As a rule, the predominant number of species of champignon is edible . The exceptions are those that were grown on straw taken from fields where a huge amount of herbicides and pesticides were used. In other cases, forest, soil and even desert species of champignons are suitable for collection and safe for food.

Below are the most popular types:

1. Field champignon with a large, thick-fleshed fruit body, round or bell-shaped hat, in the center of which a tubercle protrudes at a young age, at a later - the hat becomes flattened and outstretched. Characteristically swollen plates of varying degrees of brown color are often located. The cylindrical shape of the leg thickens at the base. The pulp of white or pink color should smell pleasantly of anise or almonds. A shade of ocher color and a slight yellowing when air enters the fractured pulp is a distinctive and important feature of field champignon. It grows on open surfaces in dry different sizes.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Forest champignon with egg-bell-shaped, later flat-spread hat, painted in a rusty-brown color, is very fragrant. A hat with a lot of dark scales humps. The inner plates vary in color, can be white, red and dark brown. The pulp is white, on the cut it turns red. The cylindrical leg is swollen at the base. The leg is surrounded by a white film ring.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Ordinary champignon differs in the form of a cap in the form of a hemisphere with the edges bent inward. With age, the hat becomes first flat-rounded, then open. But the convex shape of its central part is preserved. The surface is white or slightly brown, dry, silky. Small brown flakes are allowed. The pulp is white, blushes on a break. The plates are white, pink or dark brown, purple tint possible. A flat leg, expanded at the base, is surrounded by a mandatory wide whitish ring.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. Small-scaled champignon has a thick- fleshed white fruiting body. The hat is semicircular at first, convex and open with age. The mound on the hat is saved. It has a silky appearance of a finely scaly surface. The cylindrical white leg has a small tuberous base and a silky-fibrous structure. The pulp is white, blushes on a break. Dense, frequent, loose-fitting brown plates and smooth light brown spores of an ellipsoidal shape are inherent in this species.
   

5. Garden champignon also has a rounded white hat, the edges of which are wrapped inward. The brown shades of the hat appear as they grow and mature. It features a private coverlet that looks like whitish thin flakes. The surface is smooth, glossy in the center. Valid radial fibers and flakes. The dense juicy pulp at the site of damage blushes. The plates are pink at an early age, eventually turn brown with a purple hue. The leg is dense, pink, smooth, cylindrical. A ring is pronounced on the leg.
   

6. Dark red champignon with a conical, sometimes convex white hat, owes its name to the distinctive feature of the white pulp painted when cut in a thick scarlet color. At the same time, his hat is brownish-brown, and the leg is dirty white in color. The dull apex with age becomes completely flat, separately located brownish fibrous scales are visible on the skin. Light pink plates are placed freely and often. The hollow leg is also studded with scales below a noticeable film ring, close to the base it thickens noticeably and hides a wide part in the ground. The aroma is thin, sour, mushroom. The taste is soft, pleasant.
   

7. Chunky champignon is similar in characteristics to the previous one, differs in aroma similar to almonds. The white hat has the shape of a hemisphere, with time it turns into a flat one. The edges are turned towards the inside. The smooth surface when cracked forms scales in brown and yellow tones. A thick, thick, white flesh when cut, changes color and becomes grayish red. The edges are turned down. The plates are reddish in color, rare, freely arranged, with age change color to chocolate.
   

Poisonous species

In addition to the well-known and familiar species, the champignon family has similar, but dangerous varieties. Poisoning occurs with deadly poisonous doubles of champignons, common signs similar to them. Cultivation on an industrial scale does not save the situation, because many people prefer the independent collection of mushrooms that are more fragrant and bright in taste.

Did you know? In the 19th century, Dr. Lubrier, the caretaker of the Paris market, in an attempt to stop the mass mushroom poisoning, propagated the benefits and safety of champignons. The mayors did not heed the request to ban the sale of the remaining mushrooms, poisoning continued. Thus appeared the world's first classification of mushrooms, the pride of the doctor, presented among the high-profile achievements at the World Exhibition in Paris.

If you remember the distinctive features of poisonous snag, the risk of poisoning can be reduced:

1. The yellow-skinned champignon is very similar in appearance to the field one, the same white in color, also hiding more often in a forest shade, sometimes in a field, but a brown speck is clearly visible on the hat in the very center. When pressed, the flesh turns yellow. But these signs do not always help to avoid a fatal error. The main difference is the unpleasant smell of ink, carbolic acid or phenolic compounds when the pulp is damaged . When heat treated in boiling water, it briefly stains water and other mushrooms in a bright yellow color, but it can be difficult to catch this moment. Long cooking does not save against toxins.
   

2. Field mushroom champignon is the most toxic of the whole family. Its conical convex hat with scales in the flat central part is characteristically colored in gray-brown color. The edges are tucked, loose plates in the color range from pinkish-white to chocolate. The cylindrical leg at the base is club-shaped thickened. The sharp smell of ink, similar to the smell of phenol, is the main hallmark of toxicity, coupled with yellowing of the damaged pulp.
   

3. California champignon is distinguished by the dryness of the hat, white or brown to the center and a metallic tint. Scales are optional, but sometimes come across. The edges are turned inward in the young. The pulp at the break does not change color or becomes slightly darker. Phenolic smell and a curved leg with a characteristic film ring give toxicity.
   

False champignon is called the grebe, pale, spring and white fly agaric for their strong external similarity. It must be remembered that a light fly agaric, unlike mushrooms, grows under birches, but they also find it under spruce, in this it duplicates the lifestyle of its non-dangerous relative. False champignons avoid the sun, although there are special cases of detection of such mushrooms on the side of the road.

Important! Of the total number of mushroom poisoning with a toadstool, mortality is at least 70% of cases! False champignon is deadly!

Confusion with the fruit bodies of a deadly toadstool pale can be fatal, so it is important to distinguish them by the following distinguishing features present in the toadstool:

• smooth edges of the cap with a fibrous surface;
• shades of white toadstool border with pale green, light olive and grayish tones without leaving brown;
• in young fruiting bodies the hat is hemispherical, in adults the hat is always open and flat;
• the plates are white and soft, without options;
• at the base, the leg is swollen tuberously;
• the flesh on the cut and when damaged does not change the color;
• complete absence of mushroom aroma.

Symptoms of mushroom poisoning appear after 1-2 hours, while false champignons are a time bomb. It may take about 8 hours after taking the mushrooms before the poisoning manifests itself. At the first sign, emergency care is needed.

Growing

The mushroom was cultivated in the XVII century due to a successful combination of unfortunate circumstances. One of the French peasants, who was hiding from war and credit in the tangled catacombs of Paris, found that horse manure blockages blocked the way. For many years it was dumped in the semblance of a sewer. Against a dark fetid background, white champignons stood out brightly.

The enterprising man soon built up mushroom farms, all the passages under the squares of the capital . His commodity helped to cope with the plentiful harvest, which ensured the supply of champignons to all markets. Loans were closed, profitable business brought income. And now hundreds of peasants have taken up this business.

They say that Napoleon banned the further development of mushroom business in Paris, so that because of the numerous underground farms, the city would not go underground. Only the metro construction was able to finally stop the champignon business in Paris: from that time until now, the main production has been in the Loire.

Did you know? One of the largest Russian retail chains has established a full cycle of its own production of champignons on a site larger than 50 ha. Such a plant produces about 6500 tons of mushrooms per year.

Mushroom farming is a simple and exciting hobby that makes a profit . Many have learned how to grow edible champignons on their own plots on their own, especially since the market offers the opportunity to buy already sown blocks. The technology is simple, it is important to observe the conditions for proper cultivation.

1 - hydration and mixing of the substrate; 2 - mixing pasteurized substrate with mycelium; 3 - applying cuts on a bag filled with seeded substrate; 4 - placement of blocks for growing mushrooms on racks with vertical suspension.

If the following conditions are stable throughout the year, no difficulties are foreseen:

• constant temperature in the room varies slightly, from +22 to + 25 ° C;
• humidity does not fall below 85–95%;
• a modified gas environment designed to comply with storage conditions and mandatory ventilation for the growth of mushroom bodies;
• shading to prevent direct sunlight.

When the rudiments of the mushroom body hatch, it is necessary to smoothly, over five days, reduce the air temperature to +14 ... + 16 ° C. Without ventilation, growth will stop. Therefore, air flow must necessarily enter the room.

Important! Mushrooms grown at home, not usually cut with a knife, but twisted from the ground!

Moderate watering with the appearance of the first mushrooms should not exceed the consumption of 1.5 liters of water per 1 m² of planting. Harvested in waves within 3-4 months with a week pause when reaching the maximum size of the fruiting body.

Целостность плёнки под шляпкой шампиньона не должна нарушаться при их сборе и хранении.

В российском грибном производстве доминируют шампиньоны, но до полного насыщения рынка ещё далеко. Лидирует в производстве США, на втором месте по выращиванию Франция, на третьем — Англия, где к грибам, в целом, относятся очень недоверчиво.

В маленькой Польше в год производится более 200 000 т в год, в ещё меньших Нидерландах – свыше 300 000 т, в то время как Китай опережает весь мир, производя 5 млн т в год.

Ознакомьтесь с тем, какое оборудование требуется для выращивания шампиньонов.

Mushroom benefits

Свежий шампиньон считается низкокалорийным продуктом, в 100 г — всего 27 ккал, в нём присутствует растворимый в воде белок альбумин и огромное количество полезных микроэлементов, поэтому его легко можно включать в диеты по снижению веса. Поклонники ЗОЖ, вегетарианства, как и страдающие анемией или сахарным диабетом без него просто не обойдутся.

В 100 г этих грибов содержатся: белки - 4, 3 г; жиры - 1, 0 г; углеводы - 0, 1 г; зола - 1, 0 г; вода - 91 г.

• Высокое содержание фосфора, железа, аминокислот, биотина и других активных веществ в нём позволит:
• вывести токсины;
• улучшить процесс обмена веществ в организме;
• тонизировать самочувствие;
• relieve fatigue;
• успокоить нервную систему;
• обеспечить профилактику инфарктов и инсультов;
• восстановить желудочные и кишечные процессы;
• снизить аппетит;
• укрепить мышечную массу;
• lower cholesterol;
• улучшить память и концентрацию внимания;
• укрепить соединительные ткани, зубы, кости, кожу, волосы, ногти.

Important! Повышенное содержание хитина в шампиньонах имеет противопоказания для детского организма. Хитин плохо усваивается у взрослых и совсем не усваивается у детей, поэтому в детском рационе им не место.

Cooking Application

Благородный француз из старинного рода, старый знакомый любого маститого шеф-повара мишленовского ресторана, и вчерашнего выпускника кулинарного училища, в долгом представлении и перечислении достоинств шампиньон не нуждается. В силу своей универсальности этот гриб с успехом заменяет любой вид в самом сложном рецепте и превращает обычное блюдо в праздничное, как по виду, так и по вкусу.

Необоснованно был отнесён по своей ценности к грибам четвёртой категории — с посредственными вкусовыми качествами и питательными показателями.

Супы, салаты, консервация, маринады, вторые блюда, соусы — везде найдётся место шампиньонам. Тепловая обработка снижает вкусовые качества и пользу грибов, тем не менее, традиционно используют эти грибы в любом виде. Их можно засушить, использовать в пирогах в качестве начинки, сочетать с мясом, овощами, выпечкой, консервировать, жарить, варить, фаршировать их и ними.

Важна свежесть, возраст зрелых грибов добавит им жёсткости при жарке . Перед тем, как использовать шампиньоны, их рекомендуют протереть от грязи влажным или сухим полотенцем и быстро ополоснуть под струёй холодной водой. Погружать в воду надолго не рекомендуется, так как они быстро набирают влагу, утрачивая вкус.

Did you know? В сыром виде белые шампиньоны по вкусу похожи на орехи. Это привычный способ их употребления во Франции.

Medical use

Грибной сок применяют для бактерицидного воздействия от кожных проблем : язв, экзем, высыпаний, псориаза, дерматитов. Сухой порошок из шампиньонов используют при лечении гепатитов и язвенной болезни желудка. Стол для диабетиков и бессолевая диета включают их в рацион для быстрого понижения уровня глюкозы. При бронхиальных затруднениях шампиньон используется для отхаркивающего эффекта.

Тиамин и рибофлавин, которые содержатся в этом виде, успешно борются с мигренями и головной болью . Даже при таких опасных заболеваниях, как туберкулёз, тиф, паротит рекомендовано употребление плодовых тел. По данным последних исследований этот гриб положительно влияет на клетки, задействованные в борьбе с раком, укрепляя иммунный барьер организма.

Mushroom danger

Старые грибы, особенно срезанные у обочин дорог, служат накопителями солей тяжёлых металлов, свинец в их числе. Такие экземпляры, как губка, впитывают канцерогены . Негативное воздействие лучше предотвратить, выбирая покупку культурных безопасных свежих шампиньонов в магазине.

Check out

Champignons: benefits and harms, Komarovsky’s opinion, since how old mushrooms can children

Грибы, несмотря на полезные свойства, всегда считались тяжёлой пищей, замедляющей переваривание сложных углеводов.

Переедание чревато вздутием живота, затруднениям дыхания, возникшей отрыжкой. В сырых грибах в небольшом количестве присутствует гидразин, токсическое соединение с канцерогенными свойствами. От тепловой обработки он быстро и без следа разрушается, однако выбора, есть ли шампиньоны сырыми, гидразин не оставляет.

Домашняя консервация, с одной стороны, радует глаз, с другой — несёт опасность присутствия смертельного ботулотоксина в банке с грибами.

Консервированные промышленным способом шампиньоны подобной опасности не представляют. Помимо этого существуют общие запреты, исключающие потенциальную опасность для здоровья от шампиньонов.

• Не стоит употреблять их в пищу:
• при беременности (из-за возможного аллергена и желудочного брожения);
• в дошкольном возрасте (детский желудок ещё не сформирован до конца и не справляется);
• при нарушениях желудочных и кишечных органов;
• при дисфункции печени;
• with gout;
• при эндометриозе;
• in case of individual intolerance.

В Пенсильвании в старой известковой шахте размещена самая огромная плантация шампиньонов в мире. Длина подземных галерей составляет 24 км.

В целом, шампиньон заслужил безоговорочное право называться самым безопасным витаминосодержащим грибом, который доступен круглогодично. Нежный, сочный, ароматный, он способен превратить любое блюдо в изысканное и разнообразить домашнюю и ресторанную кухню.