White truffle - description of where the poisonousness of the fungus grows

White truffle is one of the most delicious mushrooms, which has not only excellent taste characteristics, but also has a high nutritional value. However, its appearance does not cause any appetite.

This type of truffle is the most common and popular among lovers of quiet hunting in our country. You can find this delicious mushroom in almost any forest located in a temperate climate.

Description of the species

White truffle is an edible mushroom that grows underground. Also, many of this species is known by such names as the Polish, or Trinity truffles. Note that these names are closely related to the territorial characteristics of the growth of this species of fungi.

The shape of the fruit body resembles a potato tuber of medium size (from 10 cm), while the weight of such a gift of nature can reach 1.5 kg.The characteristic surface resembles felt; in young mushrooms it is rather light, without any defects or hillocks. With age, the body of the truffle becomes covered with peculiar dents and protrusions - the surface color becomes yellow-brown.

The pulp of the fungus is white, in mature specimens with a grayish tinge, riddled with sinuous veins of a brown color that resembles marble. Taste pulp vague, pronounced aroma, nut and mushroom. Spores are large with small processes, white, spherical in shape.

Distribution

The peak of ripening white truffle is from mid-summer to October.Many mushroom pickers have noticed that the yield of this mushroom is constantly changing. However, knowing the place where the truffle grows, you can annually collect a rich harvest of mushrooms. It is best to "know" where it grows, such domestic animals as goats and cows. This is due to their delicate sense of smell, which allows them to quickly and accurately detect the location of the mycelium. This often serves as a sort of hint for most of the mushroom pickers who are engaged in the search for this natural delicacy.

Finding a truffle on your own is quite difficult, since most of its fruit body is in the soil. However, experienced truffle seekers primarily look for uneven terrain when searching for mushrooms, since the hillocks on the ground can hide quite large white truffle mycelium beneath. This fungus grows mainly in small colonies, the number of which reaches 30 copies.

Primary processing and preparation

The harvest of white truffles can be stored in a cold place for up to 5 days, for longer storage of these mushrooms, the latter can be buried in the cellar subfloor. Before cooking, fruit bodies are thoroughly washed out, after which the flesh is fried or boiled.

Another common type of processing of truffles for subsequent preparation is drying, while, before this, as a rule, it is not washed, only all dirt is carefully removed with a knife. Although this method of processing implies that its fruit body will lose much in size, nevertheless, the mushroom will become even more fragrant, filling the dishes prepared from it with an exquisite taste.

Precautions: what you should know?

Before you go on a quiet hunt for white truffles, any mushroom picker should study information about this natural delicacy and its dangerous for health and life counterpart.

Often, even experienced mushroom pickers confuse edible fungus with its counterpart - deer truffle, which also grows under the surface of the earth. The color of the fruit body of such a fungus is red-brown, the entire surface is covered with small tubercles.Note that this type of mushroom is a favorite delicacy of not only forest deer, but also hares and squirrels. However, this type of food is not suitable for cooking - it can cause an upset stomach.

Often, such fungi as scledromes, which are inedible relatives of the rain cover, begin to grow underground. The characteristic difference of this species is an unpleasant smell and a dark core with light streaks.

Benefit and harm

Truffle is one of the few mushrooms that has gained worldwide recognition as the most valuable mushroom in cooking. This is due to its fairly high nutritional value, excellent aroma and delicate pulp flavor, reminiscent of juicy chicken meat. At the same time, the calorie content of white truffles is quite low - only 25 kcal per 100 grams of the product, so those who are worried about their figure and constantly control their body weight can eat it without any fear.

In addition to exceptional taste and nutritional value, white truffle also has a lot of other positive properties:

1. This mushroom contains a rich complex of vitamins and minerals that help restore normal hormonal levels. Eating a truffle, anyone almost immediately will pay attention to changing their state of health in the best way.
2. The inclusion of white truffles in your diet will help activate and strengthen the immune system, which is caused by the content of such elements as ascorbic acid and riboflavin in this mushroom.
3. The composition of the truffle also includes antioxidants, significantly enhancing the regeneration processes, which suggests that the use of this fungus will help slow down the natural aging processes.
4. Regular consumption of this type of mushroom will help restore vision.

Interesting Facts

White truffle is used not only for making culinary masterpieces with valuable characteristics, but also in areas such as cosmetology. A truffle extract is used to create special regenerating masks and creams that can quickly and effectively rejuvenate the skin.

In conclusion, I would like to say that white truffle is a safe edible mushroom,which can harm human health only if the technology of its storage and preparation has been violated. It should also be borne in mind that many experts do not recommend to use this gift of Mother Nature for people who are prone to an allergic reaction or who have ailments of the digestive system.

Video: white truffle (Choiromyces venosus)