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The grabber is named after the hornbeam tree, near which it grows most often. But he also has other names - gray or elm boletus, but the gray one. This mushroom is so similar to boletus that not always mushroom pickers can distinguish them.
Appearance characteristic
Grabovik belongs to the family of bolt. His race is a small one.
In young mushrooms, the shape of the cap is hemispherical, with tucked edges. In more mature age, the cap takes a cushion shape. The surface is a little wrinkle, has irregularities. The porous layer is up to 3 cm. The skin is dull and dry, but if it rains, it immediately becomes shiny, it looks watery. Therefore, in comparison with boletus, it loses due to the not so high density of the cap. If the fungus is overripe, the skin completely shrivels, and then the pulp of the cap, as well as the tubules, are noticeable under it.
The flesh of the young specimen is usually white and soft. But the older generation of Grabovik gains rigidity with age, which differs significantly from boletus. When the mushroom is cut, it darkens to a pink-purple color, and then turns dark gray. But the flavor and taste of the fungus pleasant.
The color of the legs is grayish, but below it changes to brownish. It has a cylindrical shape, which gets thickening closer to the ground. The pulp in it is fibrous. Leg thickness - on average 4 cm, height - from 5 to 13 cm. The porous layer is free. It has a small notch located at the foot.
The spore shape is fusiform, and the spore powder has a brown tint. The pores are very small with an angularly rounded shape, their surface is white or sandy. The tubes are narrow, have a soft texture with a watery structure.
Where can I find Grabovik
Of course, where hornbeam grows, you can also find a hornbeam. But since these trees belong to the birch genus, gray birch trees are often found in birch groves. These mushrooms grow near other deciduous trees, for example, it may be hazel and poplar.
The most common habitats are the northern zones of Russia and Asia, and the Caucasus. Grabber can be collected already in June, and its collection ends in October.
Grabber as a food product
This mushroom is classified as edible, and its taste is very similar to boletus. But due to the fact that its flesh is less dense, it cannot be stored for a long time, it deteriorates quickly.
These mushrooms are especially loved by worms, so many can not be eaten because they are eaten. After the collection should be at home to carefully sort them and leave only fresh and healthy. If some parts of a darker color, then this may be evidence of rotting, which is dangerous not only for health, but also for life.
The grabber is used fresh to fry and boil, dried, soaked in vinegar and salt, marinated.For the preparation of various dishes using recipes that are applicable to boletus.
Similar mushrooms
Grabovik has similarity (and very large) with some edible mushrooms, and with dangerous for humans.
The gall mushroom is also a twin of a grabber, but this is already its “antipode”, as it is considered almost poisonous. It is not suitable for food because it has a bitter taste. Even if you try to remove bitterness from it, it will not work, it will only intensify. Such mushrooms most often grow in forests with coniferous vegetation, as well as on sandy soils. The time of their existence is from July to October.Their cap is convex, the average diameter is 10 cm. In the gall fungus, the surface of the cap is smooth and dry. The color is brown or brown. The flesh is white, thick. When it is cut, it gets a pink hue. It does not smell, but you should not try it: it is very bitter. The leg in length can be up to 7 cm, in width from 1 to 3 cm. It differs in that it is swollen and dark brown or creamy-ocher, a mesh pattern is visible.
Video: Grabber (Leccinum carpini)
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