Russian Postcards
SMERCHNA, the black morel. Not held in much esteem in the Russian Far East, it commands a price of $160 a kilo dried in Europe.
Smirchkovaya tsyapochka is the false morel, listed as Verpa or Ptychoverpa bohemica.
Goreekestska - Red Lactarius; it is pickled in salt.
Lepiota procera, aka Macrolepiota procera or the closely related M. rachodes. A widely distributed edible mushroom, this was found in the southernmost areas of the Russian Far East.
Greeb zontik pyestrevui
Clitopilus prunulus, a pink spored and pleasant smelling edible.
Podgrezdok byelli
APIOTA, the Armilaria mellea or honey mushroom, some young specimens. this is a rootrot fungus found in Russia and North and South America; there are over a dozen species in this group. It is commonly eaten in Russia and Europe, but some collections may have a laxative effect on sensitive persons.
Lactarius deliciosa collected and eaten as a pickle in the Russian Far East and contains significant amounts of vitamin A.
Ruishlik
Grizdyi chernyai (forest black) mushroom the commercially grown Shiitake, this is recognized as a medicine as well as a food in Russia today.
Tylopilus
These wine-spored relatives of the Suillus are eaten and found at markets from Sakhalin to Khabarovsk to Vladivostok.
Mozhoviki
Amanita phalloides
Vlednaya poganka, the angel of death. An uncommon but deadly addition to the collectors basket.
Podosinovik - Leccinum under a birch tree, one of several similar species that grow in mycorrhizal symbiosis with poplar and birch. Frequently used as food.
Bolete - byele greeb or "white mushroom" is one of the most highly prized edibles in Russia.
Chanterelle (LeeSeechka), a fine edible source of vitamin A and C.
A Russula collected and eaten as a pickle in the Russian Far East.
Balyeei
Russula
Sviroyskie, which resembles Russula subroseus of our area, is collected and eaten as a pickle in the Russian Far East.
Lactarius
Bolnichkya, a relative of Lactarius torminosus which is found under
weeping birch in Missoula, collected and eaten as a pickle in the Russian Far East.
Suillus
Maslenok posdnyie, one of many references to these as "butter" mushrooms. A century ago it was the fashion to make catsups from Suillus. Tomato catsup is a relative newcomer to the world of ketchup. So I say Catch up!
Leccinum sp.
Zhelchinvuei greeb (Yadovit) - a bolete which resembles the North
American Boletus mirabilis.
Grizdyi Osinovueie, another edible Lactarius.
Lozhnoyopyenok Kirpichno-krasnieie (Yadovit) - I believe this is Pholiota kuheneromyces or P. nameko. Can anybody help me?
Poliskiya grebe, the Polish bolete.
Amanita muscaria, Moohka moor the Fly Agaric, this intoxicating mushroom has a long history in Russian folklore. Sought after by shamans and reindeer, it is the focus of mushroom festivals from Colorado to Chukotka.
Myuhkamor krasnieie (Yadovit)
Leccinum (aspen)
Podberezovik, "under the Aspen" - a species of Leccinum that is commonly collected and eaten in Russia and America.
Paxillus involutus
Often eaten despite its reputation as a liver toxin; people have been known to eat these repeatedly with no effect, and then suddenly collapse with acute liver failure.
svinichka Tonkaya
Postcards from a Russian mushroom festival.
