Today we are going to talk about one of the edible mushroom species that has a taste between bitter and spicy. Is about To be repaid. It also receives the common names of cat's tongue, yellow dock, or chamois. The taste that is between bitter and spicy tends to sharpen with its maturity. Therefore, it is more interesting to know well how old it is to be able to enjoy its flavor to the fullest.
In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics, habitat and possible confusions of the To be repaid.
Key features
We are talking about a kind of edible mushroom that grows in mixed forests or acid soils.
Hat and foils
The hat of this mushroom has a diameter that varies between 3-15 centimeters. Sometimes we can find some specimens that have a larger diameter size. When it is young it has a convex appearance but, as it develops and reaches maturity, it plans until it becomes deformed. It has creamy whitish colors, somewhat more toasted in its youth. These small differences are what make it possible for us to know the age and the state of the fungus.
The whitish and creamy bulls will be keeping the center of the hat and fading towards the edges. It is at the edges where it manages to have a white color. The specimens that are already mature have an irregular shape, mocked, wavy and have a fairly thick margin. The margin usually evolves from rolled to curved. Its cuticle gives it a somewhat velvety, dry texture with a matte appearance.
It has a hymenaeum formed by conical stingers of a light cream color. This color darkens as it matures. It is another one of the differences that can have when they are different ages. The length is usually variable between 0.3-0.6 centimeters and has numerous, affected and sharp stingers arising from the foot. They decrease in size when they are adults and are easily detached from the flesh of the hat.
Pie and meat
As for the foot, it has a cylindrical shape and is somewhat shorter and more solid. It is not a hollow foot as it happens with other species, but it is fleshy. On some occasions we find that his foot is totally off-center. The colors are somewhat lighter but similar to the hat. It has a cream color, turning to whitish, informs a unit with the hat. It usually measures between 1-3 centimeters in diameter by 2-9 centimeters in height.
Finally, its meat is white when it is young. As it evolves and reaches maturity, its flesh turns colors until it reaches a yellowish cream color. It is a solid but fragile and abundant meat. It is not attacked by larvae so it gets some advantage when it comes to maintaining its good condition in the natural ecosystem. Its smell is very mild and the taste is between bitter and spicy. It is usually a more noticeable flavor in adult specimens.
Ecology of To be repaid
El To be repaid It is a type of autumn mushroom that sometimes also bears fruit in spring and summer. For this to happen, the environmental conditions must be adequate and some characteristics must be met in the environment. Being a kind of autumn it needs a high degree of humidity with more or less abundant rainfall. If spring and summer are somewhat cooler and rainier, it can develop at this time.
El To be repaid it withstands low temperatures, making it one of the mushrooms that disappears later. It needs deciduous forests to be able to grow among the litter. Litter is the amount of leaves that accumulates after the fall of deciduous trees. The set of these leaves accumulates moisture and organic matter perfect for the development of these fungi. They grow in rows or rows and we can also find them in pine forests. On some occasions it can withstand some snowfalls and stay healthy.
It is a mushroom considered a good edible and is very suitable to accompany stews rather than to eat it alone. Some consider that its flavor is somewhat more bitter and that it tends to accentuate with age. It is advisable to collect young specimens that have this flavor but not so sharpened. If the mushrooms are already ripe, it is better to cook them beforehand and discard the water. With this we manage to eliminate some of the bitter taste. It is also a somewhat indigestible mushroom, so it should not be eaten in large quantities. It is better to accompany some stews and thus be able to enjoy its flavor with a sauce.
Possible confusions of the To be repaid
This mushroom can be confused with other species of the same genus that have a similar shape. One of them is Hydnus blushing. This specimen has a more reddish hat and is much flimsier. Of natural form To be repaid has been separating from another species known as Hydnum albidum which is a white and fragile species exclusive to pine forests. Various molecular studies are discovering that there are some new taxa related to these specimens. However, none of these confusions are dangerous since they are edible species.
Some think that the Hydnus blushing it is of higher quality, while others consider it to have a more bitter taste. You can tell the difference quite easily since it is much smaller in size and has less meat with less consistency. The cuticle is more orange and darker in color and the stingers of the hymenium are less pronounced.
In some areas it can be found in December, January and even February since it withstands low temperatures very well. It is not usually filled with worms, so it is able to keep its meat with good quality. The advantage this offers over other mushrooms is that it can be kept acceptably over time. You could say that some fans of mycological gastronomy consider it to be an overrated mushroom. It is good especially cooked on the grill.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about To be repaid and their characteristics.