The world of mushrooms is as exciting as it is complex. And it is that there are so many varieties that we find in nature that it is difficult to know how to differentiate them, collect them, classify them or simply determine if they are suitable for consumption or if they could cause us problems if we choose to try them.
Today we are going to talk about the Lepista nuda, popularly known as blue foot mushroom. You will discover its peculiarities, its characteristics and the areas where you are likely to find it. In addition, you will know if you can include it in your menu or not.
Keep in mind that mushrooms are a favorite ingredient in many diets, including Mediterranean ones. However, all cannot be ingestedsince some can become toxic to the body.
Contents
How is the blue foot fungus?
We start with the scientific and technical part, where the blue foot mushroom is part of the family of Tricholomataceaein a named subclass Agaricomycetes and in the order Agaricales, belonging to the class of basidiomycotin. And, although we see that he has a striking lineageits popularity comes from the lilac or bluish tone of its base.
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- With this oyster mushroom self-cultivation kit, you can have an easy, fun and sustainable experience at home
- Its use is very simple, just open, water and in a few days harvest
- From each kit it is possible to obtain up to 3 harvests; In total you can enjoy about 700 gr; oyster mushrooms
blue foot mushroom does not exceed 15 centimeters, so it is classified as a medium mushroom. On the other hand, his purplish blue so characteristic that it gets lost over the years on it, and his hat has a flat, fleshy shapealthough it is slightly recessed in the central part.
Its foot is characterized by, in addition to being cylindrical, having some particular light stripes which allow it to be differentiated from the rest of the mushrooms. And, if there is something that also catches our attention about the blue foot mushroom, it is its light fruity aromavery pleasant if we approach her.
Bluefoot Mushroom Confusion
Although it is a particular and striking mushroom given its bluish tint, is usually quite confused with other species. However, it is striking that all the varieties that make up its family Cortinarius purpurascensare visually similar and neither is harmful to health.
The slight depression already mentioned in its cap is a characteristic shared by many other mushrooms, as well as the occasional presence of stripes on the stem. However, what makes blue foot fungus special and different these are the ocher tone of its spores and the small curtain that is generated at its base.
Even with these nuances and differences, there are not few who follow do not identify. Here are some of the varieties with which the blue foot mushroom is often confused:
- lepista sordid. More slender variety, although small in size. Its consistency is also less.
- lepista character. It shares the same habitat as the blue foot mushroom and has an ocher cap, although without purple tones.
- Cortinarius caerulescens. It has a curtain at its base and ochre-colored spores, making it one of the easiest to confuse.
For those who discover the wonderful world of mushroomsconfusing the blue foot fungus is almost a customalthough with time and knowing the different details that separate them, it will become easier to identify it correctly.
reset | Self-cultivation kit | Oyster mushrooms on leftover…
- With this oyster mushroom self-cultivation kit, you can have an easy, fun and sustainable experience at home
- Its use is very simple, just open, water and in a few days harvest
- From each kit it is possible to obtain up to 3 harvests; In total you can enjoy about 700 gr; oyster mushrooms
Where and when to collect blue foot fungus
From a pine forest to an oak grove, passing through a jaral or even any garden. The blue foot mushroom is characterized by being a very versatile and easy to grow variety.. Their presence is usually greater in coniferous forests, grouped in fairly large groups.
At the end of fall and early winter That’s when we can find it at its best. Outside this interval we will also be able to locate it, but with a ocher tone and relative dryness. Yet many choose to grow it permanently in their gardens, just as they did with mushrooms, because it only requires mycelium harvested from the bush and a good fertilizer to enrich the soil.
With the right conditions in terms of temperature and environmental humidity, your garden will be able to produce in less than two years a good quantity of blue foot mushrooms without having to go out in the mountains to look for them to add them to your future recipes.
Although not as famous as Shiitake, its light flavor allows it to be included in countless recipes; scrambled eggs with different types of ratatouille. However, the most interesting and meaty part is in his hat, throwing the rest away. This, yes, although it is not a poisonous mushroomRemember to cook it enough to avoid any problems or intolerance.
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