Saffron Milk Cap - Lactarius Deliciousus

Some of the earliest know illustrations of fungi are the representations of Lactarius deliciousus in the frescoes of Herculaneum and Pompeii. In Germany it is regarded by some as the best of all edible fungi. In china it is gathered and eaten on a large scale, and it is one of the officially recognised edible species sold in French markets. Always found growing under conifers, it is often buried by pine needles. In favourable seasons a giant can form, 10 – 30cm broad, can be often found.

Saffron Milk Cap - Lactarius Deliciousus

Fruiting Body

Cap: reddish-orange with darker concentric zones, finally staining green in the centre, 4-10cm in diameter.  Convex, soon becoming centrally depressed. Margin smooth, at first incurved. Cuticle slightly sticky or dry. Flesh soft, pale in the centre, stained reddish by milk around the edge, milk rapidly turns carrot coloured when exposed to the air. 

Gills: reddish, becoming flushed or spotted with green some what decurrent and arched, narrow crowded, often branched. Stipe: how, narrows towards the base, 2.5 – 5cm long, 2.5cm thick. Reddish- orange, becoming green where bruised, spotted or pitted, dry, sometimes with a faint bloom when young. Flesh fragile

Stipe: White with clear defined Spots. 

Spores: cream in mass, broadly ellipsoid, decoration variable warted or netted, and average size 8.5 x 6.5 microns.

Habitat and Distribution

Grows gregariously, sometimes in clusters, always under conifers, in woods and on heaths, on moist, but well drained, soils.

Occurrence

Best time to collect mushrooms from the pine forest is in autumn/Winter after rain.

Saffron Milk Cap - Lactarius Deliciousus

Culinary Properties

Tastes mild, with an aromatic smell, it is delicious when cooked slowly and well. Can be served in stews, casseroles, in a sauce on toast or sliced in soups. It is especially recommended when cooked with Fistulina hepatica in butter and a little stock for at least 45 mins, and then flavoured with Worcestershire sauce or sherry. It should be washed before cooking to remove as much of the milk as possible.

The Saffron Milk Cap should be cooked quickly at high temperature to avoid stewing. The stalks should be discarded.

Identification Part 1

Make sure you are looking under the correct tree.

For Identification purposes one of the main points is that these mushrooms are only found under pine trees such as the one in the pictures below. This is because the mycelium that the mushrooms grow from only grows on the roots of pine trees (European trees). If you see anything you think is a Saffron milkcap that is growing where there are no pine trees then do not eat it as it could be poisonous.

Identification Part 2

Look for spots on the stem of the mushroom

The stem of a Lactarius deliciosus mushroom has spots on its stem as shown in the picture below. Therefore when you cut them from the ground make sure you cut some of the stem off along with the cap so you can more easily identify this feature. There they are clear as day. Spots on the stem of a Saffron milkcap mushroom.

Look for spots on the stem of the mushroom

Identification Part 3

Latex sap from the stem is bright orange

When you cut the stem of one of these mushrooms it will start bleeding latex after some time. This latex is bright orange. I mean its really orange as in almost fluorescent in its brilliance. The picture below doesn't really do this point justice as there is not much of the latex sap showing (I should have squeezed the stem or waited a bit longer before taking the picture). The latex will easily show on your hands or clothes if it comes into contact with them. Not the best picture as not much latex is weeping but you can see some on the cut edge of the stem.

Latex sap from the stem is bright orange

Identification Part 4

Know your mushroom gills.

The gills of this mushroom are what are known as shortly decurrent (extending downwards) and bright orange in colour.

Know your mushroom gills.

Identification Part 5

Green Meenies.

The gills of this mushroom turn green when bruised.