Lactarius deliciosus

Edible

(Some Like It, Some Don't)

Lactarius deliciosus

(Delicious Milk Cap, Saffron Milk Cap)

Photograph by Brother Alfred Brousseau, St. Mary's College

Jack S. States in Mushrooms and Truffles of the Southwest reports that Lactarius deliciosus is found in the southwest in the Transition, Canadian and Hudsonian zones. I have not observed it in the Zuni Mountain areas I regularly collect in, often finding L. rubrilacteus and L. barrowsii instead. On a Arizona Mushroom Club foray I observed large numbers in the mountains there in mixed aspen, fir and ponderosa stands. In pure ponderosa stands at lower elevations L. barrowsii was very common there. I have also found L. deliciosus in large numbers under douglas fir on Mount Taylor in the same environmental situations where I generally find L rubrilacteus in the Zuni Mountains. Both species seem to prefer grassy open areas near douglas firs. Of the two I prefer L. rubrilacteus for eating but both are good, particularly in stews.

Contents of this Page

Common Names - Common names listed for many languages

Keys to Lactarius sp.

Descriptions - Links to descriptions of this species in many languages

Photographs - Links to photographs of this species on the web

Drawings and Paintings - Links to illustrations of this species on the web

Postage Stamps - Links to postage stamps showing this species on the web

Recipes

Recipes on the Web - Links to recipes for this species on the web (in many languages)

My Own Recipes:

Photograph by Brother Alfred Brousseau, St. Mary's College

NOTE REGARDING INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE

The following information and links are compiled by B.W. Freyburger of Gallup, New Mexico, who regularly collects mushroms during the late summer and fall in the mountains near there. Please notify him of persistently dead links, additional links regarding this species, or errors in information or links herein through email by clicking on his name above. This site contains links to other sites which are not authored by or controlled by the webmaster of this site. Unfortunately these sites sometimes diasppear or or are reorganized or moved leaving the link nonfunctional. I try to check for dead links and update or remove them as often as possible. Information, recipes, photographs, illustrations, and other material on these sites is likely subject to copyright protection. Please respect the legal rights of persons creating this material. This site also utilizes some clip art obtained from sources which identified it as public domain or authorized for use on non-commercial sites. If you notice any material on this site which you believe to be used in violation of copyright laws please notify the webmaster immediately. Some clip art appearing here is original. All original material contained on this page not otherwise copyrighted is ©2001 by B.W. Freyburger. All rights reserved.

Click for Full-Sized Photograph

Photograph by Angelos Papadimitriou from Mushrooms in Greece

Used by permission of Angelos Papadimitriou.

Index of Angelos Papadimitriou Mushroom Photographs on this site

Other Photographs of Lactarius deliciosus by Angelos Papadimitriou

Keys to Lactarius sp.

Hesler, L. R. and A. H. Smith 1979. North American Species of Lactarius. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor. p. 66-67.

Click for Full-Sized Photograph

Photograph by Angelos Papadimitriou from Mushrooms in Greece

Used by permission of Angelos Papadimitriou.

Index of Angelos Papadimitriou Mushroom Photographs on this site

Other Photographs of Lactarius deliciosus by Angelos Papadimitriou

Common names:

Basque: piñutela, esne-gorri, nizkaloa, esne gorri

Catalan: rovellon (some sources indicate this is L. deliciosus, others L. sanguifluus which may be identical to L. rubrilacteus), pinetell, rovelló, paratge, esclata-sangs

Czech: ryzec pravý (=smrkový)

Danish: velsmagende mælkehat

Dutch: oranjegroene melkzwam

English: saffron milk cap, milky agaric

Finnish:

French: rouzillon, vache rouge, lactaire délicieux, catalan

Galician: leitouro, latouro, fungo dos pinos

German: edelreizker, kiefern-reizker, edel-reizker, echter reizker

Hungarian: rizike

Italian: sanguinacci, lattario delizioso

Japanese:

Norwegian: furumatriske

Polish: mleczaj rydz

Yugoslavian (Serbian?):

Sicilian: russiddu

Slovakian: rýdzik pravý

Slovenian:

Spanish:

Castillian: nizcalo, mizcalo, nfscalo, nfcalo, mfzcalo, seta de pino
Spain: niscalo, nizcalo, pinetell, esne gorri, mízcalo, seta de pino

Swedish: tallblodriska

Turkish: kanlyca mantary

Photograph by Brother Alfred Brousseau, St. Mary's College

Descriptions:

Links to descriptions of Lactarius deliciosus on the web in many languages.

Basque

Catalan

English

The Fungi of California

Finnish

French

German

TIPPS & TRICKS - LEXIKON - PILZE (scroll down)

Italian

Norwegian

Polish

Spanish

Associació Micológica Joaquim Codina

Swedish

Svampbok

Click for Larger Photograph

Photographs:

Links to photographs of Lactarius deliciosus on the web.

Associació Micológica Joaquim Codina (text in Spanish)

Brousseau, Brother Alfred

Claus' Own Page

Comestibles (scroll down)(text in Spanish)

Espais Naturals (text in English)

Fungi of New Mexico (text in English)(scroll down)

Galeria (text in Polish)

John C. Tacoma Mushroom Slide Collection, 1968-1978 (text in English)

Ludi's kleine Pilzkunde: Speisepilze (text in German)

Manitaria (text in Greek)

Page perso de JJ.Wuilbaut (text in French)

PATATAS GUISADAS CON MÍCULAS (text in Spanish)

Pilze, Pilze, Pilze (text in German)

Setas (text in Spanish)

shots.oxo.li/pilz/

Stevens, Fred

Tayside Fungi and Mushrooms

The Bush Telegraph (scroll down)(text in English)

The Fungi of California (text in English)

Universitat de Lleida - Centro Tecnológic Forestal de Catalunya

Wood, Michael

Click for Larger Photograph

Drawings and Paintings:

Links to illustrations of Lactarius deliciosus on the web.

shots.oxo.li/pilz/

Click for Larger Photograph

Postage Stamps:

Links to postage stamps depicting Lactarius deliciosus on the web.

Botswana Christmas, 1982

Guinea February 6, 1977

Nicaragua January 1, 1990

Somalia February 15, 1994

USSR, November 25, 1964

Click for Larger Photograph

Recipes:

THE MANDATORY DISCLAIMER

On mycophagy:

There is a saying in German that translates roughly as "All mushrooms are edible, but some kinds only once." Put another way, there are old mushroom hunters and there are bold mushroom hunters, but there are no old bold mushroom hunters.

Don't overdo it. Most adverse reactions I have had to wild mushrooms have usually been tied to over-consumption. Most of all, if you aren't absolutely sure what it is, it is generally wiser not to eat it. When in doubt throw it out.

General Information About Preparing Milky Caps

Important Urine Warning:

Information contained in some web sites in Spain indicates that after consuming quantities of rovellons ones urine turns a bright red. One site which identifies rovellons as L. delicosus indicated one individual was very concerned and thought he must be dying when this happened the next morning and immediately went to the emergency room only to be told it was normal excretion by the kidneys of pigments in rovellons. Another site notes the same phenomenon with regard to rovellons but identifies rovellons as L. sanguifluus, thought by Arora to be identical to L. rubrilacteus. I am not sure why web sites in Spain talk so blatantly about this phenonmenon when it seems to go unmentioned in American sources. It would seem more likely that L. rubrilacteus/L. sanguifluus, which have dark red latex, would have this effect than L deliciosus, which has orange latex. However, the following web sites outside Spain also report that L. deliciosus will cause urine to be red: Caratteristiche in cucina di alcune famiglie, Fishing in Wales and Svet Gob - World of Mushrooms. Whichever species it is, if your urine turns bright red the next morning try not to let it panic you too much. L. sanguifluus and L. deliciosus are said to be the most popular mushrooms in Catalunya, which explains the large number of recipes from Spain.

On storing Lactarius deliciosus:

On cooking Lactarius deliciosus:

B.W. Freyburger

Click for Full-Sized Photograph

Photograph by Angelos Papadimitriou from Mushrooms in Greece

Used by permission of Angelos Papadimitriou.

Index of Angelos Papadimitriou Mushroom Photographs on this site

Other Photographs of Lactarius deliciosus by Angelos Papadimitriou

Recipes on the Web:

See also recipes on the web calling for Lactarius rubrilacteus/Lactarius sanguifluus. In many areas of Spain the same common names are used for both L. deliciosus and L. sanguifluus and recipes using such common names are listed under both species.

Links to recipes using Lactarius deliciosus appearing on the web.

Czech

Danish

Fasanterrine med spinat og svampe

English

Baked Kasha and Mushrooms (scroll down)

CORN CHOWDER WITH SAFFRON MILKIES

Grilled Saffron Milk-cap (scroll down)

LACTARIUS DELICIOSUS "ALLA PIZZAIOLA" (scroll down)

LACTARIUS DELICIOSUS FRIED

Locanda Veneta's Bruschetta con Funghi Salvatici

Marinated Mushrooms with Onion Rings (scroll down)