Hygrophorus Russula

If you haven't tried them already, keep your eyes peeled for pretty purplish pink Hygrophorus russulas (formerly known as Hygrophorus purpurascens. It's an edible mushroom widely distributed in North America and Europe.

If you're familiar with mushroom hunting and foraging, you'll know Russula species can be tricky to identify, have their color vary, and are often infested with bugs.

A False Russula

Essentially a false russula, or a russula-like waxy cap, Hygrophorus russula only resembles other Russula in shape and size from my experience. It's technically in a completely different category of waxy cap mushrooms.

Young hygrophorus have a mottled pink color underneath cap. Older mushrooms (background) will have white gills as they age, and a broadly convex cap with a reddish pink coating that can peel off in places as it ages.

Identification Tips

• Growing with oaks
• Firm texture
• Waxy cap surface
• White spore print
• Mottled pink cap and gills
• Stipe is finely hairy

Habitat

These are mycorrhizal with oaks in mixed hardwood forests and should be widespread across North America. I find them in places with small amounts of leaf cover in areas where I see other edible mushrooms, growing in patches where I pick chanterelles, lobsters, and porcini.

All you need to find these is the right oaky mushroom terrain. I tend to see them in the late summer in the Midwest, typically around August-September. Occasionally I see them growing in large fairy rings. 

Cooking

I find their flavor ok, and mild. But they have a great resistance to bugs making them a mushroom worth putting in the basket.

For the sake of comparison, I treat these like a cultivated button mushroom, since their flavor is mild, and their texture near identical.

Some people report getting a waxy mouth feel or something similar when eating them. I haven't noticed this personally.

Preservation

These dry well when sliced thinly, and develop a slightly richer aroma like most mushrooms. They will make good pickles too, cut into quarters, sliced thick, or left whole if small.

Recipes

Recipes for Hygrophorus russula, or where they can be easily substituted.

• Puffball Ravioli With Wild Mushrooms and Kale
• Wild Mushroom Julienne
• Sweet and Sour Venison (or Beef etc) Soup With Wild Mushrooms
• Wild Mushroom Duxelles
• Wild Mushrooms With Garlic And Parsley
• Wild Mushroom Conserve (Pickled Mushrooms)
• Wild Mushrooms Bordelaise (Bordeaux-Style)