I'll start from the end - why is this mushroom poisonous?! This mushroom contains a volatile substance called "Gyromitrin". Many connoisseurs of this species of mushroom are not aware of the danger posed by the consumption of this mushroom.

The volatile substance contained in the mushroom is harmful not only in the mushroom itself, but also during its thermal treatment. As it is a volatile substance, cooking the mushroom to make it fit for consumption releases this substance into the air. Absorbed by the lungs, it enters the bloodstream, causes hemolysis and damages the liver, among other things. Poisoning even without consuming the mushroom can be fatal.

The head of the mushroom looks very tempting and appetizing. The corrugated shape resembles cerebral convolutions, and its brown color may be associated with good quality meat. That's pretty much it for the appeal of this poisonous mushroom.

The brown, reddish, rusty color is only the top, dull layer, because the mushroom is white in cross-section. Due to its irregular shape, the hat is difficult to measure, but it is assumed that its diameter reaches about 8 cm.

The hat is closely connected to a massive stem, the color of which is usually white, yellowish. Inside, the leg is hollow, has many chambers, pits, can reach about 7 cm in height.

The fleshy flesh is quite thick, firm and the smell and taste of a slightly mushroom encourage you to eat it. The flesh color is white.

The fungus appears most often around April, but during a warm winter it can already be found in European forests at the beginning of March, and it grows even until the end of June.

It likes coniferous forests with a predominance of pine and spruce, sandy soils in lowlands and foothills. Although the mushroom is highly poisonous, it is a delicacy in Scandinavia, Finland, Eastern Europe, i.e. in countries where livers are already heavily strained by other stimulants.

Good luck 😉