Weeping Milk Cap

The weeping milk cap (Lactifluus volemus) is a little-known but delicious edible mushroom.

It belongs to the Russulaceae family. Its finely velvety cap ranges from reddish-brown to caramel in colour – slightly convex in young specimens, later flattening out, and occasionally reaching a diame- ter of up to 20 centimetres. The cream-coloured gills are attached to the stem and bruise reddish- brown when pressed. The stem is typically slightly paler than the cap. One of its most distinctive fea- tures is the milky latex that oozes from damaged flesh or gills and turns brown when exposed to air. Another unmistakable trait is its strong herring-like smell. Considered a delicacy, the weeping milk cap develops its full aroma when simply pan-fried over high heat. It grows in upland areas beneath pine, spruce, beech or oak trees, but has become increasingly rare. The species is found in Europe, North America and parts of Asia.