Boletus edulis

Porcini (Boletus edulis, the taxonomic name) is an edible basidiomycete mushroom. It has a number of English names, including cep (from its Catalan name cep or its French name cèpe), king bolete and penny bun. The most common term in current use is porcini (from the plural of its Italian name porcino). The fruiting body is a large imposing mushroom the cap of which may reach 25 cm in diameter and 1 kg in weight. Symbiotic, it forms mycorrhizal association with pine and is found in pine forests and plantations in autumn.

Highly prized, Boletus edulis is commercially sold fresh in autumn in central and southern Europe but is also dried and distributed worldwide.

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Taxonomy

Boletus edulis was first described in 1782 by the French botanist Pierre Bulliard and still bears its original name. Early alternate names include Boletus solidus by James Sowerby in 1809 and Gray's Leccinum edule. The scientific name, Boletus, is derived via Latin from the Greek word boletos, meaning "superior mushroom" and bolos 'lump' before that, and edulis, meaning edible, refers to the species' culinary qualities. However the Boletus in classical times referred to the prized Amanita caesarea.

The mushroom is known as Ontto txuri or "the blond" in Basque, hřib pravý (Czech), cep (Catalan), vargánya (Hungarian), vrganj (Croatian), borowik szlachetny (Polish), baravykas (Lithuanian), белый гриб "white mushroom" or боровик (Russian), dubák or hríb smrekový (Slovakian), jurček or jesenski goban (Slovenian), hrib or mânătarcă (Romanian), manatarka (Bulgarian), herkkutatti or "delicious bolete" (Finnish), harilik kivipuravik or "common bolete" (Estonian), Karljohan after King Charles XIV John) or stensopp (Swedish), steinsopp (Norwegian), Karl Johan or spiselig rørhat (Danish), eekhoorntjesbrood (Dutch), vrganj (Serbian), 牛肝蕈 or "beef liver mushroom" (Traditional Chinese) and Steinpilz (German). It is also known as khubz el a'a or "crow's bread" in Arabic (Syria and Lebanon). In Italian is known as "porcino".

Related forms

Several similar species are sometimes considered subspecies or forms of this mushroom. In France, in addition to Boletus edulis (or cèpe de Bordeaux), the most popular are

• Tête de nègre (negro’s head; Boletus aereus), much rarer than the Boletus edulis, is by far the most appreciated by gourmets, as well as the most expensive. Usually smaller than the Boletus edulis, it is also distinctively darker in colour.
• Cèpe des pins (pine tree cep; Boletus pinophilus or Boletus pinicola) grows among pine trees. Its pores are characteristically bright yellow. It is less appreciated by gourmets than the two other kinds of porcini, but remains a mushroom ranking above most others.
• Cèpe d'été (summer cep; Boletus reticulatus)

In parts of Colorado and New Mexico (and possibly elsewhere) there is a species Boletus barrowsii, named after its discoverer Chuck Barrows. [1] It is mycorrhizal with Ponderosa pine and hence tends to grow in areas where there is less rainfall. Some find it as good as if not better than Boletus edulis.

Description

The cap of this mushroom is 7-30 cm (3-12 in) broad at maturity, and mostly reddish-brown fading to white in areas near the margin; the color continues to darken as it matures. The stalk is 8-25 cm(3.5-10 in) in height, and up to 7 cm (2.8 in) thick—rather large in comparison to the cap. The pores, which do not stain when bruised, are white in youth, fading to yellow and then to brown with age. Fully mature specimens can weigh about 1 kg (2.2 lb); a huge specimen collected on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, in 1995 bore a cap of 42 cm (16.5 in), with a stipe 18 cm (7.1 in) in height and 14 cm (5.5 in) wide, and weighed in at 3.2 kg (7.1 lb).^[1]

However, the most appreciated by gourmets are the young small porcini, as the large ones often harbor maggots (insect larvae), and become slimy, soft and less tasty with age.

Distribution and habitat

  Boletus edulis can be found most commonly in Europe and North America. The mushroom can grow singly or in small clusters of two or three specimens. Its habitat consists of areas dominated by pine, spruce, Eastern hemlock and fir trees. Not limited to these locations, the King Bolete is also found in hardwood forests containing oaks. It fruits from summer to autumn, following sustained rainfall. This mushroom can be found during the Fall in Syria and Lebanon where it grows in large clusters on decaying oak tree stumps.

It is well known to grow in the Borgotaro area of Parma, Italy, and has PGI status there.

Boletus edulis has been reported from the vicinity of Christchurch in New Zealand, where it is likely to have been somehow introduced^[2]. It has been growing plentifully in association with pine forests in the southern KwaZulu-Natal Midlands in South Africa for more than 50 years. It is not indigenous to the region, and is believed to have been brought there with the import of pine trees.^[3][4]

Culinary uses

  As the name implies, Boletus edulis is edible, and a polled sample of people consider it superior to most other porcini in flavor and in texture - which is supported by its higher retail price. It is described as nutty and slightly meaty, with a smooth, creamy texture. This mushroom has a distinct aroma reminiscent of fermented dough. It has a higher water content than other edible mushrooms. Porcini are eaten and enjoyed raw, sautéed with butter, ground into pasta, in risotto, in soups, and in many other dishes. They are a feature of many cuisines, including Provençal,^[5] and Viennese.^[6]

Boletus edulis, along with Boletus badius and other boletes can be dried by stringing them separately on twine and hanging close to the ceiling of a kitchen. Alternatively they can be cleaned, but they should not be washed, and then placed in a wicker basket or bamboo steamer on top of a boiler or hot water tank. Once dry, they are best kept in an airtight jar. Drying them in the oven is inadvisable as it can result in them being cooked and spoiling. Importantly for commercial production, porcini retain their flavor after industrial preparation in a pressure cooker or after canning or bottling, and are thus useful for manufacturers of soups or stews. The addition of a few pieces of dried porcini can significantly add to flavor.

  According to official figures, around 3000 tons were sold in France, Italy and Germany in 1988. However, the true amount consumed far exceeds this as collecting and informal sales are not included. They are widely exported and sold in dried form, reaching countries where they do not occur naturally, such as Australia. A 1998 survey estimates between 20,000 and 100,000 tons are consumed worldwide.^[7]

References

• Fungo di Borgotaro Official sitebe-x-old:Баравік