Boletus edulis
The King
This is a fall mushroom in our forests and is an easy to identify bolete. Note the white netting at the very top of the stem and the bulbous base that is far different from the spring king, Boletus rex-veris, with its straight or tapered stalk. Porcini, as it is called in Italy, is most flavorful when dried and rehydrated. Specimens that are older, but not too old seem to have more of that nutty bolete taste than young fresh buttons. The mushroom is often riddled with maggot worms in the stem, so cut it off at the bottom and check for tracks before taking it home only to have to compost it. The pore layer can get older, greenish yellow and can be removed from the cap flesh layer to keep the fly larvae away from the flesh of the cap. Do not wait to dry or cook this mushroom if it is old or you will have to toss most of it due to worm holes.
