General Information
Porcini mushrooms are an edible wild mushroom whose fruitbody can be described as having a dense, white stripe (stem) that will turn yellow-brown with age. It has a large cap that is pale to rust brown and continues to darken as it matures. At maturity, the cap is three to ten inches broad and has a slightly sticky feel. The cap’s underside contains tubes, rather than gills. Its flavor is nutty and slightly meaty, with a smooth, creamy texture. This mushroom emits a yeasty aroma reminiscent of sourdough. It has a noticeably higher water content than other edible mushrooms.
History
Porcini’s can be found most commonly in Europe and North America. The Porcini mushroom can grow singularly or in small clusters of two or three specimens. Its habitat consists of areas dominated by both deciduous and coniferous trees: pine, spruce, Eastern hemlock, birch and fir trees. Porcini mushrooms harvested in Italy are considered the true Porcini mushrooms.
