Porcini
The king bolete. A thick stem, a brown cap, and a smell of warm bread.
Know it
Porcini — the king bolete — has a thick, swollen stem, a brown bun-shaped cap, and a white to olive pore surface instead of gills. It smells of warm bread and fresh forest floor.
Where & when
host spruce, pine, oak (mycorrhizal) season late summer to autumn range cool northern forests spore olive-brown
Why it's the king
Dense, meaty, and rich, porcini dry beautifully and hold their flavour all winter. A single basket is worth the whole hike.