They are already here!
They are already here! King of mushrooms, or boletus. It is true that so far only Boletus erythropus, but also these are appreciated by mushroom gourmets. For me, it is one of the tastiest edible mushrooms. I especially love their texture, because despite the long-term heat treatment, they remain firm, hard and fleshy.
Although they appear almost regularly every year around the second half of May, when I see them, I am like a child, as if I have never seen them with my eyes. This beautiful, massive mushroom has a cap up to 20 cm in diameter. The color of the hat in most specimens is dark brown, brick-brown with an olive tinge. The surface of the hat is dull, dry.
In a young fruiting body, the cap has a spherical shape, with age the cap opens and becomes cushion-like, becoming almost flat in old age, even slightly curled.
Tubes, or hymenophore, are the hallmarks of this mushroom. There is a reason why it is called brick pores, but it only takes on this color when it is mature. In young fruiting bodies, the hymenophore tubes are yellowish-olive, then the color changes to orange, and when the fungus matures, they change color to brick red, the hymenophore changes color, darkens and becomes bluish during mechanical damage or pressure.
The leg of young fruiting bodies is also yellow in color, but has a delicate red mesh visible on it. Mature specimens have a mesh so dense that the leg appears to be all red. The leg is first barrel-shaped and then cylindrical. It is massive, hard and full inside. After cutting, it changes its color to blue, glaucous-blue, navy blue.
The yellow flesh, also when damaged, turns navy blue, glaucous-gray. It is firm, hard with a delicate mushroom flavor and aroma.
Boletus is most often found in mountain areas, in spruce and fir forests, but my specimens come from the highlands. It often grows under oaks, beech trees. It likes acidic soils, but it is also found on calcareous soils, in the vicinity of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. It appears in May and grows until November.
Boletus erythropus is a very tasty edible mushroom. However, not everyone collects this species of mushroom for fear that they will come across the boletus. Not really, as the boletus mushroom does not occur in this period. Boletus erythropus is a very tasty edible mushroom after boiling or frying. Its hard flesh resembles meat in texture, even after heat treatment. In its raw state, it can cause minor gastric ailments.
Forest violets while searching for porcini mushrooms
While searching for mushrooms, I found quite a lot of violets. In Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska you can find large clusters of these flowers (Viola reichenbachiana, Viola silvestris). Few people know that violets are edible and that flower petals contain a very large amount of vitamin C.
They have many health properties and have several culinary uses. Flowers can be used to flavor sugar, vinegar. You can make tinctures and syrups from them. They are perfect for salads, preparing infusions and teas.
Enjoy 😉
