Porcini or Bronze bolete

Cap 7–30 cm across, spherical or hemispherical in young mushrooms, becoming cushion-shaped and spread out over time. The color varies from light brown to dark chestnut or reddish brown depending on light and forest type: caps are darker in spruce woods and lighter in pine forests.

The cap surface is dry, smooth or slightly wrinkled, and can be a little sticky in wet weather. The margin is even or slightly wavy, inrolled in young mushrooms. The skin doesn't peel.

Cap 5–20 cm, hemispherical in young mushrooms, then cushion-shaped. Color dark — from bronze-olive to chocolate brown, sometimes almost blackish brown. Surface matte, slightly fibrous or finely cracked in dry weather. In old mushrooms it may fade noticeably.

The hymenophore is tubular and separates easily from the cap flesh. In young mushrooms the tubes are white, later turning yellow; in mature ones they're yellow-green or olive. The pores are small, round, uniform in color and don't change color when pressed.

Hymenophore tubular, free or slightly notched at the stem. White at first, then yellowish, olive-yellow in mature mushrooms. Pores small and round. Key feature: it does NOT turn blue when pressed or cut — this sets it apart from many potentially dangerous boletes.

Stem massive, 5–20 cm tall and 3–10 cm thick, bulbous or club-shaped in young mushrooms, later cylindrical. Color from whitish to light brown. The surface is covered with a characteristic white or cream net pattern, most distinct in the upper part of the stem.

There's no ring and no volva. The base of the stem is often thickened.

Stem 5–13 cm tall, 2–4 cm thick, bulbous or club-shaped, cylindrical in old mushrooms. Color chestnut brown, darker than the cap. Along its whole length runs a fine brown net, close to the stem in colour and usually more distinct near the top. This is a hallmark feature of porcini.

The flesh is dense, juicy and white, and doesn't change color when cut or damaged — this feature sets porcini apart from a number of poisonous lookalikes. In old fruiting bodies the flesh becomes spongy and yellowish.

The taste is mild, nutty and slightly sweet. The stem flesh is denser and more fibrous than the cap flesh.

Flesh white, very firm, does NOT change color when cut. This is an important diagnostic feature — in lookalikes (for example, the bitter bolete) the flesh turns pinkish. The texture is like a nicely mature porcini: fibrous, with a pleasant resistance when you slice it.

The smell is pleasant, unobtrusive, mushroomy with light nutty notes. With cooking and drying the aroma intensifies and takes on a deep, rich woody, foresty character. It's for dried porcini that the mushroom is so valued in cooking — no other dried mushroom gives such a pronounced taste and smell.

Smell richly mushroomy, with nutty notes, in some specimens stronger than in ordinary porcini. Taste mild, sweetish, with no bitterness.