Porcini or Summer 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 8–25 cm (sometimes up to 30), hemispherical in young mushrooms, then cushion-shaped, almost flat in old ones. Color warm bronze-brown, light brown, darker in the center. The surface is matte, slightly tacky in wet weather. A characteristic feature: in mature mushrooms the cap becomes covered with a fine network of cracks — a “crackled” look, like fired clay.

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.

Tubes free or notched at the stem. White when young, then yellowish, olive-green in mature mushrooms. Pores small and round. Does NOT turn blue when pressed — a key feature.

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 10–25 cm tall, 2–7 cm thick, club-shaped in young mushrooms, cylindrical in adults. Color light brown, cream. The most characteristic feature: the whole stem is covered with a distinct white network — broad, coarse, easy to see (hence the Latin “reticulatus,” meaning “net-like”). This is the main difference from the other 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, dense, does NOT change color when cut. Fibrous texture, with a pleasant resistance under the knife. It gets maggoty about as often as the classic porcini — and a bit less readily than the bronze bolete.

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 rich and mushroomy, with nutty notes, stronger in young mushrooms. Taste mild, slightly sweet, not bitter. Dried, it keeps its aroma well.