Page 242 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods
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Fib King Bolete, Boletus
fibrillosus (BOLETACEAE)
Dick Culbert, CC-BY-2.0
Ron Pastorino, CC-BY-SA-3.0
Ryane Snow, CC-BY-SA-3.0
FIB KING BOLETE is native to the Pacific Northwest lium is sometimes present.
and northern California. Occurring in old-growth
SPORES: 13-17.5 x 3.5-5.5 µ, elliptical to spindle-
and mixed forests, it is often found under conifers, in-
shaped, smooth; Spore print: dark olive-brown
cluding Douglas-fir and western hemlock. This bolete
EDIBLE PARTS: cap, stem
fruits singly or gregariously in soil, usually during
the fall. HOW TO EAT: This meaty mushroom has a pleasant
CAP: The convex to flat cap is 2.5-6.7 inches (6-17cm) nutty taste, but it does not rival Boletus edulis.
wide. Its color is dark brown to cinnamon brown, of- STEWED FIB KINGS: Ingredients: ¼ cup olive oil, 2
ten with lighter (but not yellowish) areas, especially cloves garlic (minced), 1 sprig thyme, 1 lb. (0.5 kg)
at the margins. The cap’s dry surface is often wrin- mushroom caps (sliced), 1 tomato (diced), 2 tbsp.
kly and velvety to fibrillose. The thick flesh is white broth, salt, pepper, parsley. Heat olive oil in a sauce-
to yellowish with a mild flavor. When bruised, it does pan. Saute garlic and thyme (1-2 min.). Add mush-
not turn blue. rooms. Cook until they have released their water. Add
PORE SURFACE: The pores and tubes, located on the tomato and broth. Simmer on low (30 min.). Season
cap’s underside, are pale yellow or darker. Like the with salt, pepper, and parsley garnish.
flesh, they do not bruise blue. POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Some boletes that stain
STEM: The stem is 3-6.3 inches (8-16cm) long, 0.8-1.6 blue or have red pores are poisonous - avoid. Pep-
inches (2-4cm) wide, and equal or slightly enlarged per Bolete, B. piperatus - red pores; sharp, peppery
towards the base. The base itself is often pinched. taste. Blue-staining species include: B. calopus, B.
Solid within, the stem’s outer surface is strongly re- erythorpus, B. lurideus, B. huronensis. Lilac Brown
ticulate, fibrillose, and brown, growing yellowish Bolete, Sutorius eximius - lilac-brown when young;
near the top and white at the base. White basal myce- reddish-brown spore print.
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