Page 246 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Slippery Jack, Suillus

luteus (SUILLACEAE)

SLIPPERY JACK appears in late summer and fall, or
during mild winters. It fruits scattered to gregariously
on the ground under conifers, favoring pine species.
CAP: Cap is 2-4.7 inches (5-12cm) wide and convex,
becoming broadly convex. The deep brown to red-
dish-brown cap may yellow slightly in age. Partial veil
residue often clings to margins.
PORE SURFACE: Beginning white, tubes and pore sur-
face deepen to dark yellow, becoming brownish when
old. They do not stain blue.
STEM: The 1.2-4 inches (3-10cm) tall and 0.4-1 inch (1- cooking. This will improve texture and remove the
2.5cm) wide stem is white to yellowish and speckled main source of the stomach-upsetting irritants.
with pinkish-brown resinous dots.
BACON-WRAPPED SLIPPERY JACKS: Ingredients:
VEIL: The membranous partial veil sheathes the stem, bacon, mushroom pieces, oil. Cut bacon strips in half.
creating a flaring ring, or else a ring zone. The ring is Wrap each mushroom chunk in a half-strip of bacon.
whitish above, purplish-grey to purplish-brown below, Secure with a toothpick through middle. Fry.
and slimy when moist.
WARNING: S. luteus causes vomiting, diarrhea, and
SPORES: 6-10 x 2.5 -3.5 µ, spindle-shaped to elliptical, gastric upset in many people.
smooth; Spore print: dull brown
POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Some mushrooms with
EDIBLE PARTS: cap, stem orange/red pores, pores that bruise blue/black, or a
HOW TO EAT: Always peel off the slimy skin before peppery taste are highly poisonous.

Spring King Bolete, Boletus
rex-veris (BOLETACEAE)

SPRING KING BOLETE is native to California and the
Pacific Northwest and grows on soil under conifers, fa-
voring pine and red fir. They fruit in late spring.
Ron Pastorino, CC-BY-SA-3.0
CAP: Cap is 3-10 inches (9-25cm) across and convex, be-
coming nearly flat or centrally depressed in age. It may
develop cracks or fine wooly hairs. When moist, surface
becomes viscid, drying soon after. Cap color is pale red-
dish-brown, though in sunlight it may yellow.

PORE SURFACE: When young, the surface beneath the
cap is white and its round-mouthed tubes are stuffed Dick Culbert, CC-BY-2.0 Alan Rockefeller, CC-BY-SA-4.0
with cotton-like fibers. Surface yellows with age; even- REX-VERIS RICE: Ingredients: ½ lb. (500g) chopped
tually it gets olive to brownish. It never bruises blue. mushrooms, 3 tbsp. olive oil, 2 diced bell peppers,
STEM: The 2-6 inches (5-15m) long, 0.8-3 inches (2- 1 diced carrot, 1 crushed tomato, 3 garlic cloves, ½
8cm) thick stem is swollen at the base, becoming more tbsp. paprika, 1 glass oloroso wine, ¼ lb. (250g) rice,
equal by maturity. Its dry white surface discolors pink- 6 cups stock, salt, pepper. Sauté mushrooms, garlic,
ish or brownish in age. Upper stem is patterned with carrot, and peppers (8 min.). Add tomato and papri-
raised net-like ridges. ka. Stir in rice (1 min.). Add oroloso (5 min.). Pour
SPORES: 13-18 x 4-5 µm, elliptical to spindle-shaped, in broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 min.
smooth; Spore print: olive-brown Season with salt and pepper.

EDIBLE PARTS: cap, stem POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Some boletes that stain
blue or have red pores are poisonous – avoid; Lilac
HOW TO EAT: It is sweet and meaty and often buried Brown Bolete, Sutorius eximius
under soil.
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