Page 247 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods
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Suede Bolete, Xerocomus
subtomentosus (BOLETACEAE)
SUEDE BOLETE fruits on the ground under hard- HOW TO EAT: This mushroom is edible, though
woods including beech, birch, aspen, and oak. Widely bland-tasting for a bolete. Because X. subtomentosus
distributed across North America, it occurs singly, is blue-staining, take extra caution with identification.
scattered, or in groups from early summer to late fall.
BOLETE OMELETTE: Ingredients: butter, mush-
CAP: The cap is 1.5-6 inches (4-15cm) wide and con- rooms (sliced), 2 green onions (chopped), 1 chili
vex, becoming broadly convex in age. Its dry, velvety (chopped), 1 clove garlic (minced), 3 eggs (beaten,
surface is honey-brown to olive-brown. In age, the cap seasoned), ¼ cup cheddar, arugula. Sauté mushrooms
becomes cracked and often develops a slight reddish until tender. Add green onions, chili, and garlic. Cook
tinge. The white to yellowish flesh turns pale blue for 3-4 min. Season and reserve. Pour eggs into a hot,
when cut. The odorless flesh is mild-tasting. buttered pan and cook on low. When the omelet is al-
PORE SURFACE: The yellow pore surface becomes most set, add cheese and mushrooms. As cheese melts
dingy in age and may bruise slightly blue. The tubes sprinkle with arugula. Fold omelet over.
are 0.4-0.8 inches (10-20mm) deep and 0.04-0.12 POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Boletes with red pores
inches (1-3mm) wide. are poisonous. Toxic blue-staining boletes include: B.
STEM: Measuring 1.5-4 inches (4-10cm) tall and 0.4- calopus (stem is red near the bottom), B. erythorpus
0.8 inches (1-2cm) thick, the solid stem is equal or (orange-red pores), B. lurideus (yellowish pore sur-
tapering towards the base. Its yellowish surface is face matures to orange-red; stem bottom is usually
nearly smooth with raised longitudinal ridges near reddish), B. huronensis (favors hemlock; upper stem
the top. Old stems discolor to orange-brown. is usually yellowish), and Rubroboletus spp. (red
pore surface). Lilac Brown Bolete, Sutorius eximius
SPORES: 10-15 x 3.5-5 µm, elliptical to spindle-
lilac-brown when young; reddish-brown spore print.
shaped, smooth; Spore print: olive-brown
EDIBLE PARTS: cap, stem
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