Known as cépe de Bordeaux in France and king boletus in North America, Italy's favorite mushroom, the Porcino, has won worldwide fame for its earthy flavor, meaty texture, and versatility in the kitchen. Prized by ancient Roman emperors and by the more prosperous classes during the Middle Ages, Porcini were as indigenous to nobility tables as to their natural habitats in Europe, North America, and Australia. Though there are twenty or so edible varieties of this elite mushroom (donning caps from a spectrum of brown, yellow, reddish, pink, whitish, and grey hues), Boletus edulis is Italy's Porcino genus of choice. This plush mushroom requires a temperate climate that can sustain evergreen forests and deciduous woods, and is most often found at the foot of oak, beech, and chestnut trees. Porcini have thick, fleshy stalks that grow up to 10" tall, and are crowned with russet caps that may be up to 10" across. However, in this mushroom's case, bigger does not necessarily mean better: the best Porcini are the young, smallish ones with short, barrel-like stalks, firm caps, and tight pores on the caps' underside.

Though they sprout in spring and early summer, Porcini are at their peak in flavor during the fall season. Nevertheless, the drying process can now allow Porcini-aficionados to indulge their sophisticated craving all year-round.

In The Kitchen
Included in stews, soufflés, and pasta sauces (both red and white), as well as with pastas and even atop raw salads, fresh Porcini have a nearly infinite number of uses. Recipes feature the mushroom alongside meats and fish, as well as on its own, deep-fried, as a side dish. One caveat to be aware of: Porcini dried are a completely different fare than fresh. While equally savory and flavorful-even in combination with the fresh variety-dried Porcini are rather different in taste, and will add a delicious but distinct dimension to sauces, soups, and risottos.

Cooking Tips
Dried Porcini should be soaked in cool water for 1 to 2 hours and rinsed prior to cooking. The water used in soaking the mushrooms may be strained through a cheesecloth-lined sieve and incorporated into dishes to deepen and intensify flavor. Rinsing fresh Porcini can make them watery once they hit the pan; therefore, most cooks prefer to clean the cap, stem, and underside of each mushroom by wiping them gently with a damp cloth. The base of the stem should be trimmed, as it is usually dirt-covered (and quite possibly nibbled by worms).

Buying Tips
When choosing Porcini, select ones that are firm in texture and without damp spots, blemishes, or blackened areas. Porcini are available in most upscale greengrocers or specialty food shops. Though more easily found in the fall, some stores will have them in stock year-round. Distributors like Urbani USA [www.urbani.com] will ship fresh porcini mushrooms anywhere in the country, and may offer the mushroom in its dried and flash-frozen forms. (Frozen Porcini will keep in the freezer for months if left undisturbed.) .

Storing
Do not wash your fresh mushrooms before storing, as they will soak up water and spoil rapidly. Instead, store them in a paper bag at the bottom of your refrigerator for up to three days, maximum.

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