October rains bring forth the mushrooms on the Pacific Coast, including the Boletus edulis. Known in France as cep and in Italy as porcini, it is treasured for its intense aroma and flavourful, meaty flesh.
Click through to see finding, weighing and cooking these delicious “little piglets”.
They like pine forests, which are abundant around here.
This little piglet was almost big enough to be much-needed umbrella.
Distinctive reticulation on the upper stem with a cap made of tubes rather than gills.
A big haul of fatties. The aroma was incredible.
We make risotto, pasta and cream sauce for steaks, but the first batch is simply grilled with oil and salt and eaten, standing in the kitchen.
Some stripes on those piggies. Time to open a Barolo!