Porcinello Grigio, Porcinello Rosso

The porcinello rosso (Boletus rufus or Leccinum versipelle) appears from July to early autumn and belongs to the Boletus family, growing in symbiosis with birch trees, hence its English name. There are a few similar varieties, all of which are edible, although they all have a slightly different colouring and grow from conifers or oak trees. All members of this family are bulky and fibrous, with a white stem covered with blackish-brown tints. The cap is an orange-red colour, with one branch of the family, the porcinello grigio (B. scaber), tending to a darker grey/brown. The grigio, however, is not as firm or as tasty as the rosso.