Velvet bolete

The velvet bolete (Suillus variegatus) can be found throughout Finland in heathland forests, on bedrock, in swamps and in ditches, accompanied by pine trees. The mushroom is very common and usually yields a great harvest. The first velvet boletes usually appear in August.

Characteristics

The velvet bolete is a medium-sized mushroom. The cap of a young mushroom is hemispherical, later flat and slightly domed with sharp, thin edges. The cap is brownish yellow with a matte surface and small brown scales. The mushroom looks a little like it has been sprinkled with cinnamon. The dense pore layer is dirty yellow, olive green and, in old specimens, greenish brown. Pressing it with a finger usually leaves a blueish mark. The stem is usually short, quite sturdy, brownish yellow and usually reddish yellow at the base. A young mushroom has a firm, pale brownish yellow flesh. When cut, the flesh turns blue; sometimes a little, sometimes intensely. The mushroom rarely has maggots.

Use

Like other mushrooms in the genus Boletus, velvet boletes are an excellent choice for soups and various other dishes, such as stews, bakes and savoury pancakes. The velvet bolete is also used for making yellow dye.

Preparation

When looking for velvet boletes for cooking, try to find small, hemispherical specimens. You don’t need to remove the freckled cuticle, the thin pore layer or the stem. The velvet bolete has a mild, slightly acidic taste. The mushroom is easy to cook; simply chop it up and fry it in a pan. The flesh may turn blue where you cut it, but when cooking, the colour turns back to a beautiful pale yellow.

Preservation

Drying is the best way to preserve velvet boletes. Another great option is to cook them in their own juices and then freeze them. Some find that the taste of dried velvet boletes is slightly similar to that of the false morel.