Last Sunday at Borderlands

Last Sunday, Alex, Alexis, and I went to Borderlands State Park, again.

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Urban wildlife for dinner

I just found this in the park by my house.  I thought it was interesting, how it was growing all curvy-like.  Then I thought that its field markings were distinctive enough that I could probably identify it, once I got back to my field guides:  velvety dark brown cap, whitish pores for a spore-bearing surface, solid stipe, with brownish color that doesn't quite reach the base, and a pleasant odor (sweet.  Alexis thought it smelled like coffee ice cream)

I identified it as Boletus aereus, sometimes called 'queen bolete.'  My favorite mushroom guide, the Simon and Schuster one, gives it two forks up for edibility.  I cut the stipe in half to see if fungus gnats had gotten to it first--no maggots!  I sliced the cap into thin slabs and sauteed it in olive oil, drizzling a few drops of soy sauce on it when it was done.  Alexis, who hates mushrooms, tasted it, and declared that it was similar to bacon.  I may have to go looking for some more!

Cross-posted to wildfoods, mycology.