Friuli,Lombardy,Piedmont,Emilia,Tuscany

Emilia Lombardia Porcini Mushrooms

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Mushrooms

Thousands of years ago, Egyptian Pharaohs declared mushrooms sacred and reserved them for their own godly use. They were also called "the food of the gods" by Romans--and even today psylocype species of the mushroom are sacred to some Indians in Mexico, South America, and the North America southwest, where they are used to induce religious trances and hallucinations. Carlos Casteneda's The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yacqui Way of Knowledge recounts his experiences with this sacred mushroom, administered to him by the Shaman Don Juan.
Porcini mushrooms

In the vast culinary world of edible mushrooms, only one can be called king. What Italians affectionately call the Porcini (the piglet) is a ruling class of the delicious fungi. The meat-like texture of Porcini, with its earthy and somewhat nutty flavor is unequaled among mushrooms and lends itself to countless dishes. Porcini can be found the world over, however American consumers have yet to fully utilize Porcini in all its forms, being mostly seen in its dried form. Nevertheless, there is much more to Porcini mushrooms than the dried bags found at the supermarket and while dried Porcini are excellent, the king of mushrooms deserves more respect.

Drying is an age-old method of preserving wild mushrooms to enjoy their haunting and elusive flavor year-'round. Once softened, the mushrooms may be sliced, chopped, or left whole, according to your recipe. Add reconstituted mushrooms at the beginning of cooking. This allows their highly concentrated flavors to permeate the entire dish.

The best method is to reconstitute them in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes, saving the water for sauces and gravies. Especially good for wild mushroom soups and sauces for wild game.
Trail of Porcino Mushroom of Borgotaro

Risotto ai Funghi Porcini

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms

Ingredients

A one ounce packet dried porcini mushrooms (25 g, about a packed half cup)

1/2 of a small onion, finely sliced

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, or: 3 tablespoons olive oil + 1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/3 cup dry white wine, warmed in a pan on the stove

1 cup grated parmigiano

1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

The water the mushrooms were soaked in, strained, and a quart of simmering water, beef broth, or watery bullion

A bunch of parsley, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Characteristics

Course

FIRST

Preparation time

60 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe for persons

4

Region

Emilia - Lombardy

Preparation

Steep the porcini in a cup of boiling water for fifteen minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the onion finely and sauté it in either three tablespoons of oil or 1/4 cup of butter. When it's lightly browned remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon and stir the rice into the drippings in the pot. then continue adding water or broth a ladle at a time, stirring occasionally. About five minutes before the rice is done, check seasoning. As soon as the rice is al dente, turn off the heat, stir in the remaining butter, half the cheese, the cream if you're using it, a little bit of ground pepper, the parsley, and cover the risotto for two minutes. Serve with the remaining grated cheese.

Porcini Mushroom in Extra Virgin Olive Oil By Borgotaro Funghi & Funghi

The Porcini mushroom production around Valtaro, an area in the Appennine mountains where Emilia Romagna, Tuscany and Liguria meet, is the only one recognized by the European Community as geographically protected (IGP). It sits at an altitude of about 1,300 feet and is covered with dense forest of chestnut, beech, oak and poplar trees. The area's climatic conditions are perfect for the growth of Porcini mushroom (Boletus Edulis) and the ones from Valtaro are the most sought-after by mushroom connoisseurs.

Determined to find the best Porcini and after several excursions to Italy, this is where we found them. They are produced by the family-run company Borgotaro Funghi & Funghi in its traditional workspace. The first sign of the excellent quality of these Porcini is the heady aroma, strong enough to come through the packaging. The shape of their stalk and cap is almost intact - a sign of freshness - and the color a delicate chestnut brown. Once you open the bag their fragrant perfume comes through in all its powerful earthiness. Their dark and musky aroma will evoke memories of walks in the woods during the crisp fall months...

The same high quality Porcini mushrooms are used in the company's excellent preserves such as in the Porcini in extra virgin olive oil.

The Borgotaro Funghi & Funghi porcini mushrooms are on sale online at Gustiamo.com