Boletus barrowsii

Edible and Choice

Boletus barrowsii

(White King Bolete or Chuck Barrows' Bolete)

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Barrows' Bolete (Boletus barrowsii) was originally identified in the southwest. It or similar species have since been reported from such divergent areas as British Columbia and Florida. In a wet year the nearby ponderosa pine forests can be absolutely filled with Boletus barrowsii. This mushroom was first thought to be a variety of Boletus edulis but after Chuck Barrows sent a specimen to Alexander Smith it became recognized as a separate species. Fungus gnats like this mushroom about as much as I do and can ravage it quite heavily in the later parts of the season.

In 1999 Boletus barrowsii appeared heavily in many areas of the Zuni Mountains. In 2000 there was minimal rain and I found no B. barrowsii anywhere. In 2001 there were few in the Zuni Mountains though they were abundant in the White Mountains of Arizona and I found many on Mount Taylor and one in the Chuska Mountains.

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Contents of this Page

Common Names - Common names listed for many languages

Descriptions - Links to descriptions of this species in many languages

Photographs - Links to photographs of this species on the web

Drawings and Paintings - Links to illustrations of this species on the web

Postage Stamps - Links to postage stamps showing this species on the web

Recipes

Recipes on the Web - Links to recipes for this species on the web (in many languages)

My Own Recipes:

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NOTE REGARDING INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE

The following information and links are compiled by B.W. Freyburger of Gallup, New Mexico, who regularly collects Boletus barrowsii during the late summer and fall in the mountains near there. Please notify him of persistently dead links, additional links regarding this species, or errors in information or links herein through email by clicking on his name above. This site contains links to other sites which are not authored by or controlled by the webmaster of this site. Unfortunately these sites sometimes diasppear or or are reorganized or moved leaving the link nonfunctional. I try to check for dead links and update or remove them as often as possible. Information, recipes, photographs, illustrations, and other material on these sites is likely subject to copyright protection. Please respect the legal rights of persons creating this material. This site also utilizes some clip art obtained from sources which identified it as public domain or authorized for use on non-commercial sites. If you notice any material on this site which you believe to be used in violation of copyright laws please notify the webmaster immediately. Some clip art appearing here is original. All original material contained on this page not otherwise copyrighted is ©2001 by B.W. Freyburger. All rights reserved.

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Common names:

English: Chuck Barrows' bolete, white king bolete

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Descriptions:

Links to descriptions of Boletus barrowsii on the web in many languages.

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Photographs:

Links to photographs of Boletus barrowsii on the web.

Fungi of New Mexico (text in English)

Fungus Amongus (text in English)

New Mexico Mycological Society (text in English)

OTown Mushrooms (text in English)

PSMS Bolete Study (text in English)

Tom Volk's Fungus of the Month for September1998 (scroll down)(text in English)

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Drawings and Paintings:

Links to illustrations of Boletus barrowsii on the web.

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Postage Stamps:

Links to postage stamps depicting Boletus barrowsii on the web.

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Recipes:

THE MANDATORY DISCLAIMER

On mycophagy:

There is a saying in German that translates roughly as "All mushrooms are edible, but some kinds only once." Put another way, there are old mushroom hunters and there are bold mushroom hunters, but there are no old bold mushroom hunters.

Don't overdo it. Most adverse reactions I have had to wild mushrooms have usually been tied to over-consumption. Most of all, if you aren't absolutely sure what it is, it is generally wiser not to eat it. When in doubt throw it out.

Boletus barrowsii is highly prized as an edible and considered by many to be superior to Boletus edulis. In fresh form I find it not so intense as in dried form where it can be just too intense. The first time I ate it both I and the person who ate some with me experienced a slight light-headed euphoric feeling, but this may have resulted from ozone present from intense thunderstorms that had just passed through the area. It was strange that we both had the same response. I have not experienced this effect since.

On storing Boletus barrowsii:

Boletus barrowsii dries excellently if sliced thinly. Drying tends to concentrate the flavor as with many boletes. With a short bit of soaking in warm water the dried mushrooms reconstitute to closely resemble fresh specimens. In 1999 (an exceptionally good year for this species) I dried enough of these mushrooms to end up with about 20 gallons (dried). This was probably the equivalent of several bushels in fresh form. I gave many away but also kept a large number which was fortunate because the summer of 2000 was one of the driest on record in the southwest and I never saw even one Boletus barrowsii that year.

On cooking Boletus barrowsii:

Boletus barrowsii can be cooked in any recipe calling for Boletus edulis and in dried form can be used in any recipe calling for dried porcini.

B.W. Freyburger