Cèpe is the French name and porcini is the Italian name for this mushroom. The boletus is very fleshy and the underside of the whole cap is made up of tightly-packed tubes. The boletus is highly prized for its refined flavour; it was first discovered and eaten by an English King in Aquitaine. Then in the late 19^th century Alcide Bonton (a great chef of the Café Anglais, the posh-est hang-out in Paris since the time of Napoleon III) reinvented the boletus and made the wild mushroom come back into vogue.

Boletus should be firm and unmarked, with the head securely attatched to the stem. The stems should be firm and the ‘gill’ part of the underside of the cap may be yellow or green but should not be brown. Do not choose these mushrooms on their size as the large ones can be just as good as the small ones. Boletus should not be washed as they tend to become slimmy and soak up the water, scrape them with a knife blade or brush them instead. Boletus prefer to be cooked on a low heat, this enables the mushroom to sweat so that their cooking water can evaporate. Best used stuffed, sautéd or grilled.

This highly sought after mushroom is limited in supply and available in April, October & November.  Minimum order is 1kg

Morels are also known as the sponge mushroom. These distinctive mushrooms appear honeycomb-like; they have a wide stem topped by a globular or conical hollow cap 6-12cm in height. Morels range in colour from blonde to brown to grey. The head and stem should be firm and unblemished; they should be dry and velvety to the touch, not sticky. The most prized of the morels is the dark coloured, short stems with round caps.

Morels grow abundantly in the two and sometimes three years immediately following a forest fire. Trees commonly associated with morel include ash, sycamore, tulip tree, dead and dying elms, cottonwoods and old apple trees. Morels are a fairly expensive variety of mushroom as they have not yet been successfully harvested. It is very difficult to describe a morel’s renowned flavour with its overtones of hazelnut and meat. Wash morels quickly, under a trickle of water and blot dry immediately. Start to cook morels on a low heat in order to sweat them, when their cooking water has evaporated they can then be braised or sautéed. Cooking morels with a simple knob of butter will bring out its character and richness; they are also wonderful as an accompaniment to dishes. Do not eat morels raw as they are very toxic.

Australian Wild Morels are available August to October.
French Wild Morels are available April to May and occasionally throughout the year. Minimum order is 1kg

Known as Mousseron in France and Gambi in Italy. Fairy Rings date back to the late 12^th century and get their name from folklore, this is becase they grow in circles in forested areas or meadows and the foliage in the middle of the circle dies. People once believed that mushrooms growing in a circle followed the path made by fairies dancing in a ring and if you step into the centre of the circle the fairys will take you. Fairy rings are small wild mushrooms that can be found all year round, but they prefer the Spring and Autumn months. They are richly coloured, creamy off-white to beige and light tan to golden brown.

Mousseron caps are a little more than 1inch in diameter, with lacy, widely seperated buff-coloured deep gills and long delicate stems tht appear very fragile in comparison to the cap size. They are a very versatile mushrooms in the kitchen. They have a fine, full-bodied almost aniseed flavour with a soft-chewy fleshy texture, similar to boletes. They also have a similar arouma to boletes an almost nutty, toasty flavour with a slightly bitter almond edge. Fair rings are excellent sautéed and the caps can tolerate long cooking.

Mousseron are available April through to November and occasionally throughout the year. Minimum order is 1kg.

Referred to as pied-de-mouton in France, are found throughout North America and Europe, singly or in groups in coniferous forests or woodlands. They are a fall mushroom that cannot be confused with any other. They are the only mushroom to have a thick cap covering a mass of small pointed foamy outgrowths, small protruding teeth-like spines, rather than gills and pores. Their colour varies from cream to reddish-orange. Their stem is short and often pale. The mushroom contains an inner flesh that is firm, bright white and has a sweetly aromatic smell. They are best when young as they have much more flavour.

The texture of hedgehog mushrooms is dry and is therefore best cooked slowly. If you have a larger specimen it is best to remove their spines as they tend to look like small hairs and can spoil the appearance of the finished dish. Older mushrooms should be blanched first to remove their slight bitterness. Hedgehogs are best used in sautés, stews, stuffed or as a side dish, just make sure you cook them in a dry skillet first to cook off their natural liquid.

Pied de Mouton are available April through to November. Minimum order is 1kg.

Chanterelles also know as girolles in France. They cultivate in wooded areas in Europe and North America. They grow on the ground under hardwoods or conifers and prefer to grow in less-dense woods or on the sides of roads alongside dense forest. Depending on where they grow alters their colour, when they come from coniferous woods they are almost white while those near oaks are yellow and larger. Winter chanterelles differ by the hollow end of their greyish-brown cap which joins with the stem. Generally speaking though, chanterelles have a yellowish, vase-shaped cap. Their underside is marked with deep irregular wrinkles that extend along the stem, like the girolles. Chanterelles also have a fruity taste, apricot-like odour and prefer slow cooking. Used best simmered in stews, or sautéed.

Chanterelles are available late March through to early December. Minimum order is 1kg

Also known as black chanterelles or horn of plenty, it has been a favourite among European chefs for centuries. Black trompets usually appear anywhere from June to September. The black trumpet has a sweet earthy richness; it is a very versatile mushroom to cook with.

They have a unique flavour and texture which resembles apricots. It goes particularly well with fish, in stews, soups or as an accompaniment. It is jet black in appearance and does not bleed, even after lengthy cooking.

It takes a keen eye and a lot of patience to harvest black trumpets as they are dark in colour and grow under huckleberry plants and ferns.

Black Trompets are available April through to early December. Minimum order is 1kg

Slippery Jacks grow from April to June, under Pines in Victoria. The mushroom has a slimy, wet appearance, and is usually yellow to brown in colour. The cap is convex when young and becomes flatter in maturity with the flesh being a light yellow turning olive to dark yellow with maturity. The cap is brown and up to 12cm in diameter when older, with the stem reaching up to 10cm high. Slippery Jacks do not discolour when damaged and although not highly prized for its edibility (can be rather bland in flavour), they are frequently marinated and considered a delicacy in Russia. Best to peel them before cooking as the skin can cause gastointestinal symptoms.