Edible mushroom - beginner Season - summer to autumn Common names peppery bolete, pepper bolete
Scientific name meaning: Chalciporus comes for the Greek Chalkos, meaning copper, and porus (pores): copper pores. Piperatus is direct Latin for peppery
Habitat  A mycorrhizal fungus that associates with deciduous and coniferous trees, particularly birch, pine and spruce. |
Overall structure and growth  A small mushroom compared to other boletes that often appears as single fruits bodies but can fruit in small numbers. |
Cap  Starting off convex, the cap flattens out and often has a wavy edge. It reaches 2-8cm and can vary in colour from pale sandy-brown to deep cinnamon-brown. When wet, it is slightly greasy and dried out it has an almost metallic sheen. |
Pores, tubes and spores  The large pores are angular and can be orange brown to a rich, red cinnamon brown. The tubes are the same colour. |
Stem  The stem reaches 8cm tall and can be up to 2cm wide, but is often narrower. It is cinnamon brown and chrome yellow at the base, which is also tapered. |
Flesh, smell and taste  The firm flesh is yellow, particularly in the base of the stem, but has a thin red band just above the tubes and below the cap cuticle. The smell is mild and the taste is hot like cracked black pepper. |
Possible lookalikes  Could be easily confused with dried or older specimens of Xerocomoid species, such as the Suede bolete (Xerocomus submentosus), pictured, but these lack the peppery taste. The Xerocomoids are edible but not the best flavoured. |
Use as a food This mushroom should be cooked and its strong, spicy flavour lends itself to be used to flavour dishes in the same way as black pepper. Hazards Must be thoroughly cooked to avoid digestive problems
Use in herbal medicine and medicine None known. If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner Other uses Used as a dye to create orange, yellow and green colours Importance to other species Food sources of many invertebrates
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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